MUSIC industry experts from around the world descended on the county last week for their annual get together.

Top technicians came to the British Piano Tuners’ Association (PTA) conference at the Three Counties Hotel from as far away as Hong Kong and Norway.

President Brian Frost said members chose Hereford because of their interest in the Royal National College for the Blind’s piano tuning course and said they were disappointed it closed down last year due to a lack of students, but they were not surprised.

“There is a lack of people putting themselves forward for training,” he said.

Mr Frost said it was partly because becoming a top piano technician was hard work and that it often took a long time to develop the high-profile customer base needed to make a career out of it.

One of those who has succeeded, technician Geoff Sapsford, came to promote a brand new system that he and colleague Richard Dain have developed to revolutionise the way the piano sounds.

Mr Sapsford, who has tuned for the likes of musician Tori Amos and various national orchestras, was joined by Steingraeber and Sohne chief technician Alex Kerstan to showcase some of the first pianos using the new carbon fibre system ahead of its US launch next year.

“It allows the soundboard to vibrate more freely so it’s a more effective, more powerful sound and longer sustaining,”

said Mr Sapsford.

The instruments, which cost up to £80,000 each, were tried and tested by some of the 100 delegates who enjoyed lectures and socialising at the three-day event, which was held last Thursday, Friday and Saturday.