About Stewart Skouson, Registered Piano Technician
Stewart Skouson is a Registered Piano Technician and member of the Piano Technicians Guide. Stewart has been involved in music for most of his life and has many fond memories of standing around the piano with family and friends singing and playing the piano. Stewart started his piano tuning career in 1986 with encouragement from his family's piano tuner, Des Wilson from the San Francisco Bay Area. Des told Stewart that if he learned the basics, he would teach him the art of doing it well.
Stewart attended the Perkins School of Piano Tuning and Technology in January of 1986 for intensive training in piano tuning, grand piano rebuilding and player piano rebuilding. After graduating, Stewart did his apprenticeship under Des Wilson, a fabulous instructor who is known for his Steinway piano rebuilding expertise and owner of Burton and Wilson Pianos. Stewart apprenticed until 1988 when he passed the Piano Technicians Guild exams, whereupon he became a full-time employee.
The Piano Technicians Guild exams are a comprehensive testing of Piano technical skills There are three exams: a written exam that evaluates a technician's knowledge of piano history, piano design, repair techniques, tuning theory and various other piano topics. The technical exam evaluates practical repairs, regulation techniques, and other hands-on piano work. The tuning exam evaluates aural tuning and is moderated by several master tuners. They do a master tuning on the test piano, the piano is detuned, then the examinee is required to tune the piano to match their results. Only after passing a series of rigorous examinations is the piano tuner allowed to use the title "Registered Piano Technician"
Stewart Skouson has restored numerous grands including many Steinway grands to include refinishing, restringing, pinblock replacement, action rebuilding and regulation, and various major damages due to the 1989 California earthquake. Stewart has extensive experience in the rebuilding part of piano work.
After getting his B.S. in Business Management from the San Jose State University in 1990. Stewart and his family moved to Las Vegas and started the Skouson Piano Tuning Services business. Stewart also was hired as a full time firefighter for Clark County Fire Department and continued part-time to rebuild pianos during his 22 years of employment as a firefighter.
After retiring as a firefighter in 2014, Stewart provides full time piano tuning, minor repairs and action reconditioning and regulation. Stewart is always is honing his piano skills by attending national Piano Guild week-long conventions, regional and local conventions, and Piano Guild meetings.
In 1986, Stewart met and married his wife and they now have four beautiful children and four grandchildren.