Today we’d like to introduce you to Theodore Petroff.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Theodore. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was born and raised in Bulgaria during difficult times under a Communist regime. I remember how as a 7-year-old boy, I asked my parents if I could take music lessons. They decided to sign me up for classical guitar lessons without even realizing what a profound impact that would make later on my life. As a classically trained guitarist, in my teenage years I decided to also learn how to play the piano which turned up to be a very good decision.
I came to the US 10 years ago and saw an opportunity in the piano business. I observed that there are pianos in quite a few homes and institutions that needed to be serviced. Since I have been involved with music from an early age, I always had a desire to combine my passion for music with my interests in mechanics. This is when the idea of becoming a piano technician came to me.
I founded Precise Piano Tuning led by my love for music, pianos, and craftsmanship. I wanted to learn not only how to tune pianos but how to repair and restore them as well. There’s something in that intricate design with over 12,000 parts that makes pianos very special musical instruments. I wanted to learn the ins and outs of pianos, to know exactly what those 12,000 parts are, how they interact with each other, and what their function is.
The first thing I did was to start studying how pianos work. Then I bought an old piano to practice on. After that, I got in touch with some piano technicians in my area to ask for advice and offered them to work for free in order to gain some hands-on experience. Fast-forward several years, and here I’m, an owner of a small business for piano tuning and repair.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As anything in life, of course there were some obstacles along the way. However, as boring as it may sound, it’s been more of a smooth road for me so far. I’m very grateful for where I am. Nothing to complain about. Really.
Please tell us about Precise Piano Tuning.
Precise Piano Tuning is a small family owned business. I tune, repair, and restore pianos. A repair can be as simple as fixing a sticky key or a more involved one such as repairing a cracked bridge. I tune and repair pianos almost every day. When I’m not out in the field tuning, I’m restoring pianos in my shop. Some of the pianos I work on are over 100 years old, so there are parts that need to be hand build or customized in order to fit and function properly.
The process of tuning a piano is a world in itself. Due to complexity of pianos and imperfections of the human ear, the way pianos are tuned is like having a mathematical expression 1+1=3. Pianos are tuned mathematically incorrect. This is done in order to make them sound pleasing to our ears.
Sometimes I think of being a piano technician as being an artist. It’s a profession where art and science converge. I believe that every piano has a heart and a soul. They are all unique.
What sets me apart from others? I think the fact that my profession is my hobby and my passion has a lot to do with it. I love what I do, and I put my heart and soul when working on pianos. Probably this is my biggest advantage.
I’m proud of the reputation my company has. Clients often tell me that they have been either referred by someone they know or read online positive reviews about my business.
What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
I’ve had many customers whose pianos I brought back to life. To see their emotions, happiness and joy is priceless. Some of them were literally brought to tears after seeing their piano’s playing and sounding great again. This is priceless to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://precisepianotuning.com/
- Phone: (213) 373-8040
- Email: [email protected]
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/precise-piano-tuning-and-repair-lomita-3
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