Cumberland

Pianoworks

Baldwin 6000 Studio

(click picture for link)

Our Staff

Emily Roberts, an owner, is our senior staff person. She began her piano career in Texas in 1969, working in the shop of a major dealer. Emily has recently retired from piano work after 38 years of providing piano moving, action service, expert soundboard and bridge repairs and refinishing and the finest old-style piano case refinishing, touch up and cleaning.  She is focusing now on raising the finest old-style German Shepherd dogs. Her work now can be viewed on-line at www.rosehallkennel.com

Eliot Roberts,  (picture taken in an informal moment)

the other owner, began his piano career in 1979 as an apprentice in a piano shop in which Emily was a partner. Completing a 2½ year apprenticeship, he continued working part time with that shop until 1983 when Cumberland Pianoworks was formed (originally known as Cumberland Keyboards.) Eliot's interest in pianos started as a child, taking seven years of piano lessons but showing very little talent. (He likes to tell people that he wore out three piano teachers, the last of whom told him to 'go home, you're wasting my time and your mother's money.') Years later, not to be beaten by the instrument, Eliot purchased a Kimball 'Artist Console' off the back of a truck. He was determined to learn how to play but was not expecting the difficulty in finding a piano tuner who would show up when they said they would. When a tuner was found that really showed up, he turned out to be a customer that Eliot had worked with. One thing led to another and Eliot was visiting the tuner's farm and piano shop and he fell in love with the mechanical side of the piano. Those visits became an almost nightly routine as he entered into an apprenticeship relationship to learn the trade. Eliot never has learned to play well, but in 28 years of working on pianos, he has become an accomplished tuner/technician and re-builder. He often tells people that he is like the pit mechanic at the race track: He'd be dangerous driving the car around in circles, but he is certainly responsible for making it go fast!  Eliot now focuses on piano tuning, regulation, on-site repairs and projects in the shop (and training our newest staff member.) 2008 looks to be a year of transition where Eliot will be looking to devote more time in the shop once again as Wayne has become quite competent tuning pianos and completing minor repairs and service in clients' homes and churches.  Eliot can be contacted directly be e-mail: eliotroberts@frontiernet.net

Dr. Wayne Robbins, our principal technician, first worked for Cumberland Pianoworks as a high school student in the early '90's. Wayne was a quick learner and excelled at the detail work on actions in the shop. Returning to Tennessee from Texas, Wayne began his student role with us in January 2005. For a season Wayne studied with Eliot in the field three days a week, learning tuning, diagnostics and on-site repairs and regulation. He also has quickly recovered his piano action refurbishing skills and is currently taking on most of these shop jobs. Wayne has proven to be a conscientious technician and is devoted to excellence in his work. Wayne is a professional trumpet player. He earned a Bachelors degree from Tennessee Tech in Music Education, and earned both a Masters and a Doctorate in Trumpet Performance from the University of Texas at Austin. Playing the trumpet is Wayne's professional passion but he finds that part time piano work fits well with his performance responsibilities.  We look forward to Wayne's contributions to our service capabilities for years to come as  he  continues to be associated with us. He is seen above tuning a 7' Steinway grand (left) and a 9' Steinway grand (right) on stage at the Cumberland County Playhouse for two different concerts.