Welcome!
I strive to enhance the quality of the music making in Vermont with excellence in piano tuning and repair. My family and I are part of this community of music makers. It is to all these educators and performers that I commit to creating the best sound achievable on their pianos.
So many of the fine local musicians that grace our recital halls bring to Vermont a rich background from high profile schools such as Julliard, Oberlin, Eastman, Yale and Peabody. I am indeed humbled to have formed long-lasting relationships with these talented people.
I am amazed time and again at the wonderful world-class talent that our local area and state attracts to our stages and performance venues. Throughout my Vermont career I have been privileged to meet and tune for some of the finest musicians such as: Elton John, James Taylor, Diana Krall, Aretha Franklin, Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea, Andre` Watts, Peter Serkin, Jonathan Biss, Philip Glass and many others.
I am committed to creating the kind of sound that will enthrall their audiences and will keep these artists coming back to our venues.
SERVICES
PIANO TUNING
Keeping Vermont’s pianos in tune
I am a registered member in good standing of the Piano Technician's Guild - since 1983. I have been tuning and rebuilding pianos as a sole proprietor since 1971. I have served as concert tuner for the Flynn Theater, The Lane Series, Vermont Symphony Orchestra and many concert venues and performing organizations throughout Northwestern Vermont since 1990.
PIANO REPAIR
49 years experience
Modern pianos contain over 8000 individual moving parts and eventually they're going to need repair! I will utilize my nearly 50 years of technical experience repairing and rebuilding these complex musical instruments to solve any problems that may come up your piano.
PIANO REGULATION
Tailored to the artist
Fine tuning a piano action is an art and an expert piano technician can transform a sluggish, hard to play piano into a smoothly operating dream-action where every key operates uniformly and each note rings as perfectly as the next. From the novice to the concert artist, regulation of the keyboard is of utmost importance!
PIANO APPRAISALS
Reliable Expert Opinions
Pianos are more than just a piece of furniture. They are complex musical instruments and must be carefully valued for insurance purposes, bequests, resale value or used piano purchases. I can provide accurate and detailed appraisals for these instruments based on your needs.
PIANO RESTORATION & REBUILDING
Everything old is new again
It's always a thrill when I get to show a client their newley restored piano! The expert transformation of a treasured family heirloom from an old broken down piano gathering dust to a like-new playable instrument with brand new strings, action parts and gold harp has always been a source of pride for me. I've been doing it for 50 years and I never get tired of it!
Testimonial
Glen Sproul
Allan Day has been tuning and maintaining our modest U2 Yamaha upright piano for over 20 years.
Allan is reliable and dependable, knows pianos thoroughly, and has a tenacity of commitment to excellence in his craft and service to his customers that is remarkable to witness. His passion for excellence is one of the pillars supporting the high quality of music in the Burlington area. Selfishly speaking, I hope he continues to work on pianos, and ours in particular, for as long as I live.
Allan also loves challenges. When he finds a piano with “good bones”, a fine piano that has been neglected and abused for years, he seems to get fired up by the challenge to restore it to its original glory. This happened when my wife’s mother sold him a Steinway grand that had belonged to her for decades. It was then in sad shape, but Allan saw the fine piano inside it, and after a couple years of working on it as a hobby he gave it to his daughter as a gift, and took great pleasure in showing us pictures of the long, painstaking process of restoration. By the time he was done it was a gorgeous instrument again!
Testimonial
Hiromi Fukuda
Instructor of Piano, Amherst College
Staff Pianist, The Juilliard School
DMA, The Juilliard School
"I have always enjoyed performing on the concert grands at the UVM Recital Hall and the VPR stdio that were meticulously maintained and tuned by Allan Day. Now that I am a local in Burlington, I entrust my own pianos to his care. He is a true professional, always attentive to the needs of the pianist."
Testimonial
Mark Howe
Director of Music
St. Paul’s Cathedral, Burlington
"Allan Day’s craft as a piano technician, which is of the highest order, is married to a clear love of the musical sound of the instrument. The pianos at St. Paul’s Cathedral are used heavily, particularly during the Cathedral Arts season, and many times in his care of them Allan has gone out of his way to come in if his services are needed on short notice. He undertook the extensive reconditioning of my 1895 Steinway A, bringing its lovely voice out into the open when I bought it some years ago; and he is always willing to answer questions about the instrument, from his deep well of piano wisdom. I feel fortunate to have Allan Day as a piano technician."
Testimonial
Jose Schmidt
Essex Junction, VT
"When we immigrated to Vermont we bought an inexpensive used piano to get our five year old daughter started in music. Then, we had the good fortune that the piano seller recommended Allan Day to tune it. Twenty-four years later, after having upgraded to a better Yamaha that Allan found and refurbished for us, we're still counting on Allan's exceptional knowledge and service for our piano. We are by no means alone: every time you'll attend a piano concert at the The Flynn Theater, UVM recital Hall, etc. (and yes, live performances will come back to Burlington!), your ear will attest to Allan's mastery of his craft."
Testimonial
Christopher Vigneau
Johnson, VT
"I have been uniquely fortunate to have had Allan as my sole piano technician for many years. In addition to his innate technical knowledge and ability, he has an incredible ear regarding both his intonation & tonal understanding. I feel as if Allan actually becomes an extension of my piano each time he stops by for a tune. Every time he leaves, it feels and sounds better than the best version of itself. Given the quality and presentation of these services, his prices are extremely reasonable.
Finally, I'd like to touch on a very important albeit seldom discussed matter in his line of work. Allan is an excellent houseguest, so to speak. My family and I have ALWAYS felt comfortable having him in our home, even during COVID as he followed all proper protocols to the letter. I'd be more than willing to give him the code to my front door if I was unable to be present for our scheduled time. This will hopefully never be the case, because it's always nice to chat with him!"
Testimonial
Lesley Ely
Williston, VT
"Allan is Vermont’s Number One Ear for tuning pianos. He is also a top rate technician and musician! I am thrilled to have him as my “Piano Man”! (He also loves my Steinway B.)"
Testimonial
Elaine Greenfield,
Performing Artist, Piano Instructor
"The tuning you gave the piano is one of the best ever on that instrument. This morning as I played it I did not want to stop. The sound was glorious… one tone just melted into the next. Gorgeous intonation… at least in the key of b-minor!..."
Testimonial
Juliette McVicker,
Performing Artist
"I’ve got my mom’s piano back!"
