Meet the Mistrys: Mumbai’s Oldest Piano Tuners

There is more to a piano performance than meets the eye. For every pianist that basks in the glory of an appreciative audience, there’s a person behind the scene celebrating a secret triumph. Piano tuners, much like piano tuning itself, are rarely acknowledged although they possess a valuable talent that needs skill and patience to be perfected. Before a concert, the tuner will spend at least a couple of hours on the instrument. His knowledge extends beyond the keys to the other movable parts of the piano, which are a few thousand in number.

Recently, Rolling Stone India visited the venerable Mistry family who have kept the art of piano tuning alive through generations. For the Mistrys, tuning is a family heirloom, a legacy that started in 1905, and has since evolved into a business.