Renner Academy – Mastering the Art of the Piano

Benjamin Sanchez
Renner Academy Alumni: Piano Technician, Benjamin Sanchez, Lompoc, CA

Perhaps the best description of Benjamin Sanchez comes from one of his customers, who considers him “the best I’ve ever worked with . . . professional, courteous, knowledgeable, timely. And he really knows his stuff.”

Sanchez is passionate about his work. “I’ve always loved pianos, but early on discovered that not all pianos are easy to play and enjoy,” he says. “Being a piano technician/artisan gives me the opportunity to help others enjoy their pianos more, which is very fulfilling for me.”

He graduated with highest honors from one of the nation’s top piano technician schools. He is a Registered Piano Technician with the Piano Technician’s Guild, as well as a member of the Master Piano Technicians of America as a Master Piano Technician (MPT). He also completed advanced training at the Renner Academy.

Professional Piano Services provides a wide range of services, including piano tuning, regulation, repairs, voicing, and complete rebuilding.

“Attention to the smallest details is what makes the largest difference in the quality of music,” he notes, “and the same is true for the piano as well. For me, it’s about helping to improve one’s musical life, and honoring the Lord so that I can look back on a day’s work, and say ‘It was good.'”

To learn more about Sanchez and his services, visit the Professional Piano Services website, email Benjamin Sanchez, or call him at 805-315-8050. He can be reached by mail at 3291 Erica Place, Lompoc, CA 93436.

Michael Meservy
Renner Academy Alumni: Piano Technician, Michael Meservy, Idaho Falls, ID

An unfortunate encounter involving a piano and one young, frustrated piano student proved to be a key factor in launching the career of piano technician Michael Meservy, owner of Piano Tek in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

“I was introduced to the piano at age six by my mother,” recalls Meservy, who took piano lessons alongside some of his sisters. All was going well until one particular lesson. “During one of my lessons, I broke a key on my mother’s piano out of frustration” – he hammered the keyboard with his fist. “I watched her take her piano apart and try to repair a broken shank,” he says.

The damage was enough to banish him from lessons at that time. Little did he know piano technology would become his career as a Registered Piano Technician and successful business owner. He hopes his three sons one day might be involved in the operations. And, as a footnote, Meservy in later years re-engaged with the piano and enjoys playing today.

“I am eager to become the most competent technician I can through continuing education,” he says, “like the advanced training I received through the Renner Academy.”

Piano Tek offers a wide range of services, including tuning, voicing, rebuilding, and professional piano moving.

To learn more about Meservy and his services, visit the Piano Tek website, email Michael Meservy, or call him at 208-313-1050. He can be reached by mail at 3950 S Yellowstone Hwy, Suite 130, Idaho Falls, ID 83402.

Luis Izquierdo Manzano

What motivates a piano technician from Spain to travel for advanced training at the Renner Academy in Scottsdale, Arizona?

“Renner is always a reference in the piano world,” says Luis Izquierdo Manzano, who lives and works in Madrid as part of Pianos Izquierdo. “That’s why I decided to come here, when I saw this opportunity,” he adds. “I have no doubt this is one of the best academies in the piano industry.”

Pianos Izquierdo provides a wide range of services, including tuning, voicing, action rebuilding, restringing, and refinishing plates and sound boards.

To learn more about Luis and his services, call him at +34 658252350.

Dorothy Hopkins
Renner Academy Alumni: Piano Technician, Dorothy Hopkins, Lynden, WA
Dorothy Hopkins’ passion for piano technician work began while in college.

“I became interested in the condition of pianos when I attended college and found that most of the pianos I encountered were painful to listen to and play,” she explains. “I concluded that if the piano doesn’t play correctly and sounds terrible, how can that experience make anyone’s heart sing?”

That began her journey as an experienced piano technician, leading her to begin her own business. “I vowed to make a difference,” she says. “I have an obsession to make things work.” Her educational pursuits include advanced training at the Renner Academy.

Hopkins Piano Service offers a wide range of piano-related services, including tuning, voicing, regulation, action refurbishing, and complete action rebuilding.

To learn more about Hopkins and her services, email Dorothy Hopkins, or call her at 360-595-4318. She can be reached by mail at 309 14^th St., Lynden, WA 98264.

Carl Johnson

Renner Academy Alumni: Piano Technician, Carl Johnson, Circleville, UT

As a music teacher, Carl Johnson knows how a well-maintained piano should sound. That is a huge “plus” when it comes to properly repairing and maintaining a piano, he believes.

