With over 30 years experience as a technician, Dan brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Alaska. He has studied at the Yamaha School and the Steinway factory in New York and is a Registered Piano Technician (RPT). He is also a regular instructor at piano conventions both locally and nationally.


He is a very dedicated musician with a Bachelor’s degree from the Furman University School of Music. He taught as a  music educator for several years before transitioning to a full-time concert piano technician.  Throughout the years Dan has been refining his skills as a jazz pianist and can often be heard playing his own original compositions after a tuning! 


To learn more about Dan’s music see his performance website at www.danmacjazz.net 

Dan McElrath, BA, RPT

Official Technician

Anchorage Concert Association, Opera, Symphony, UAA

"The piano exists apart from the performer.  You must coax it to be a partner, and some pianos can be resistant.  But there are many ways to touch a piano - and if the player invests the time, effort, and the will to love, the response of the instrument is absolutely enormous."  --Kostia

Vada McElrath

Associate Technician

Growing up with a music educator and piano teacher as a mother, Vada started learning to play the piano by the time she was three. However, she later chose the French Horn as her main instrument while continuing her love of playing the piano.


During college she taught a French Horn maintenance class which inspired an interest in piano technology. Though it took several years, she finally started to fulfill that dream in the Spring of 2008. She has been studying, working and tuning pianos ever since. She is in the process of becoming a fully trained and registered technician. 

“The field of Piano technology is an unregulated trade. Therefore the Piano Technicians Guild has set its own standards of quality for piano technicians. The Guild has two types of members: Registered Piano Technicians and Associates. Associate membership is open to anyone with a "professional or avocational interest in piano technology." On the other hand, the title of "Registered Piano Technician" must be earned by passing a series of examinations.


Here are our official descriptions of these categories :


A Registered Piano Technician (RPT) has passed a series of rigorous examinations on the maintenance, repair, and tuning of pianos.  Only RPTs are authorized by The Piano Technicians Guild to display the logo containing the words “Registered Piano Technician”.


An Associate is a member who has not passed the RPT examinations.  Associates may be studying piano technology and working toward RPT status, or may be piano retailers, rebuilders, refinishers or other specialists.”


~Excerpts were taken from the official PTG website. Additional information can be seen at www.ptg.org

What is an RPT?

 

ALASKA PIANO SERVICES