Creators and Guests

David Andersen, owner of David Andersen pianos in Los Angeles has been a professional musician, recording artist, and piano technician/consultant for nearly four decades. He has overseen the restoration and maintenance of hundreds of Steinway and Mason & Hamlin pianos during that time. Beginning in 1975 he apprenticed for two and a half years under Jack Cofer in Atlanta, Georgia; during the 1980s he studied at Steinway facilities both in New York and London.

Eathan has 20 years of experience as a piano technician. He studied with Dave Miller, the staff piano technician for the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, New Jersey. Dave Carpenter, the inventor of the Verituner electronic tuning device, provided mentorship for Eathan in Chicago. Eathan also worked with Ken Eschete and Bill Schwarts, the staff piano technicians at Northwestern University in Chicago. In 2009, he founded Floating Piano Factory of New York, a company that allows piano technicians to move from Apprentice to Craftsman level while offering value pricing to clients as technicians progress toward mastery. In 2017 he founded Piano Technicians Masterclasses, an online project designed to offer cutting-edge instruction from piano industry masters to anyone on the globe with an internet connection.

Registered Piano Technician Alan Eder has been the full-time piano tech for the Herb Alpert School of Music at the California Institute of the Arts for 38 years. He has trained with such luminaries of our field as Keith Hardesty and Richard Davenport, RPT, and with Yamaha and Steinway. In turn, Alan has trained many accomplished piano technicians enjoying successful careers as field technicians and working for music schools, piano dealers, and manufacturers. Under the auspices of the Piano Technicians Guild, Alan has taught numerous classes at chapter meetings and regional and national conventions, alone and in collaboration with others. Alan has been a featured guest on Piano Tech Radio Hour, along with pianist Danny Holt, and has been involved in the production of several piano-centric videos, including "Non-Traditional Piano Use," "American Grand" (Amazon Prime), "A Glimpse Into Montal's Paris" (Youtube) and "Piano Rap" (Youtube).

Boaz is a graduate of the CF Theodore Steinway Academy in Hamburg, Germany, and holds a Diploma in Advanced Piano Technology from the North Bennet Street School. Boaz was employed by Steinway & Sons from 2003-2006. His mentors include Bruce Clark, Ron Coners, Aleks Markovich, Eric Schandall, and David Stanwood. Boaz is a Precision Touch Design Installer and action specialist. He returned to field service in 2015 as a full-time road warrior for Fredrick Mudge, servicing all of New England and New York City.

Carl has been a piano technician in Los Angeles for 49 years. I have worked with CyberTuner's creator, Dean Reyburn for the last 25 years and am now CyberTuner's Imagineer. I am a field service piano technician working at a Performing Arts Center, Recording Studios and private homes.

Chano has three Grammy nominations and over 40 years of stage performance experience. As a native of Spain, his works are an ingenious and unique combination of jazz and flamenco music that never ceases to leave their mark in the minds of the audience. Along with his recording and performing career, he has also shared his expertise through seminars and masterclasses and taught at Juilliard, the Taller de Música in Barcelona, and other institutions. Early in his career, he formed a Latin rock band, CAI. They released three albums for CBS. However, the band parted ways in 1981, and Chano took on a solo career. Since then, Chano has earned several accolades for his inexplicable works. His album Flamenco Sketches was highly critically acclaimed and in this album, he reinterpreted all five songs from Miles Davis’ ‘Kind of Blue,’ and more.

Chris Brown is a Registered Piano Technician of Grandwork Tools. He started his career as a piano technician in 1977. He is one of the leading piano technicians who master various skills like concert tuning, rebuilding, and teaching. He is also a college technician and private customer piano-care provider along with being a designer, engineer and manufacturer.

Called "phenomenal" by the late music critic Alan Rich (solveheard.com) and hailed as one of the "local heroes" of the Los Angeles Music Scene (LAcitybeat.com), pianist Danny Holt brings his boundless energy and wit to unique interpretations of new music, 20th-century music and obscure, unusual and neglected repertoire from past centuries. Holt performs around the globe in concert halls (Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Hollywood Bowl), clubs, art galleries, churches, living rooms, and wherever else he can find a piano and someone to listen to. Danny has held fellowships at the Bang On a Can Summer Music Institute, the Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall, New England Conservatory's Summer Institute for Contemporary Practice, and more.

He's an active member of the PTG with years of experience in both traditional practices and embracing new technologies within the world of piano technology. Dave offers unique perspectives on adapting old-world crafts into today's digital landscape.

Since 1960, Del Fandrich has evolved from a basic service technician to an independent rebuilder, manufacturer, and design consultant. He served as the Director of R&D with Baldwin and has consulted with brands like Charles Walter and Young Chang. Most recently he has been working with John Martin of Wertheim Piano to develop a totally new vertical piano. He has authored numerous papers on topics ranging from basic piano technology to advanced concepts in design and manufacturing. He continues to lecture globally as one of the most forward-thinking minds in the piano industry, maintaining several active research projects in his workshop in Olympia, WA.