“I enjoy servicing my own pianos,” he says. Numerous requests from other teachers and some of his students to tune and repair their pianos provided the motivation to expand into a full-service piano business – Momentum Piano Service. “Hearing this phrase repeated often – ‘because you understand how a piano should sound and play’ – prompted me to branch out,” Johnson says.

Among his educational achievements is completion of advanced training at the Renner Academy.

Momentum Piano Service offers a wide range of piano-related services, including tuning, repair, regulation, voicing, and rebuilding. Professional piano moving services are also available.

To learn more about Johnson and his services, email Carl Johnson, or call him at 435-231-4802. He can be reached by mail at 1150 E 2000 S, Deltas, UT 84624.

Carol Wu

Renner Academy Alumni: Piano Technician, Carol Wu, Natick, MA

With more than three decades of experience, Carol Wu understands the importance of carefully matching an individual’s musical style and preferences with a high-quality musical instrument like the piano.

For her, that process begins in the showroom of Roger’s Pianos. “As an owner, it is important that our pianos are prepared correctly, both in the store and in the customers’ homes,” she says. That focus is what sets Roger’s Pianos apart, with its superior dealer preparation and the willingness to let customers “audition” pianos extensively before purchase. “I want people to experience a good piano action – no one should be satisfied with less,” she says. Wu completed advanced piano technology training at the Renner Academy.

Roger’s Pianos provides a wide array of services, including tuning, voicing, rebuilding, finish repair, regulation, player system installation, and appraisals, in addition to sales. “Many buyers purchase a piano simply for brand name recognition,” Wu says. “At Roger’s Piano, in addition to carrying brand names, we specialize in finding lesser-known piano makers who produce excellent handcrafted pianos with high-quality components in limited quantities, offering our customers significant value over mass-produced pianos.”

But, perhaps the greatest reward comes from customer satisfaction, Wu notes. “It is most rewarding when I hear from customers how much they enjoy their pianos, and that they are spending more time now playing their pianos.”

To learn more about Wu and her services, visit the Roger’s Piano website, email Carol Wu, or call her at 508-545-0766. She can be reached by mail at 12 Worchester St., Natick, MA 01760.

Peter Stevenson
Renner Academy Alumni: Piano Technician, Peter Stevenson, Prince George, BC Canada
A lifelong passion for the piano was the genesis of Peter Stevenson’s dream to develop what has become northern British Columbia’s premiere piano store, P.S. Pianos.

“My love for pianos started when I was three years old, when I began to take piano lessons,” he recalls. “The appreciation and wonder that I feel for this instrument has grown as I have become more familiar with the numerous pianos I have played.”

Stevenson started servicing pianos a decade ago. “I wanted to give back to the musical community that supported me as I was growing up,” he says. The dream expanded in 2015 when P.S. Pianos became a reality. “The best part of my work is seeing the joy that music brings to the lives of my clients.”

A Registered Piano Technician, his training is extensive – and ongoing – including advanced training at the Montana State University School of Music, as well as advanced training at the Renner Academy. He is a Dampp-Chaser Humidity Control System Certified Installer and member of the Canadian Association of Piano Technicians.

P.S. Pianos offers a wide range of services, including tuning, regulation, repair, reconditioning, rebuilding, humidity control, appraisals, and professional piano moving.

To learn more about Stevenson and his services, visit the P.S. Pianos website, email Peter Stevenson, or call him at 250-562-5358. He can be reached by mail at 102-575 Brunswick St., Prince George, BC Canada.

Louis del Bene
Renner Academy Alumni: Piano Technician, Louis del Bene, Boston, MA
What does the old upright piano in your grandmother’s living room have in common with the concert grand in Carnegie Hall? They both need the skilled mind and hands of a highly trained piano technician like Louis del Bene to reach their full musical potential.

“Education is a huge part of what I do,” says del Bene, who is a Registered Piano Technician. “And learning needs to be continuing constantly,” he adds. He has completed advanced training at the Renner Academy.

Following graduation from North Bennet Street School’s two-year program in Advanced Piano Technology in 2007, del Bene managed rebuilding shops in North Carolina and California, servicing all kinds of pianos, “from grandma’s old upright to concert instruments at Weil Hall in the Green Music Center at Sonoma State University.” Today, he is back teaching in the Piano Technology Department at North Bennet Street School, while also operating his own piano business, Brevet Piano Service.

“I thoroughly enjoy and take pride in providing the proper level of service for the player and the piano,” del Bene says, stressing that great piano enhancement outcomes begin with collaboration involving the technician and the musician, “providing some of the most rewarding interactions and results for me and my customers.”

