Announcing a Free All-Day Technical Seminar
Saturday, September 27th, 9am to 4pm
Sponsored by:
&
Hilbert Pianos
Don Mannino RPT
Presenting technical seminars on 3 topics:
- “Action Centers: The Secret to Consistent Touch”
“Introduction to the Shigeru Kawai Piano and Millennium-III Action”
Barbecue Lunch Included!
Free All-Day technical seminar by Don Mannino!
Where: Hilbert Pianos
40 Pleasant Street
Bristo
When: September 27th, 2008 9am - 4pm
What’s Included: 3 technical seminars plus lunch!
Don Mannino RPT, Director of Shigeru Kawai Field Services and Director of Technical Training for Kawai America, will be making a visit to Vermont to present 3 very popular technical seminars September 27th. Don is well known for his seminars at PTG conventions, as well as for technical articles in the Piano Technicians Journal. Don’s seminars have a reputation for being interesting, thorough, and applicable to the technician’s every day work.
“Action Centers: The Secret to Consistent Touch” is Don’s seminar describing the importance of well fit action centers to the performance of fine piano actions, and demonstrating a method for repinning action centers that is fast and extremely accurate.
“Introduction to the Shigeru Kawai Pianos” is an overview of these new, hand-built pianos from Japan in which Don describes why Kawai is building these instruments, what is different about them as compared to other Kawai pianos, and some of the research and development process involved in creating them. Included will be photos of the factory as well as extreme slow-motion films taken during the development of the Kawai Millennium-III action in Kawai’s R&D department.
“High Performance Grand Action Regulation” is a new seminar on getting the best performance from Kawai grand pianos. Included will be discussion and demonstration of factory style regulating techniques, the trade-offs of various regulation specifications to meet different needs, service pointers for getting the performance back into worn actions, and a full top-to-bottom regulation process. Although this class will feature the Kawai actions, much of the class material is applicable to all fine grand piano actions.
Don’s seminars are usually presented to packed rooms at PTG seminars - don’t miss this chance to see him locally!
To attend, please call Ed and Emily Hilbert at (802) 453-3743 , or E-mail him at: hilbert@middlebury.edu
You may also e-mail or call Don Mannino at Kawai: (800) 660-5607 ext. 883, or E-mail: tech@shigerukawai.com
About the Meal: This is a potluck meal, so please contact the Hilberts ahead of time to make sure you bring the right thing. Chicken will be provided. This will help with food preparations!
Out of State: If you are coming from out of state and are planning on staying overnight, please let us know ahead of time so we can help you make arrangements.
Vermont Members, if you have accommodations you can offer please let us know. We will try to match you up with out-of-state guests.
We hope to see you there!
While completing piano performance studies at San Diego State in 1979, Don apprenticed with a piano rebuilder. As an independent piano technician in the San Diego area Don divided his business between normal tuning, concert piano preparation, rebuilding, and providing warranty work for dealers and manufacturers. He held the position of National Service Manager for Young Chang Pianos from 1990 - 1995, then was Manager of Technical Support for Kawai Pianos in the US and Canada, and now serves as the Director of Technical Training for Kawai and Shigeru Kawai Pianos. Don and his wife Patty are the editors of the Southern California Combined PTG newsletter. He teaches regularly at regional technician seminars, PTG Annual conventions, and at PTG chapter meetings. He has prepared articles on a variety of technical topics for the Piano Technicians Journal.
