About the School of Piano Technology for the Blind.
The School of Piano Technology for the Blind is specially designed and well equipped for the teaching of piano tuning, servicing, and rebuilding. There are six soundproofed tuning booths, seven repair workrooms, and as many as 50 pianos on hand so that students may gain proficiency through practical application. A maximum of 12 students are in the course at any one time. Our school takes great pride in the high quality of its graduates' tuning skills. Every student must thoroughly master all aspects of tuning, from unisons through temperament to the entire keyboard, along with basic regulating and repair skills. Instruction is one on one, with constant feedback and encouragement. Those with the interest and aptitude will learn to do considerable rebuilding, including restringing an entire piano and other major repair jobs. Senior students may have the opportunity to tune, under close supervision, in the local schools, college and some churches, gaining a great deal of valuable experience.
The Emil Fries School is a private, self-supporting school, not connected with or supported by any government agencies. The staff earns a substantial share of the operating budget by tuning, repairing, and selling pianos in the local community. This benefits the students by bringing a constant flow of piano repair jobs for them to observe and participate in, and by assuring that their instructors are familiar with the day in, day out work of a piano tuner-technician. By learning in an atmosphere of a working piano shop, students prepare to operate their own clientele businesses.
In addition to technical skills, students learn how to contact potential employers and customers, advertise and market their services, keep necessary records, and deal with customers. Alumni often contribute their time to teach practical business building procedures and share the secrets of their success. Students at the School of Piano Technology for the Blind enjoy the use of an excellent library of books and trade magazines in print, cassette, and Braille. There is a complete file of THE PIANO TECHNICIAN'S JOURNAL and THE TUNER'S JOURNAL dating back to its inception in 1917. The School of Piano Technology for the Blind also has between 45 and 50 piano action models, which we believe to be the largest collection anywhere of piano action models for teaching purposes.