At the heart of NBSS are a diverse and dedicated team of staff, faculty, and strategic advisors. Together they provide a supportive environment for students to learn at the highest level, and they engage with a broad-based community of alumni and friends. In addition to the Staff and Faculty below, our community also includes dedicated Boards of Directors and Advisors.
Debbie Cyr, RPT learned tuning in 1990 as an apprentice, and in 1992 attended the rebuilding program at the North Bennet Street School in Boston. A Registered Piano Technician since 1994, she has worked as a rebuilder, has been an instructor at the North Bennet Street School since 1995, and has an extensive private tuning clientele. Debbie is also the piano technician at Brandeis University, as well as a past president and active member of the Boston Chapter Piano Technician Guild. She teaches and does tuning and technical exams at seminars and conventions on the local, regional and national levels.
Fun Fact
Before becoming a piano tech, Debbie had an independent piano teaching studio up in northernmost Maine, on the New Brunswick border. Her bi-lingual studio had 40 students, at least half of them French speaking. Debbie is also a life-long Girl Scout and avid jigsaw puzzle-maker.
Will studied piano technology for two years in an apprenticeship before completing the Basic Piano Technology program in 2019, and is an Instructor in the Basic Piano Technology program. He has worked with the Sing For Hope foundation—a music outreach organization in New York City—since 2016, as both an intern and supervisor. After graduating, he worked as a field technician doing in-home service with Onigman Piano Craft in New Jersey, and is now the owner of Roper Piano Service here in Boston. He is also the Northeast Regional Vice President of the Piano Technicians Guild and a PTG board member.
Emily is a 2007 graduate of the Basic Piano Technology program, a 2008 graduate of the Advanced program, and a Registered Piano Technician. She also holds a degree in piano performance from Trinity University. Emily was previously self-employed as a field service technician and piano rebuilder in San Antonio, Texas, where she served a robust private clientele including schools and universities. She is a sought-after instructor at nationwide Piano Technicians Guild seminars. Emily has served the PTG on several committees and as an active tuning and technical examiner. She is a 2021 recipient of the PTG’s Crowl-Travis Member of Note award.
Hillary York is a Registered Piano Technician and moved to New York after graduation from both Piano Technology programs. There she worked as an action rebuilder and eventually became the Director of Technical Services for a large dealer and rebuilder in the NYC metro area. Her duties included managing a rebuilding shop, a team of piano technicians, and the technical needs for four showrooms. She next worked as an independent piano technician in the Denver, Colorado area, doing both in home service and shop work. Additionally, she has traveled internationally for technical factory training and has consulted for various international piano factories.
Fun Fact
In 2019 she hiked the entire 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.