Brevet Piano offers a wide range of services, including basic maintenance and repairs, renovation, rebuilding and redesign (in the shop), tuning, voicing, and regulation.

To learn more about del Bene and his services, visit the Brevet Piano Service website, email Louis del Bene, or call him at 707-595-0349.

Stoney Copelin
Renner Academy Alumni: Piano Technician, Stoney Copelin, Melbourne, FL
As an experienced pianist and well-trained piano technician, Stoney Copelin knows not only what a quality piano should sound like, he thoroughly understands the inner workings of the instrument and what it takes to elevate any piano to its full potential.

“The piano always fascinated me,” Copelin says, “and I love making them play and sound their best.” His expertise as a performer complements his 30-plus years on the technical side. “I prefer to play a piano before beginning to work on it,” Copelin explains, “as I often will pick up on issues or problems that other non-playing technicians may not recognize.”

Copelin has served as the official piano technician for such organizations as the American Jazz Pianist Competition, the Young Musical Artist Association, and the Indian River Symphonic Association. He has tuned on concert stages at the University of Arkansas, Florida Institute of Technology, University of Colorado, Oberlin College, Gnessin School of Music, and Moscow Conservatory, among others. and has completed advanced training at the Renner Academy.

Currently a master technician at Atlantic Music Center, Copelin operates his own piano business serving Brevard and Indian River counties, providing a wide range of services including tuning, repair, rebuilding, regulation, voicing, cleaning, and appraisals. He also performs for private and public parties and events, playing and singing a mix of popular and jazz classics.

“I love meeting different kinds of people – and pianos,” Copelin says, adding, “you never know what you might see next!”

To learn more about Copelin and his services, visit the Anything Piano website or call him at 321-729-9680. He can be reached by mail at 1924 Catterton St., Melbourne, FL 32901.

Kevin Pahl

Westminster, MD

A passion for music and “fixing things” led Kevin Pahl to found Pahl’s Piano Service in Sykesville, Maryland.

“I always look at a piano as having the potential to be better – and I strive to make it better,” he says. “I care more about the person playing the instrument – I enjoy building a personal relationship with each one of my clients. I want each one to be satisfied with the instrument and be able to make great music.”

Pahl’s Piano Service provides a wide range of services, including tuning, pitch raising, in-home repairs and service, vacuuming and cleaning, key and action regulation, restringing, and replacement of action parts. He also is a trained Dampp Chaser installer.

Pahl has completed training with Yamaha’s Performance Piano Prep program, as well as the Piano Technicians Guild Regulation in 37 Steps program. He also has pursued advanced training with the Renner Academy.

Professional relationships include Community Colleges of Baltimore County, the Baltimore County Public Schools, Mehnchey Music, Coffey Music, and John Hopkins University.

To learn more about Pahl’s Piano Service, visit the Pahl website, email Kevin Pahl, or call him at 410-979-6548. The business address is 6165 Deanna Drive, Sykesville, MD, 21784.

Duane McGuire

Clinton, UT

“Piano rebuilding is a perfect fit for me,” says Duane McGuire, owner of McGuire Piano in Clinton, Utah.

“Like many piano technicians, piano work is not my first career,” McGuire notes, having worked in the field now for a decade. “I’ve had varied careers in engineering, software, sales, and even pipe organ building! Over the years – in parallel with those career pursuits – I developed high-end woodworking skills, modest ability as a pianist, with a passion for technologies.

“The piano exists as a complex historical technology,” he observes. “Piano technology allows me to apply my technical knowledge and craft skills to preserve and enhance these instruments. Along the way, my work brings joy to those who make music.”

McGuire says his personal satisfaction is centered on continuous learning and development. He completed WNG training as well as the Piano Technicians Guild Grand Regulation in 37 Steps program. In addition to national and regional conference training sessions, he has completed advanced training with the Renner Academy.

McGuire Piano offers a wide range of services, including tuning, repair, regulation, and full restoration involving key recovering, key bushings, action reconditioning, restoration and parts replacement, as well as restringing, bridge work, soundboard repair and/or replacement, and pinblock repair and/or replacement.

To learn more about McGuire Piano and its services, visit the McGuire website, email Duane McGuire, or call him at 801-896-4123. The business is located at 1077 N 1285 West, Clinton, UT, 84015.

Van Gabriel

Indianapolis, IN

Following in a father’s footsteps is perhaps the highest honor one can bestow – just ask Van Gabriel, who with his father, Dennis, owns Gabriel Pianos in Blue Springs, Missouri. His father has 46 years of experience as a piano technician.

