Tali Mahanor, Piano Tuner

Tali Mahanor is quietly revered in piano circles as a LEGEND of tuning and voicing a piano. As a young woman, she got her start as a staff technician at Steinway and Sons, and quickly became a favorite of world-​class artists like Eugene Istomin (who brought her along on his tours). Her knowledge of the instrument is encyclopedic, and she herself collects and restores pianos (she owned one of Horowitz’s touring instruments, and maintains a collection of Chickering concert grands). I’ve also never heard someone tune to such wide intervals before, but the result is stunning. Your piano will never sound this good before.
While these days she limits her work strictly to tuning and voicing, she can also do a full examination of your piano and devise a restoration plan, incorporating her team of colleagues that specialize in various areas (action work, interior cleaning, etc.). She won’t make any judgments until she has tuned your piano (sometimes twice in one sitting), plays on it for a while (she’s quite a good pianist), and listens to your concerns. Her fee is a little higher than everyone else, but it couldn’t be more justified. Her feedback is honest, and if it doesn’t make financial sense to restore a particular piano, she’ll tell you so.
I found out about Ms. Mahanor through a colleague who is professional concert pianist. To schedule an appointment, you have to email her assistant, Steven Gray (
). There is usually a waiting list from a few weeks to a couple months, depending on the season. If you’re in the market to buy a piano, she does sell gorgeous vintage Steinways that she has restored.