The Bicoastal Piano Technician: My Quarterly Gamble from LA to NY

Life as a piano technician is anything but stationary. While my home base and daily operations are in Los Angeles, providing piano tuning and repair for LA and Southern California, a significant part of my heart and my business remains in New York.

That’s why, four times a year, you’ll find me packing my suitcases not for a vacation, but for a working trip back to the East Coast. With the flights, hotel, and rental car secured, the focus now is on filling my schedule across New York & Long Island, and it's booking up fast.

This trip is always a calculated gamble. I have to commit to the major expenses based purely on the faith I have in my clients and my business. A few weeks ago, with only one job booked, that faith was certainly being tested. It’s a uniquely stressful part of this bicoastal model, staring at a calendar that's yet to fill.

But then, the momentum builds. The emails and calls from my New York clients start coming in. A concert venue in Manhattan needs its grand piano tuned. A family in Brooklyn is scheduling their seasonal maintenance for their heirloom upright. A music school on Long Island has a full roster of practice room pianos waiting for me. That single booking soon grew to 10, then 30, and now, I’m thrilled to say I’ve reached my goal. I'll be servicing over 60 pianos on this trip, providing everything from standard piano tuning to piano regulation and repair.

So, why make this gamble? Because the demand for a reliable piano tuner in New York & Long Island is incredible, and the trust my clients place in me is what makes it all work. From the legendary pianos in Manhattan's studios to the beloved instruments in Brooklyn brownstones and Long Island homes, they deserve consistent, expert care.

This bicoastal rhythm is now the heartbeat of my business. It allows me to serve dedicated communities on both sides of the country. For my LA clients, I'm their local piano technician for regular maintenance. For my New York clients, I'm the technician they trust to return quarterly.

It’s a system built on trust, planning, and a shared love for the instrument. The gamble pays off every time, not just in a full schedule, but in the satisfaction of keeping so many pianos, and pianists, in harmony.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a flight to catch and 60 pianos waiting to sing.