Bledi Luzi, a “doctor” for pianos

He pauses and thinks. He looks like a surgeon. There are 9600 details. Artery after artery, until where the problem is. For Bledi Luz, all roads lead to music. The son of a violinist, he studied oboe and, in addition to working as a professional instrumentalist in the Orchestra of the National Folk Song and Dance Ensemble, has a passion for tuning and repairing pianos. At first it was curiosity mixed with heritage, which would later turn into passion and craft. When he talks about the work it takes to diagnose a piano’s “disease,” he seems to move into another dimension. It’s the power of research and music. Through an interview in “Secrets of craftsmanship”, Bledi Luzi tells the secrets of the craft: the most difficult moments and the beautiful ones; the “diseases” of the instrument and the desire of Albanians to have an instrument like the piano in their homes.

How did you approach the trade of piano tuner and repairer?

I completed the Artistic Lyceum and then the Academy of Arts for the branch: oboe. For 23 years I have been an instrumentalist in the Orchestra of the National Ensemble of Folk Songs and Dances. During my time as a student I developed a desire, perhaps hidden, to study piano tuning and repair. Sitting next to professional masters, I fell in love with it and today I continue it as a primary profession.

Is it an inherited craft or was it a moment, an off note, that led you to it?

I can’t say that it is completely inherited, but as I told you before, it is a profession that I fell in love with from the first moment. My father was also a violinist with the Army Ensemble and, in a self-taught way, he dealt with the repair of instruments, violins, violas… Oboe instrumentalists, in general, have been extremely demanding, curious, who want to try and research. I have been curious since I was a child.

What are the secrets?

There are several secrets, but the most important are concentration and maximum dedication. There are endless processes involved in repairing a piano. There are about 9600 details. Everything is very fine, like an equation with many unknowns, but it is very special and beautiful.

There is no school for this…

There is no such profession in Albania, while there is in the world. Learning more depends on the desire and passion of the people involved in it. Today, in the times of technology development, anything is possible. You have the opportunity to communicate and consult with colleagues abroad for any kind of problem or to learn about the latest news.

The problems that an instrument can have can be endless, depending on the type, brand… right?

Each piano has its own secrets, different obsessions, depending on the brand, model, year of manufacture, etc. While the problems are among the most diverse. Since there are many processes that are related to each other, it is difficult to find where the problem lies with just one. They are like the veins of a body, which are scattered, but also connected to each other.

What is the most widespread “disease” in pianos and what is it related to?

They are closely related to the environment where they are kept, with temperature, humidity… which are the main enemies. The piano, like anything else, needs maintenance. To be honest, the maintenance culture is very low, at a time when it is a priority. The moment you get a piano, it becomes part of your home and needs to be maintained. Over time, there is a need for replacements, repairs, technical checks.

What is the most “dramatic” and most beautiful moment during your work?

I can’t say that there are many “dramatic” moments, because with commitment and dedication, the solution to any kind of defect is found. I would single out that moment when you find the defect, repair it and everything turns out perfect, the happiness is indescribable. It is a tiring craft, as it requires a very fine work, it requires unlimited time, you have to do research, research on the brand, the context, etc., but very beautiful, which gives you a great pleasure, especially when you get to see conclusion and to compare what was and what is. And even afterwards, when he receives the thanks of God. It has often happened to us that the instrumentalist is in a dilemma whether to keep or sell the piano, whether to invest in restoring it or not. I always tell them not to rush and I do this, not to have a job, but because parting with an instrument like the piano is painful and today anything is possible to bring a radical change to an instrument.

Once upon a time, very few people could have such an instrument at home, today do we find more such instruments in the homes of Albanians?

Previously, only musicians, composers, instrumentalists had pianos, which were given to them by the institution or the League of Writers and Artists. They used to count with their fingers.. But today, times have changed. Pianos are not only owned by professionals, but also by amateurs, they are even used for decoration. And you don’t find them only in Tirana, but all over Albania.

What are the most popular brands?

Before the 90s, you could mostly find the Czech “Petrof” piano, the German “August Forster”, there were also Chinese pianos. But there could also be old pianos inherited in the house, of the “Hoffler” type. After the 90s, there was an influx of brands from a variety of backgrounds.

You inherited your father’s passion, will you pass it on to your children?

With the greatest desire. I have two sons who have taken piano lessons, not for profession, and both are on the right steps for the continuation of this craft. They are also seeing my maximum dedication, concentration and transport to a completely different world. It is like the work of a doctor who has to do examinations down to the last cell, to find the cause of the disease. And so far I see that not only are they curious, but they are also on the right steps towards this profession.