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An unsung musical hero
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Wang Ying
IF someone asks you to say something about classical music, you might think of great composers or talented orchestras. Yet one group of unsung heroes keeps the music world humming along, relying on their wits amd skills to make sure everything sounds just right. They are the piano tuners, and their work can often make a world of difference in the world of music.
One tuner, Pan Zhaojie, is one of such piano tuners at Shenzhen Art School.
"Piano tuning, to put it simply, is examining, assessing, diagnosing and solving problems in pianos," Pan, an energetic 45-year-old in grey suit, explained his profession while working on a piano in his school's concert hall. "So piano tuners are, in a sense, piano doctors."
Pan said he enjoys his work immensely despite the absence of wide public recognition. He considers himself lucky to work in a field he is really interested in. "I always have a sense of achievement and contentment after an ill-conditioned piano takes on an entirely new look in my hands. I fix things up and it is really pleasing to be able to do that."
Born into a musical family in Guangzhou, Pan's father is an erhu professor while his mother works for an opera troupe, so he was always surrounded by music.
He once was an erhu player in the countryside in Zengcheng County, a worker in an optical instrument factory in Guangzhou, and a student studying piano tuning through an internship at Hubei Art Institute (now called the Wuhan Conservatory) before finally becoming a professional piano tuner in 1987 at Shenzhen Art School.
"It is out of love for music that I decided to change my job," Pan said. "And my innate musical gifts helped me accomplish this wish."
As a respected piano tuner -- not to mention the only piano tuner at the school -- Pan is now responsible for the repair and maintenance of over 90 pianos of the school. And as the designated piano tuner of the Shenzhen Grand Theatre's Music Hall since 1989, pan has tuned pianos for countless musicians including such big names as Liu Shikun, Bao Huiqiao and Kong Xiangdong, as well as artists from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and other foreign countries.
"I'm busy at work," Pan chuckled. "But I'm even busier after work. With more and more people learning piano in the city, I'm often asked by the learners to tune their instruments. "
But whether he works for professional musicians or just amateur players, Pan never compromises with his skills. He treats each piano with equal and earnest and dedication. "To be responsible for others is to be responsible for yourself. This is a principle of mine," Pan said.
Though it's hard to imagine anyone making a fortune in his business, piano tuning does provide Pan with a steady and adequate family income. "And most important of all, it provides me a channel to express my love of music,"he said.
Looking ahead, Pan hopes to visit Germany and the United States to visit piano manufacturers in the hope of further perfecting his tuning skills.
Caption: Pan tunes a piano in the concert hall of Shenzhen Art School.
Smith Shi
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