A Piano Technician’s Playground at BYU
At BYU, the piano plays a central role in nearly every music program—but few consider the intricate work required to keep these instruments in top shape. That’s where piano technicians come in.
A recent event, the Piano Technician’s Playground, gave both professionals and students a chance to develop essential skills. Sponsored by the Salt Lake City Chapter of the Piano Technicians Guild and hosted by BYU techs Jason Cassel and Rick Baldassin, the event featured 14 hands-on stations. Technicians practiced tasks like string replacement, part alignment, and felt installation, with video tutorials and expert facilitators at each stop. Over 80 attendees participated, including students from BYU’s new Introduction to Piano Technology course.
This course, inspired by a popular summer elective, was developed by Jason and Rick with support from Dr. Diane Reich of the School of Music. It teaches students the inner workings of the piano, helping them gain a deeper appreciation for the instrument—whether they plan to perform, teach, or simply own a piano.
For Jason and Rick, the class is personal. Both started their careers as student piano technicians at BYU. Jason was first introduced to the field during a class assignment and later earned his Registered Piano Technician certification. Today, he and Rick mentor new student techs while maintaining BYU’s 200 pianos—tuning each at least monthly, and some, like performance instruments, several times a week.
“It has been so fun that now I get to pay it forward and [mentor] the next generation of students,” Jason says. Through this new course and events like the playground event, they’re inspiring the next generation to understand and care for one of music’s most vital instruments.
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