June Meeting

The next Vermont PTG Chapter Meeting--

WILL START EARLY, at 2 PM.

Tuesday, June 10

at the Hilberts'
40 Court St, in Bristol

We're very fortunate and excited to have Marcel Lapointe as a featured guest from Quebec City. Marcel will spend the afternoon with us in a voicing class you won't want to miss. The extra time
will give plenty of opportunity for some hands-on experience with some of the many innovative voicing techniques that Marcel has developed over the years. Marcel has a well-earned reputation within PTG for his skill, enthusiasm, generosity, and good-nature.

Looking forward to seeing you all with Marcel Lapointe, at the Hilberts' in Bristol, 2:00 pm on June 10!

The following is Marcel's "bio" and class description, in his own words:

********
Bio.

ML,
Born by curiosity, ( direct translation from French) at 4 years old, I decided
to become a tuner.
After a small detour studying the saxophone at Quebec Conservatory for 7
years, (before I was too small to pull the tuning hammer).
I started learning in the old French way as master and apprentice with the
Conservatory tuner.
I started being a real tuner at 18 years old. My first factory training was at
Mason Hamlin in Boston, and 15 years ago studied in Hamburg at Steinway.
I discovered PTG 25 years ago and since that time spended all the possible time
at the conventions Nationnal or regionnal.
There not only you can learn zillions of things, but best of all, you will meet
friends for life.
I tune and voice mainly for concerts for the last 20 years.
Piano is an endless quest for Graal for someone born by curiosity.


Class.
We will explore many different ways to eliminate false beats, some are
unorthodoxes, some are old ones forgotten.
Maybe we will find a new one altogether, who knows?
Thanks to the readings of pianotek list for almost 10 years, many fine PTG
members drove me on the path of finding many differents solutions. They will
not work all the time, ( differents causes), but you will have many more tricks
in your bag to find solutions.
I will show a cross / breed way of sanding the hammers
(German/French/American) .
I will give a demonstration of hammers/strings mating , with accuracy and
speed. All the tools needed are very easy to do yourself.

Meeting update

May 13 found PTGers arriving at Frederick Johnson Pianos in White River Junction; some an hour early! Now that's dedication. As was anticipated, we had a gathering of 8 including a new face: Helen Weston, from Bristol who is contemplating entering the other side of the piano world. It was also good to see Michael Lynam, a new comer visiting a second time. We were all treated to a class with Dale Howe as he taught on tuning. With about 40 years of tuning experience, it was a challenge to fit all his knowledge inside the time alloted. However, he persevered and gave us a chance to get a good meal at a local restaurant before heading home.