Piano tuners from Korea and abroad gathered in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, to share the expertise of world-class craftsmen.
The Samsung Cultural Foundation and the Korea Piano Tuners Association announced on June 16 that they successfully concluded the "2026 Samsung Piano Tone Meister Program," which included a "Domestic Technology Seminar" and an "Advanced Training Course" aimed at elevating domestic piano tuning to a global standard.
This year, the program featured Stefan Fritz, a piano manufacturing and restoration expert from Steinway and a technical advisor, as a guest speaker. Fritz is renowned for tuning for world-class pianists such as Friedrich Gulda, Alfred Brendel, and Martha Argerich. He has served as the lead instructor at the Steinway Concert Technician Academy for 30 years, training over 350 Steinway specialists.
The "Domestic Technology Seminar" is held annually to cultivate professional piano tuners who can perform on the world stage. This year's event took place from June 9 to 11 at the Alpensia Resort in Pyeongchang, attracting around 300 members from piano tuner associations across Asia, including Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan.
On June 10, Kim Hwang-sik, Chairman of the Samsung Cultural Foundation, visited the event to encourage participants. He stated, "Behind the success of Korean performers on the global stage is the dedication of tuners who create the best performance environment. I hope that through continuous research, Korea's piano tuning capabilities will grow to a world-class level."
An "Advanced Training Course" for 20 selected outstanding domestic tuners was also completed. This course took place in Hannam-dong, Seoul, over a total of 10 days in April and June. Participants focused on practical training to enhance their skills in achieving optimal sound tailored to performers' interpretations and the acoustic environment of concert halls.
Stefan Fritz remarked, "The young tuners in Korea displayed impressive concentration and exceptional skill acquisition abilities. I hope this training program elevates the standard of piano tuning in Korea and serves as a stepping stone for them to grow into piano tone meisters on the world stage."
The term "piano tone meister" derives from the German word "meister," meaning master, and refers to experts who optimally realize the sound of a piano. Tuning is a crucial element that influences the quality of performances, as many world-class pianists have dedicated tuners.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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