Piano Technician Senior - CCAM School of Music

The School of Music in the College of Creative Arts at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Piano Technician Senior.

About the Opportunity

The Piano Technician Senior will Tune, voice, and regulate acoustic pianos. Voicing is the manipulation, by hand, of the felt of the hammers using needles to soften or chemical hardeners. This method produces the most even, resonate and articulate piano tone possible. Regulation is the adjustment of the piano's various mechanical parts in order to allow the pianist the greatest flexibility in range of dynamics and tone color.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 15 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

• Maintain and repair acoustic pianos, digital pianos, and their accessories. Coordinate the preparation and logistics of keyboard needs with faculty, staff, and students, for performance, rehearsal and recording events. This includes the moving of pianos throughout the Creative Arts Center as well as other University site's such as Elizabeth Moore Hall, the AVU Art Museum Education Center, the President's home, WVU Alumni Center and non-university venues.
• Manage the School's digital keyboard inventory. This includes partially digital instruments, such as the Disklavier, and wholly digital instruments such as the Clavinova. These instruments require periodic adjustments and calibration in order to maintain optimum performance.
• Plan and implement major acoustic piano rebuilding on a regular basis. This involves periodic replacement of all piano functional parts such as new strings, hammers, wippens, shank and flanges, felt, trap-work, and dampers in order to maintain the instrument in peak working condition.
• Serves as the primary liaison between music faculty, performers, and production staff to ensure instruments meet the demands of both academic and performance needs.
• Provide technical support to guest artists. This includes pre-concert tuning and voicing of the concert pianos and keyboard instruments. Technician must sometimes be available during rehearsals and performances to make adjustments requested by such performers.
• Coordinate periodically with various University offices keyboard requests for special events and receptions held at various locations on and off campus.
• Order supplies and maintain needed inventory of piano repair materials and parts.
• Generate revenue by billing for equipment rental and tuning services for non-division events such as A&E events.
• Responsible for coordinating a schedule of piano tuning/maintenance with other technical staff.
  

• Bachelor's degree in Music
• Specialized training as is received in a trade school for piano technology or apprenticing with a registered professional piano turner.
• A minimum of three (3) years experience of the following:
  • Piano turning, repair, and regulation
  • Expertise to rebuild pianos of various makes and vintages
  • Familiarity with Steinway pianos, preferred
• A minimum of one (1) year experience in setting and maintaining a schedule of instrument tuning
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to tune, voice and regulate acoustic pianos. This requires aural precision and technical expertise to translate the needs of the pianist to the technical complexity of the instrument.
• Ability to manipulate the felt of the hammers in order to get the sound that is resonate, even, and provides the articulate tone required by artist who will perform on instrument.
• Ability to regulate various piano parts to allow for greatest flexibility in range of dynamics and tone color.
• Ability to repair acoustic pianos, digital pianos, and their accessories.
• Ability to adjust and calibrate instruments for optimum performance.
• Ability to organize and maintain a complex tuning and maintenance schedule for all keyboard instruments.
• Ability to communicate clearly and precisely with faculty, students, and international artists regarding the precise requirements for preparing instruments for concert performances.
• Ability to maintain a rigorous schedule of tuning for acoustic keyboard instruments.
• Ability to aurally tune pianos to the artistic preferences of artists, faculty, and students.
• Ability to work independently and to set priorities and meet deadlines for performances.
• Ability to use hand and power tools with precision of movement and close visual attention.
• Ability to bend, lift, stoop, walk, reach, and stand for long periods of time to tune pianos.
• Ability to frequently lift and/or carry objects weighing over 50 lbs.

• Ability to maintain proper unit attendance and punctuality standards.

Physical Demands

• Ability to frequently lift and/or carry objects weighing over 50 lbs
• Ability to bend, lift, stoop, walk, reach, and stand for long periods of time to tune pianos
  

Registered Piano Technician, preferred

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values - service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation - unite us as Mountaineers.

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.