The primary goal of PianoOnMyMind remains to practice Excellence in everything I do for the piano business. This is a lofty goal, but I pursue it. The diligence that Excellence requires, not Quick and Dirty work, the celerity, alacrity, and the patience that finishing necessitates, remains the goal.

 While striving to network with the community of New Orleans to provide the best of all the services described on the website, PianoOnMyMind seeks most to promote the piano and people who love it. What motivates me does not involve my own superiority, but the superiority of the piano as the Queen of instruments, aside the King of instruments, the organ.  

The categories of Artist, Engineer, and Woodworker are not rigid or inflexible, much more woven together than threaded together at the edge. As a pianist I might have gained most in the area of regulation, which is attributed to being part of the engineering of the piano, not the art of it. There remains much more to be gained, however, from learning to play the piano than many piano technicians realize. 

The following provides some information for what proves to be a lifetime of experience in the field of piano technology.

Work History

2011-Present

Self-Employed Piano Technician. Field work, Shop work, Concert work, consisting of, tuning, rebuilding, regulating, and voicing.
2013-2018

Seta Music. Preparation, Rebuilding, and General Maintenance of pre-owned and new pianos for sale, and leased pianos in sundry concert situations

2011-2024

Asbury University. Tuning, Voicing, Regulation, and Repair of Concert, Studio, Classroom, and Practice Room Pianos.

1998-2010

Cincinnati. College Conservatory of Music. Tuning, Voicing, Regulation, Repair of Concert, Studio Pianos. Concert tuning and repair of harpsichords. Concert work in 7 performance venues at school, with various acoustic situations and performance demands. Self-Employed, Ben Sloane’s Piano Tuning and Rebuilding: Tuning, Voicing, Repair, Regulation, Touch Weight Modification, Rebuilding. Harpsichord tuning and repair. Concert preparation at NKU Greaves Concert Hall, Music Hall, and local music venues: Chez Nora, Jack Ruby’s, Playhouse in the Park, Hilton Netherland Plaza. Preparation of pianos for the Cincinnati Steinway dealer, Premiere Piano. Maintenance of pianos on Delta Queen Steamboat Co. boats. Contract labor, College-Conservatory of Music.

2000-2001

Cincinnati. Employee, Becker Piano Service. Administration and field-work, tuning, voicing, regulation

2000

Oberlin, OH. Self-Employed Piano Technician, tuning, voicing, repair, regulation. Piano rebuilding under supervision of Kenneth Sloane, Emeritus Director of Keyboard Division of Oberlin College. Preparation of pianos for Matylin & Hyde, Cleveland Steinway Dealer. 

1999

Aspen, CO. Aspen Music Festival. Preparation in tuning, regulation, and voicing of Boston and Steinway Pianos for practice rooms, teaching studios, and concert situations. Boulder, CO. employment under Bob Shoppert, former director of piano technology at Aspen Music Festival, for all aspects of piano maintenance, including piano moving.

1996-1999

Oberlin, OH. Self-Employed Piano Technician, tuning, voicing, repair, regulation. Piano rebuilding under supervision of Kenneth Sloane. 

1991-1995

Oberlin, OH. Employed by Oberlin College during summers while studying piano at Nyack College. Labor including most aspects of piano rebuilding, piano moving, and supervision of student help.     

 1983-1988

Oberlin, OH. Employed by Oberlin College in grade school by department of piano technology. Foundational instruction and beginning of work experience with piano tuning, rebuilding, and moving. Preliminary experience with organ tuning.

Professional Certification                  

Registered Piano Technician, Piano Technicians Guild.

Education                                             

Bachelor of Music, Piano Performance, Nyack College

Study for MDiv. Competed Credits necessary for a minor in theology. Cincinnati Bible Seminary

Steinway Academy

Kawai Sales School