Andy Reach PT ’08, PA ’09

I came to NBSS directly after finishing a degree in music from Radford University in Virginia. I am a pianist and I made a little bit of money teaching, accompanying and playing gigs. I realized that I didn’t want to teach music full time or try hacking it as a musician. I’d always had a “technical” mind, so piano technology seemed like a good fit.

Easier said than done! Fear was my greatest obstacle. I was afraid of leaving home (a small mountain town in Virginia), afraid of moving to the city, afraid of growing up and afraid of failure. To be honest, I probably wouldn’t have budged if I hadn’t been pushed by my family.

NBSS was one of the best experiences of my life. I made some great friends and absolutely loved living in Boston. The Piano Technology program provided exactly what was advertised – skills and experience that could be directly applied to a piano technology career. The training put me on the fast track to attaining RPT status (registered piano technician), which, in addition to reputation of the NBSS program, helped ensure a successful job search.

Since graduating, I’ve been working full time as a piano technician for Allan Gilreath, an RPT and national president of the Piano Technician’s Guild. I’ve gained experience in all aspects of piano work, including tuning, regulation, rebuilding, moving, teaching and sales. I love what I do. I love the positive interactions I have with customers every day, especially when they hear their piano brought back to life. It’s fulfilling work and I can do it for the rest of my life.