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Our Background

Ian is the only technician in South Africa to have attended the prestigious Steinway Academy for Concert Technicians in Hamburg, Germany, training under Georges Amman, Steinway’s Chief Concert Technician for Europe and Asia.

 

Prior to that he had factory training with Steinway and passed the accreditation examinations to become a Registered Piano Technician (RPT) with the American Piano Technicians Guild.

As the finishing technician for the company he has completed 109 restorationsto date. Of these, 89 are Steinways, of which 78 are grand pianos, including 23 Steinway concert grands all in use in concert venues around the country. By world standards, this is an exceptional volume of high calibre restoration and rebuilding, ranging from 10-year-old concert pianos to Steinways as old as 1875. 

Ian maintains the personal instruments of many professional pianists, including several Steinway Artists. He also works in London each year; for King’s College, Wimbledon; the Chapel Royal Choir at Hampton Court and a private customer base of concert pianists, Steinway owners, teachers, and advanced students.

He is rated by Kawai to prepare and maintain their handcrafted Shigeru Kawai instruments, which are imported by Ian Burgess-Simpson Pianos.

This portfolio ranks Ian Burgess-Simpson among the best concert technicians and piano rebuilders in the world. His training and experience are passed on to the technicians who work with him and this gives the company an exceptional capacity to care for customers’ instruments and bring out the optimum in any instrument.

Ian Burgess-Simpson, Piano Technician
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A message from Ian Burgess

What people say

“I have been a client of Ian Burgess-Simpson’s since 2003, when he first rebuilt a Model B Steinway for me. This was hugely successful and transformed the piano; he has since rebuilt another Model B, with an equally happy outcome.

 

Ian also services both my Steinways once a year, they are a new Model D and the rebuilt Model B, and I am always delighted with the result. As I’m a concert pianist, my pianos work very hard.  Ian’s meticulous work makes them sound wonderful again. I particularly value his skill (and patience!) in voicing my pianos so that they sound even and beautiful.

 

Ian has also tuned and voiced for me in Cape Town; he did a superb job on the Cape Town City Hall piano early in 2011.

I have also been very happy with Garth Hammer who has tuned my Model D Steinway.

 

I would not hesitate to recommend Ian or his colleagues for their dedication and excellent service. “ 

Jill Richards, Concert Pianist & Steinway Artist

South Africa

A selection of our Customers

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