Frank Wolf has worked as a sound engineer on several top shows and movies. He was the score mixer for movies like Rambo: The Last Blood, The Mummy, Charlie’s Angels, Looney Tunes and worked on soundtracks of Mulan, Tangled, Monsters, Inc and many more. He graduated from the Los Angeles Recording and Film School as a Sound/Recording Engineer and went on to work with top-tier production houses like Monterrey Productions, DreaMusiCinema and more.

Fred performs regularly and has recorded and released five CDs, with another in process. As a piano technician, he has worked since 1986 for the University of New Mexico on a part-time basis, with a private clientele as well. Sturm's training has included the full four weeks of the CF Theodor Steinway Academy, one week of training with Shigeru Kawai, two weeks at the Sauter factory in Spaichingen, Germany, ten or more national PTG conventions, and various other opportunities.

Glenn is a trained music educator and has served as pianist, vocal coach, musical director and conductor for musicals, nightclubs, and cabarets. He was also awarded for his works as a musical theatre composer, lyricist, and librettist. Media, experts, and colleagues often call Glenn for his advice and information on all things Pianos.

Larry earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Hunter College, NYC in 1971. Then he went ahead to study Piano Technology with Robert Fairchild and Steve Fairchild, Sr. In 1972, Larry joined the PTG for one year. He has been an Independent technician most of his career, until age 60. He was offered the pianotech spot at the newly opened Green Music Center at Sonoma State University and for Santa Rosa Symphony. Larry is also a Pianotech for Skywalker Sound.

Leo studied piano at a music conservatory in Europe. He was thoroughly trained in piano technology at Boston's North Bennett Street Industrial School under Bill Garlick and David Betts. He's been certified as an expert piano technician by the Baldwin Piano Company. He is a Resident Technician at the Third Street Music School (America's oldest) where he also taught a course in Piano Maintenance to musicians.

Prior to becoming an RPT in 2007, Mark earned a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from Cleveland State University and spent 20 years designing electronics and software. Mark studied classical piano at the Cleveland Institute of Music as a youth, played keyboard and guitar in multiple bands, and still plays with his church's worship band. Mark is an avid inventor, having designed numerous speciality tools many piano technicians use worldwide. This led to Mark and his partner Dawn launching Supply88 in 2015. Mark's designs include the Kestrel, the world's lightest carbon fibre piano tuning lever, and Piano Wire Tires, an easier way to store and transport piano wire for field repairs. Mark has also been an active volunteer in the Piano Technicians Guild, serving four years on the Board of Directors (2015-2019 Western Regional VP), four years on the Institute (2014 Director), and chairing multiple committees. Having attended many conventions, seminars, and factory training programs, he's a veteran participant in and contributor to continued education, promoting excellence in the field of piano technology.

With over five decades dedicated to perfecting the art of piano technology, Oliver stands as a true maestro in the field. As the last Canadian to study at the prestigious Baldwin factory and the first North American attendee of the Yamaha Piano Technical Academy in 1986, his journey is legendary.   Having played a pivotal role as a rebuilder and concert technician, Oliver's fingerprints can be found on thousands of recordings, audio productions, and televised performances. His tireless commitment to pushing the boundaries of excellence has earned his shop the accolade of the most modern in Canada, according to Yamaha Canada.

Paul McNulty is a maker of world-famous fortepianos known for their superior performance quality, used for concerts and recordings in the most prestigious concert halls, opera houses and owned by prominent fortepiano players and leading music institutions, such as Harvard University, Cornell University, Royal Academy of Music and many more.

Rich Galassini was nineteen years old when he first visited Cunningham Pianos as a customer with his parents. A few years later, in 1987, when he was just 23, Rich began working at the store. After working closely with the family that owned the business, Rich was able to purchase the company and remains the owner and president. His background in music performance and music education has played a strong role in the leadership of the business both within their community and within the music industry.

Ric has a 40-year history as a piano player, choir director, piano store owner and manager. He is currently the owner of R. Kassman, Purveyor of Fine Pianos in the Bay area, and has a profound knowledge of the entire worldwide piano business.

He's an award-winning Piano Technician and respected PTG veteran. Along with securing a place in the PTG Hall of Fame, he was awarded the PTG's "Golden Hammer Award," one of the profession's highest honors, for his contributions to the piano industry. He is the author of Under the Lid: The Art & Craft of the Concert Piano Technician. He resides in Seattle, Washington.

In 1980, Udo took over the direction of the company at the tender age of twenty-four. Along with inventors, he also created a whole new range of products within the Steingraeber & Sons brand. He’s been the guiding force behind the European Piano Technician Degree. Udo has been awarded two cultural prizes, one from the city of Bayreuth, the other from the Region of Upper Franconia.

Master piano tuner technician, Wayne H. Ferguson, has been widely considered to be among the very best in the business, Wayne has studied the art of piano technology and piano set up with passion and diligence. His former and present client list is a veritable who’s who of the music industry in Canada and beyond. Including Oscar Peterson, Keith Jarrett, Stevie Wonder, David Foster, Diana Krall, Wayne’s list of satisfied, repeat customers is testament to his expertise and professionalism.