Walking Among Giants: Reflections from the 2024 Piano Technicians Guild Convention

 Each year, piano technicians from across the globe gather for the Piano Technicians Guild Annual Convention and Technical Institute to enhance their skills, explore new products and tools, and connect with peers. This event offers a wide array of classes led by top industry experts, covering technical skills like tuning, regulation, voicing, and rebuilding, along with business and health and wellness sessions. The exhibition hall hosts an impressive lineup of vendors, including renowned piano manufacturers, piano technology schools, and the latest cutting-edge tools and innovations. A “Technician’s Playground” allows beginner and intermediate technicians to gain hands-on experience with essential repair and regulation skills. Additionally, each day, many technicians take prestigious tuning and technical exams, advancing toward the esteemed RPT designation.

Needless to say, the convention is a bustling hub of everything piano-related. This year marked my second annual convention and third overall PTG event, and I find myself looking forward to these gatherings every year. It’s always a pleasure to reconnect with familiar faces, catch up with friends from past conventions, and meet new colleagues. This year was particularly meaningful, as I passed my final exam to officially become an RPT.

One of the highlights of the PTG convention is the chance to interact with the giants of our industry. When you think of greats in sports, names like Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, and Cristiano Ronaldo come to mind. Similarly, piano technology has its own legends, though they may not be household names. While it’s a bit disheartening that their contributions go largely unrecognized by the general public, the upside is that, as a piano technician, I have unique access to these industry leaders at conventions. Whether it’s a quick chat with a teacher after class or a casual encounter in the elevator, these experts are humble, generous, and genuinely invested in mentoring the next generation of technicians. Their openness is something I doubt you’d find in many other fields.

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