Ryan W. Sowers, RPT
Certified Tuning Examiner (CTE)
Steinway, Yamaha & Kawai Factory-Trained | Oberlin Conservatory
Expert Piano Tuning, Repair & Rebuilding – South Puget Sound
Established 1994
(360) 480-5693 pianovapianoservice@gmail.com
Giving Pianists Their Voice
Piano Tuning, Touch & Tone Care that will motivate and Inspire You
Dr.Oksana Eshokina, Piano Studies Chair Pacific Lutheran University
Dr. Ramona Allen
Lakeside Piano Studio
Jennifer Bowman. Pianist, Composer, Graduate of the Juilliard School
Hanah Cho, Aware-winning performer and educator
Terry Shaw, Award-winning educator and director of music St. Marks Lutheran
Dr. Merilyn Jacobson with Julliard grad Elise Winkler
Alex Balsley, Piano teacher
Owner, Jammin Music Studios
John Guarente, Professor of Choral Ensembles and Music Theory at SPSCC
Crystal Zimmerman, Interim Director of Vocal Music St. Martins University
Nkolas Carlson, Conductor, Olympia Chamber Orchestra.
Over 30 Years Experience
Over 15,000 Pianos Serviced
Over 100 Pianos Restored
Gratefully
Trusted by
TEACHERS
Pacific Lutheran University Piano Studies Chair: Oksana Ezhokina, Jennifer Bowman, Amy Yang, Dr. Ramona Allen, Hannah Cho, Terry Shaw, Wolfgang Wortberg, Alex Balsely,Pat Kilmer, Vicki Tobin, Maureen Johnson, April Kuhr, Dan Colgan, Lorna Eder, Karen Monroe, Jan Rowen-Music, Robert Jorgensen, Dr. Merilyn Jacobson, Chip Schooler, Dan Schwartz, Keith Holder, Dilyara Oliver, and others.
SCHOOLS
St Martins University, South Puget Sound Community College, The Evergreen State College, Grays Harbor College, North Thurston Public Schools, Tumwater Public Schools, Olympia High School, Yelm Public Schools, Jamin' Music Studios, and others.
CHURCHES
United Churches of Olympia, Gloria Dei Lutheran, Westminster Presbyterian,Lacey Presbyterian, Hope Community Church, Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, St Martins Abbey, St. Marks Lutheran Church, Gospel Outreach, Littlerock Community Church, Olympia First Baptist and many others
PIANO STORES
Prosser Piano & Organ, Classic Pianos, Portland Piano Company, Michelle's Piano.
Dan Schwartz, Olympia High School Choir
2018 Regional Music Educator of the Year
Dawn Sonntag, Composer and Director of Music, Westminster Presbyterian
Melissa Fletcher, teacher, Music Director at St. Michael’s Catholic Church
Ben Klinger, General Manager
Keith Holder, Beloved Olympia schools music educator and all around wise guy!
Dan Colgan, Music Director, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. Founder & Artistic Director of the Capital City Chorus
April Kuhr, Director of Music / Organist & Pianist at The United Churches of Olympia
Wolfgang Wortberg, Concert Artist, Teacher
Art Peterson, Pianist, Accompanist
In 2013 Ryan was honored to receive the PNW PTG Jim Burton Award.​
Ryan’s tuning can be heard on several nationally released recordings:
“Each year the Pacific Northwest Regional Conference of the Piano Technicians Guild honors a member of PTG by bestowing the James H. Burton Award. The award is given to honor Jim, for the service he so willingly gave to PTG over many years, and the recipient who likewise, has given of themselves unselfishly to further piano technology in both the local, regional and national level.”
“Vivace” by internationally acclaimed pianist Charlie Albright was recorded on the Steinway concert grand purchased by Centralia College in 2009. Ryan was hired to select and prepare this piano from the West Coast inventory.
Songs for a New Century by award winning pianist and two-time Grammy nominee Jessica Williams. Recorded at her home in 2008.
“Touch” by Jessica Williams recorded live at the Triple Door Theater in Seattle, Washington in 2010.
“Piano Palettes” by Jennifer Bowman (2019), graduate of the Juilliard School, and former Assistant Manager of Washington’s largest Steinway piano dealer. Jennifer is one of Olympia’s most respected music educators, pianists, and composers.
Touch and tone matter as much as tuning.
(often more)
A well voiced and regulated piano makes the keyboard feel alive under your fingers and the sound flow from your heart to your ears. A well voiced piano will sound in tune longer. Even our basic service includes some touch or tone work. Maintaining the condition of the hammers should be part of regular piano service.
Not all tunings are equal.
The optimal tuning is revealed from the piano itself not imposed from the outside.
We use an advanced technique known as "Whole Tone, Open String Tuning". 80% of this is done strictly "by ear" using an array of traditional checks and cross checks to achieve the best sound.
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"The three most important aspeccts of a tuning:
Stability, stability, and stability"
This phrase was repeated many times by the master technicians that I have studied with. Technicians vary in their ability to achieve stable tuning. A tuning that doesn't last is not a good value.
Steinway & Sons stresses the importance of aural (by ear) tuning
"Developing piano tone is a mechanical and musical art. Solid aural tuning exercises and develops the musical ear, giving the technician a greater ability to master the methods used in tone building."
-From Steinway's World Wide Technical Guide
P.S.
We are not piano snobs. We love the challenge of working on modest instruments including old upright pianos, spinets, and consoles that other technicians may shun. Often these are the pianos that benefit the most from high quality work.
"Anyone who cannot tune a piano well by ear is not a piano tuner, period."
FROM "UNDER THE LID" by Steve Brady
"Electronic tuning aids in the right hands are a wonderful adjunct to the human ear....
...In the wrong hands they are just a crutch. The piano tuner/technician must be thoroughly familiar with the theory of aural tuning and capable of putting that theory into practice.
-Steve Brady, beloved colleague, mentor and author of "Under the Lid: The Art & Craft of the Concert Piano Technician. Currently the technician for the Seattle Symphony at Benaroya Hall.
CALL or TEXT US
360-480-5693
CONTACT US
Pianova Piano Service
Piano tuning, regulation, voicing, repair & restoration Serving Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and the greater South Sound Including Puyallup, Tacoma, Gig Harbor, Centralia, Chehalis, Shelton, Aberdeen & Hoquiam
(360) 480‑5693 • pianovapianoservice@gmail.com
Fine piano care in the South Sound since 1994
Jean Sowers, Our Friendly Client Care Expert!