“I have a great customer service mentality,” Gabriel says. “I am good at details and problem solving, which allows me to complete on-the-spot repairs for customers.” Gabriel keeps an extensive array of tools and parts in his work van, which saves a lot of time for both him and his customer.

Services Gabriel provides include tuning, repairs, cleaning, preparation, and regulation. He also completes value appraisals, does partial and full rebuilding of piano actions, and handles the installation, repair, and maintenance of piano humidity systems.

His client base includes not only individuals, but also schools, churches, theaters, and retail stores.

He has completed a number of Piano Technicians Guild seminars, as well as advanced training with the Renner Academy. He continues to pursue a number of programs as part of the Randy Potter School of Piano Technology as well.

To learn more about Gabriel, email Van Gabriel or call him at 816-444-4344. Mail can be directed to Van Gabriel, 104 NE Gaslight Lane, Blue Springs, MO, 64014.

Robert Bussell

Robert Bussell

A 36-year-long passion for pianos and excellence in music is what motivates piano technician Robert Bussell, owner of Bussell Piano Service in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Bussell continues to pursue advanced training in all piano-related services, from tuning, voicing and regulation, to damper installation and a wide range of maintenance and repairs.

He also specializes in servicing pianos in major concert venues. For many years he has served as piano technician for world-renowned Chautauqua Institution in Western New York State.

A member of the Piano Technicians Guild, he has completed a number of training programs, including Steinway and Sons, Yamaha USA, Little Red School House, Disklavier Training, and the Renner Academy.

To learn more about Bussell and the services his company provides, visit the Bussell website, email Robert Bussell, call him at 317-782-4320, or visit with him at Bussell Piano Service, 224 West Banta Road, Indianapolis, IN, 46217.

Mark Campbell

Calhan, CO

So, what do a software engineer and a musician have in common? Just ask Mark Campbell, owner of Campbell Piano Shop in Calhan, Colorado.

“I was trained as a software engineer and enjoy the elements of design involved in analyzing a piano,” Campbell explains. “I also am a bit of a musician who enjoys the art of playing the instrument. This work provides plenty of challenge in both areas.”

Campbell’s Piano Shop offers a wide range of services, including tuning, voicing, regulation, repairs, rebuilding, and remanufacturing.

In addition to his formal software engineering education, Campbell completed the Renner Academy as well as private lessons with a number of individuals, including Chris Finger, Del Fandrich, Jim Coleman Sr., Barth Story, and Kevin Stock.

“As both a musician and technician, I feel I can bring the precision work necessary to create the best instruments, while remembering that in the end, these pianos must be a tool for a musician, and not just a bunch of parts working together.”

To learn more about Campbell Piano Shop and its services, visit the Campbell website, email Mark Campbell, or call him at 719-351-2766. The Piano Shop is located at 27335 Dzuris Road, Calhan, CO, 80808.

Dennis Gabriel

Dennis Gabriel considers his volunteer piano servicing work on behalf of small churches and other nonprofit institutions around the country as a form of ministry – he does not charge for any of his work.

Gabriel is the owner of Gabriel Piano in Blue Springs, Missouri. He provides a range of services, from tuning to repairs. But, his real love is repairing pianos for groups that otherwise might not be able to afford the services.

“We are doing it for the glory of God,” he says of his motivation for this particular profession. “We travel all over the country, fixing pianos for small churches, small community centers, and care facilities (with special attention to Alzheimer units). “Our services are free to these organizations,” he says. “When we have completed our work, we try to refer the group to the nearest local qualified technicians.”

Gabriel loves to play the piano, “because when I play, I want the instrument to do its best, so that I can do my best.”

He has completed seminars at Yamaha, Steinway, Piano Technicians Guild national and regional events, and advanced training at the Renner Academy. “I have worked with more than 30 apprentices over the years,” he observes, with many of those individuals now serving customers throughout the United States.

Professional relationships include the University of Missouri-Columbia, the University of Texas-Austin, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He also has worked in several concert venues with artists like Rudolph Serkin, Billy Taylor, Victor Borga and others.

To learn more about Gabriel, email Dennis Gabriel or call him at 816-229-1681. He can be reached by mail at Gabriel Piano, 800 NW Hearnes Avenue, Blue Springs, MO, 64015.

Krista Coppedge

Tinkering around with the inner workings of old musical instruments may seem like nothing more than childhood curiosity to some, but for Krista Coppedge, it led to a fulltime professional career as a piano technician, combining that innate sense of curiosity with her love of music.

