Lauren Sclafani PT ’14, PA ’15

Hitting the right notes

Basic Piano Technology ’14, Advanced Piano Technology ’15
Age 34
Gales Ferry, CT
Senior Manager, Music Tech, and Media, Steinway & Sons

Piano has always been a part of Lauren’s story, but she wasn’t sure how it would mold into a professional career. After discovering her passion for tuning, North Bennet gave her the training and resources to fine-tune her skills for her dream role at Steinway & Sons.

What were you doing before you came to NBSS to train?

My focus in life has always been piano. My parents are both musicians, and I grew up playing piano. I knew that I wanted to work in the field; I just didn’t know how. 

“I loved piano, but I never wanted to be a performer. When I went to college, I studied the instrument, double majoring in piano performance pedagogy and sound recording technology. My studies let me embrace music in my life while gaining the tools to better communicate with professional musicians about the music they’re creating. Even so, I didn’t have a clear path of what I wanted to do. 

During college, I was working as an audio intern at the Marlboro Music Festival. I was working on digitizing Steinway’s historic music archives, and the window in the studio overlooked the concert stage. As I worked, I watched Steinway’s concert technicians preparing pianos for some of the world’s greatest pianists, like Mitsuko Uchida. I had never realized how much labor, precision, and love went into making these instruments sound so magical. When Uchida would sit down to test the piano, the team gathered quietly, listening closely to her feedback. 

That was the moment something shifted for me. I knew then that I didn’t just want to be near music—I wanted to be part of the team supporting these artists and these instruments at the highest level.

Why NBSS, and how did it impact you?

That same day, I approached one of the technicians I had been watching. He gave me an overview of the field and recommended NBSS as he’s a graduate. Later on, I met with a piano technician back in Connecticut, where I grew up, who highly recommended NBSS and encouraged me to go on a tour. I did, and I fell in love—it was such a magical place. 

At North Bennet, I gained a completely new relationship with the piano as an instrument—how pianists approach the instrument and actually sound in general—completely blossomed and changed during my time at NBSS.

How did you feel supported during your time at NBSS?

One of the biggest takeaways of my two years at North Bennet was how the instructors helped me improve my confidence. After a setback in the Advanced program, they gave me an honest assessment, noting that I had the hand skills and technical ability but that I was holding myself back. 

They were calming and reassuring, and reminded me not to be so hard on myself. The instructors said they knew I’d get there—and I did!

Their support and compassion helped get me over that hurdle. That moment of encouragement helped me put myself out there after graduation. I’ll never forget it.

What are you doing now?

I work in the Music Technology and Media department at Steinway & Sons. I’ve contributed to developing the piano music catalog for Spirio, Steinway’s high-resolution player system, and helped shape the Spirio experience from both musical and technical perspectives. I’ve recently transitioned into a new role that allows me to stay connected to the piano’s legacy, while supporting how Steinway’s instruments continue to grow alongside evolving technology and artistic performance.

From the moment I decided I wanted to be a technician during that summer at the Marlboro Festival, I had my sights set on working at Steinway. My career with them began as an internship—and now, 10 years later—I’m grateful to still be with the company, living out my dream.

This story is from our Summer 2025 issue of Benchmarks magazine. Read more stories from the issue or view past issues.