Emily Townsend PT ’07, PA ’08 Leads the Next Chapter of Piano Technology

For as long as she can remember, Emily Townsend PT ’07, PA ’08 has been captivated by the inner workings of the piano—the balance between artistry and engineering, intuition and precision. What began as a childhood fascination has become a lifelong vocation, one that has taken her from concert stages to classrooms and now to the helm of the Piano Technology Department at North Bennet Street School. A respected educator, technician, and leader in the field, Emily combines technical mastery with a teacher’s clarity, guiding students toward both excellence and understanding in their craft.

Emily first came to NBSS after earning her bachelor’s degree in piano performance from Trinity University, where her love for music deepened into curiosity about how instruments work. “From the time I was in fifth grade, I knew I wanted to tune pianos for my livelihood,” she once shared in a Piano Technicians Guild feature. That early curiosity matured into a calling, leading her to NBSS’s renowned Basic and Advanced Piano Technology programs, where she graduated in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

After completing her studies, Emily built a remarkable career as Head Technician at Trinity University and as a concert piano technician for prestigious organizations including the Aspen Music Festival and School and the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood. She also served institutions such as Bridgewater State University and the Steinway Piano Gallery of San Antonio, and today operates Townsend Piano Service, a full-service tuning and rebuilding business.

Her professional expertise is complemented by her national leadership within the Piano Technicians Guild (PTG), where she is an active tuning, technical, and written examiner and a frequent instructor at regional and national conferences. In 2021, she received the Crowl-Travis Member of Note Award, recognizing her outstanding service to the Guild and the piano industry. Among her many contributions, she helped adapt RPT testing protocols during the pandemic, trained new examiners, and piloted the Guild’s new digital written exam format.

Emily joined the NBSS faculty in 2014, quickly earning recognition for her thoughtful instruction and deep command of the craft. In recent years she co-led the Piano Technology program alongside longtime instructor Debbie Cyr PA ’93, refining and modernizing the Basic Piano curriculum. Debbie described their collaboration as “a magical time,” noting Emily’s ability to turn conversation into action and ideas into lasting improvements.

Now, as Department Head, Emily continues to build on that foundation. “NBSS has always balanced tradition with innovation, and I see my role as helping our students carry that forward—mastering the fundamentals while preparing for a changing industry.” She remains passionate about strengthening connections between the School and the professional community, ensuring that graduates leave with both the technical precision and professional confidence required to succeed.

Emily’s credentials include advanced training from Steinway & Sons and the Renner Academy, and she remains a sought-after presenter on topics ranging from aural tuning to action regulation and voicing. “Teaching allows me to bring together everything I love about this field—the music, the mechanics, and the satisfaction of helping someone else find their own rhythm as a technician,” she says.

Her blend of artistry, technical mastery, and mentorship continues to inspire students and colleagues alike—ensuring that NBSS remains at the forefront of piano technology education for generations to come.

When she’s not in the workshop, Emily can often be found knitting or working on fiber arts projects, interests that earned her a blue ribbon at the state fair. She also enjoys spending time outdoors with family and friends—camping, skiing, and cycling whenever she can.