“I chose to be a piano technician because it perfectly joins my love of mechanical tinkering with my love of music,” she explains. “I knew the moment I took apart a piano action that this was going to be my lifelong obsession.”

Coppedge serves clients in San Diego, California, providing a wide array of services, including piano tuning, voicing, repair, regulation, action rebuilding, and harpsichord-related services.

She received a Certificate of Completion from the University of Western Ontario Piano Technology, served as an intern for the Aspen Music Festival, and completed advanced training at the Renner Academy. She maintains professional relationships with Greene Music, the San Diego Music and Art Co-op, Old Town Academy, Point Loma Nazarene University, and Master Piano Technicians.

“I take extreme pride in my work and set the highest standards for myself, so that I can leave a piano knowing I did my very best to bring the instrument to its utmost potential,” she says.

To learn more about Coppedge’s business and services, visit the Coppedge website, email Krista Coppedge, or call her at 619-206-0234. She can be reached by mail at Krista Coppedge, 1501 Chalcedony Street, San Diego, CA, 92109.

Carlos Aranda

It was a love of music – and pianos – at an early age that eventually prompted Carlos Aranda to become a professionally trained piano technician serving clients in London, United Kingdom.

Aranda offers a wide range of the piano-related services – tuning, maintenance, and repairs – as well as complete piano reconditioning and restoration.

“Others think just about money,” he says in describing his work. “I aim for perfection!”

Aranda completed his basic training at UK-based Newark College, and later completed advanced training at the Renner Academy based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

With 25 years of experience, Aranda hopes to eventually begin building his own line of pianos.

To learn more about Aranda and his piano services, email Carlos Aranda or call him at (0044) 789-686-0687. His regular mailing address is 193 Cottenham Park Road, London, UK, SW20 OSY.

Jim Fariss

Jim_Fariss

Jim Fariss describes working with pianos as “the perfect blend of human interaction and dealing with an infinite variety of engineering challenges.” Not a surprising description coming from a retired aerospace engineer.

The owner of Black Forest Piano in Black Forest, Colorado, Fariss has completed extensive piano-related training over the last decade and a half, offering services ranging from tuning, repair, and regulation, to partial and complete restorations.

“As a retired aerospace engineer, I have the luxury of taking extra time on all my work,” Fariss says, “from simple in-home tuning to rebuilding that prized piano you grew up with, a piano that may have been in your family for decades and you want to see it passed down.”

Fariss completed the Randy Potter School of Piano Technology, graduating in the top 10 percent of the class. He also completed Potter’s Advanced Training Seminar, additional training at Montana State University School of Music, and the Piano Technicians Guild Grand Action Regulation program. He served as an intern at Steingraeber & Sohne Klaviermanufaktur in Bayreuth, Germany, and completed advanced training at the Renner Academy located in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is a certified installer for Dampp-Chaser systems.

A Registered Piano Technician, Fariss is a member of the Piano Technicians Guild as well as the Master Piano Technicians.

To learn more about Black Forest Piano, visit the Black Forest website, email Jim Fariss, or call him at 719-425-8845. You can visit Black Forest at 19365 Soaring Wing Court, Black Forest, CO, 80908.

Wendy Bartsch

It was an old player piano that captivated Wendy Bartsch’s attention at a young age, a curiosity that would lead her to eventually start her own Canadian-based business – Wendy Bartsch Piano Services in Fairview, Alberta.

“I learned to play the piano on this old player piano that was given to us,” she recalls. “It had these ‘doors’ that you could open, where the perforated paper roll used to be. I would often open the doors and watch the hammer strike the strings and try to figure it all out. I was just as interested in the inner workings as much as playing it.”
Years later, after completing training at the Randy Potter School of Piano Technology as well as intermediate and advanced seminars, she founded her piano repair and maintenance business. She focuses on tuning, regulation, repair, hammer replacement, repining and stringing, and key top replacement. Wendy also graduated from the Renner Academy, where she worked alongside some of the piano industry’s top instructors to master the art of replacing and regulating the grand piano action and underlever system.
“For people living in northern Alberta, it is hard to find a good piano technician who is qualified to do more than just tune the piano,” Bartsch says. “I will go to some remote places to work on just one piano because I know how important that piano is to the owner.”

To learn more about Wendy Bartsch Piano Services, visit her Wendy Bartsch Facebook page; email Wendy Bartsch; or call her at 780-834-8759. Her regular mailing address is Box 2133, Fairview, Alberta T0H1L0 Canada.

Mastering the Art of the Piano Action

Announcing the next Renner Academy