2025 Washington State Piano Technicians Hands-on Seminar

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LET'S Go Again!

Dates: March 26–28, 2026

Location: Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA 

Contact: Ryan Sowers pnw.ptg@gmail.com

If you would like to volunteer to help with planning the 2026 seminar please contact me.  

Here's a short list of things that could enhance our seminar for 2026.  If one of these tasks fits with your passion and skill set, we'd love to work with you!

The 2025 Seminar was a great success! 

With 56 registrants representing California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana and Utah, we brought together a wonderful community of passionate technicians of all ages and skill levels. 

The event including all presentations were professionally recorded and will be made availalbe for those who attended the seminar on a private YouTube channel.  


Dates: March 27–29, 2025 

Location: Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA 

Contact: Ryan Sowers pnw.ptg@gmail.com

Wondering whose coming or want to make sure your registered? Check out the Who's Coming page!


Agenda

Thursday Day 1: Band Room

1PM Welcoming address -The Philosophy of Full Service

2 pm - 3:30 p.m. Presentation: Repairing Legacy Pianos: How & Why? by Jordan Cook

3:30 - 4 p.m. Break

4 - 5:30 p.m. Presentation: Script Your Business by David Stocker, RPT


6:30 p.m. Pizza social in the dorms + "Best and Worst of YouTube Piano Technology" 

Everyone Welcome! Foosball and pool table available! 


Friday Day 2: Classes

First Period: 9am - 10:30 AM

Room 120: Piano Technicians Playground

Room 117: Regulating Every Day Part I - Ryan Sowers

Room 113: Grand Dampers: Factory tips and speed techniques - Jim Busby


Second Period 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM

Room 120: Piano Technicians Playground

Room 117: Regulating Every Day Part 2 Part II - Ryan Sowers

Room 113 Touchweight: Eliminating “pot holes and bumps” in the road - Jim Busby


12:15 PM - 2 PM Lunch at the Student Union: Sponsored by PianoMeter! 

Third Period 2:15 PM - 3:45 PM

Room 120: Piano Technicians Playground

Room 117: Tool Modification for the Resourceful Technician - Aaron Heppler

Room 113: Fundamentals of Unisons and Hammer Technique - Nathan Jensen

Room 153 (Choir Room): Prepping the Steinway D in the Choir Room with Ryan Sowers (feel free to hang out and watch!)

Fourth Period 4 PM - 5:30 PM

Room 120: Piano Technicians Playground

Room 117: Breathing New Life into Older Electronic Player Systems - Aaron Heppler

Room 113: Mastering the Machine - Max Biggs

Room 153 (Choir Room): Tuning the Steinway D in the Choir Room (feel free to quietly hang out and observe)


Reception in the Choir Room

6 PM - 7PM A variety of finger foods and desserts w coffee service

7 PM - 8:30 Piano Technicians Piano Recital


Saturday Day 3: Classes

First Period: 9am - 10:30 AM

Room 120: Piano Technicians Playground

Room 150 (Band Room) Backweighting Vertical Actions: Max Biggs

Room 117: The Touch Up: Nathan Jensen

Second Period: 11:00 AM - 12:30PM

Room 120: Piano Technicians Playground: 

Room 150 (Band Room): Voicing Every Day - Ryan Sowers

Room 117: Everything About Tuning Except How to do It - Loren Kelley

12:15 PM - 1:45 PM Lunch  on your own

Third Period: 2 PM - 3:30 PM

Room 150  Twenty-one Secret Tips from Top Techs and Tool Giveaway! - Jim Busby



4 PM BAND ROOM
Closing Session and the Presentation of the James H Burton Award.


Below is a printable PDF of the seminar schedule

3_25_25 Class Spreadsheet.pdf

It's about a 30 minute walk from the music building to beautiful downtown Ellensburg.

Historic Downtown Ellensburg is what you'd expect from a small college town: clean and safe with lots of antique shops, restaurants, boutiques and pubs. Learn more HERE.

List of Ellensburg Restaurants within 25-35 minute walk from Dorms and Music Building

On-Campus Dining Options

Located in the Student Union Building, Lion's Rock not only has classic burgers and fries, but also has breakfast sandwiches and burritos for a quick bite before classes!


Focusing on healthy and delicious food made with wholesome ingredients, Fresh Bar offers upscale options like grain bowls and avocado toast. Ingredients are sourced locally when possible, and many dishes utilize ingredients from nearby Wildcat Neighborhood Farm. Available through mobile order with the Grubhub app.

Cat Trax West offers a range of hot and cold beverages and serves Caffe Vita, Seattle's leading independent roasters. This location also includes Cats Market, a one-stop-shop for all your convenience needs.

Cats Market is your one stop for all your convenience needs. Conveniently located at Cat Trax West, you can pick up your necessary sundries with your morning coffee!

Cat Trax West and Cats Market is located in the student Union and Recreation Center (SURC).


Update: Holmes Dining Hall will be closed during Spring Break.

Luckily the above options are still available in the Student Union Building. Also, we will be putting together a list of good eating options off campus. 


Campus parking is $6 per day and is payable from your smart phone using QR Codes on signs in the parking lots.  

Here's a link to create an account to purchase a parking pass: Central Washington University | Parking Services 

Parking Map Link. You will see a free parking lot marked in black labeled X-22 in the upper right corner. That is near Alford-Montgomery Hall.