In Tune With the Past

The Leverett family has a lifetime of experience rebuilding pianos, a skill that allows them to breathe new life into antique models destined for the scrapheap

- Dominique Corlett

Rebuilding old pianos with the benefit of hindsight and modern technology is a magical process that allows Paul Leverett, along with his dad Colin and his uncle Derrick, to produce restored instruments of the highest quality. Not only do these pianos sound better than they would have originally, but by rescuing and building on the materials and craftsmanship of the past, they o說elig;æer a degree of workmanship and tonal quality impossible to achieve through the modern manufacturing process. Paul showed us round the family business in Twyford, Buckinghamshire.

What is your background?

We all worked for the Blüthner piano repair shop in west London repairing and rebuilding their pianos. My dad had been there since 1955; I started my apprenticeship in 1992. In 2003 the company went into administration. There was a consensus that the work we were doing was still needed, so at the end of that year we set up our own business, Piano Restorations Ltd.

We had work straightaway, firstly from the gentleman who bought the Blüthner stock, then there were people in the trade who had known my dad for 50 years. They wanted us to succeed and backed us, passing work our way, letting us know about pianos that needed restoring.

What have been some of the highlights of your job?