In the wake of a report suggesting an Australia-wide shortage of qualified piano tuners, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra has developed a Professional Piano Tuning and Technician Services Scholarship to train a new cohort of piano technicians who will then be based in southern Tasmania.

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Funded by the Allport Bequest, with the support of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Music Teachers Association, the scholarship will support two successful applicants to attend piano tuning course hosted at the KJ Piano Academy in Western Sydney over a nine-to-12-month period, beginning in February 2024.

The course will train the scholarship recipients in tuning and acoustics and the skills required to run a small business. The scholarship includes payment of course fees, a stipend and travel expenses during study periods, as well as the opportunity to continue their studies under Tasmanian mentor, Rod Collins.

According to a news report in the Guardian, Australians buy around 5000 new pianos each year, each of which should be tuned, at a minimum, twice annually. There are approximately 250 qualified tuners working in Australia and it is estimated that another 250 are required to meet demand.

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