I suppose I was destined for a career in
pianos as I grew up around pianos in various
states of repair since my father and Uncles
were all in the piano business. Initially
their training began at the Ontario School
for the Blind as eye-sight problems afflicted
every male of that generation. Tuning was a
skill they could hone as their hearing and other
senses were already heightened. Since my
eyesight was fine, I assisted them from a
very early age, in literally hundreds of tunings,
helping to take the piano apart and keep track of
their tools needed for tuning. Once I had my drivers
license, I also got to chauffeur them around – much
to my Aunts’ delight.

While I can’t say I aspired to do the work of “blind men”, I did take a great interest in how the
piano worked and fell in love with the instrument itself. Eventually, I joined with my father and one
Uncle in the piano business running a successful, repair and restoration shop in a small town in
Ontario. This lead to learning piano design and not just replacing parts but improving on the tone
and touch of many fine, older pianos.

Due to the necessity of having the piano in-tune at a certain stage of its rebuilding process in
order to complete the jobs, I did learn the actual art of aural tuning. My redesigned grand pianos
went to music halls. At one point, a small but exclusive concert venue owner felt that the person
who rebuilt the piano should maintain it. With a couple of exceptions, where my Uncle was
double-booked or unwell, my first paid tunings were at this concert venue. Within 2 years I was
in demand for tuning and therefore concentrated on perfecting the art of tuning. I was invited to
look after all tuning and piano work for Wilfred Laurier University and their concert hall in Waterloo,
Ontario. It was there that I tuned for Anton Kuerti’s original recordings of the Schubert Sonatas
(am I dating myself) 25 years ago.

Having tuned for several prestigious pianists that were on the Steinway Artist Roster, so began
my relationship with the Steinway & Sons piano company, the choice of most of the world’s finest
pianists. I expanded the business I took over from my father, to include new piano sales.

After having worked a few times in the Caribbean, I loved the climate (who wouldn’t?) and worked
to establish a piano technology course in St. Lucia. During my time on-island, Black Entertainment
Television (BET) began producing a jazz festival using Steinway & Sons pianos and found
themselves needing a Steinway approved technician. With my work already known to Steinway,
it was a good fit! I’m thrilled to say that I’ve tuned at every, single, St. Lucia Jazz Festival since
its inception 18 years ago. Check it out at www.stluciajazz.org. This event has led to working
at several other festivals in the Caribbean including Bermuda, Anguilla, Grand Cayman which
just so happen to be during the winter months. Who could say no to that?

After returning to Canada, I moved to Calgary to work for the local Steinway Dealer, Irene Besse
Keyboards. In the 13 years I worked with Irene, I went from tuner to Chief Concert Technician to
Service Manager and eventually, son-in-law. Currently you can find me tuning at the EPCOR
Centre for the Arts (since 2007) for the Calgary Philharmonic as well as many other events that
happen at the centre, The University of Calgary Department of Music and Rosza Centre, am proud
to be the piano tuner of choice to the Honens International Piano Competition, many area piano
teachers, and likely, in your home too!

I grew up in Calgary in a musical and artsy
family, attended the University of Calgary Faculty
of Management, (now the Haskayne School of
Business), where I earned a Bachelor of
Commerce degree. After graduation I went
to work with my mom, Irene, at Irene Besse
Keyboards while I looked for my “dream job”.
Ha. 11 years later I left to have my son,
Matthew, and decided I’d like to be home
with him as much as I could, for as long
as I could. That’s when Michael and I
decided to run his piano tuning business
from home with me at the helm. I’m the voice
on the phone!

Michael’s gigs in the Caribbean are pretty sweet
but what people don’t realize is that it’s no beach vacation.
He comes home with a tan on his left arm from hanging out the car window and that’s about it.
Ever been to a large, outdoor music festival where they blast filler music in between acts while,
they re-set the stage? He’s got to tune through that. No one turns the sound off for him. When a
piano doesn’t arrive on a scheduled flight or get released from customs until 1-hour before it’s
going to be played, he’s got to get it done anyway. When the piano just simply doesn’t show up,
he’s got to find one, get it there and tune it anyway. When a venue turns on the air conditioning
1–hour before show time and knocks the tuning out of whack, he’s got to deal with that. He deals,
with tropical rainstorms and temperamental artists. But he also gets to hear some really great music
and meet some really great people too. He often phones and rubs it in while I’m shoveling us out of
a May snow-storm. No, we don’t go gallivanting with Michael on every trip to the islands. He works
really hard and we wouldn’t see very much of him - so it’s not a true vacation. We go every few
years, but try and take a few extra days for just family.