Meet David Moulton of Yankee Piano Service in Auburn

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Moulton.

David, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Music has always been a very prominent part of my life. When my brothers and I were small, we used to spend afternoons at my grandparents’ home while Mom and Dad were at work. I have many fond childhood memories of sitting with Mémère as she played her piano or organ, and Pépère happily sang along whether he knew the tune or not. The scene often concluded with a lot of laughter, and it’s a scene that still plays out from time to time when I visit. Throughout my life, these wonderful memories and traditions have been a driving force in my love for music.

When I became eligible to join my school’s instrumental music program in the fifth grade, I did so with great enthusiasm. Following in my father’s footsteps, I chose the clarinet as my first instrument. During my high school years, I also learned to play a few other instruments, including the bass clarinet, trombone, and for a short time, the flute. I studied voice privately, and I went on to sing with the Central District and All-State Choruses of the Massachusetts Music Educators Association in 1996 and 1997. This was an incredible experience, and I encourage all eligible youth to audition for these opportunities.

As a high school junior and senior, I worked part-time after school as a custodian and groundskeeper at Saint Mark’s Catholic Church in Sutton. When I was finished with my work each day, the music director allowed me to use the piano and the organ while I waited for my ride home. By the end of my senior year, I had successfully taught myself how to play both, and I soon found myself accompanying various performances at school, substituting for the church music director or his assistant, etc.

During my college years, I studied at Ithaca College School of Music and Framingham State University. I had always dreamed of becoming a college music professor and a choral conductor. Coincidentally, for 18 months, still as an undergraduate student, I was contracted by Framingham State University to direct its choral program while the choral director was on a medical leave of absence. This was truly a taste of my dream, and I loved every second of it, but ultimately, that dream never came to fruition.

I later entered the workforce, and I’ve since worked in many other fields: transportation, retail, hospitality, food service, event planning, customer service, and even engineering. As the economic climate changed, I sought a new career onto which I could fall back if necessary to support my wife and son – a career that would combine my love for music with the mechanical and customer service skills that I had attained in other roles. Thus, after much contemplation, I signed on as an apprentice with Colin McCullough of Blackstone Piano Service. Upon completion of this apprenticeship in 2011, I established Yankee Piano Service (YPS) and began accepting my own new clients for piano tuning and repair.

Initially, my work as a piano technician was simply a part-time gig – another iron in the fire just in case – however it quickly grew. I soon found myself tuning and repairing pianos after work nearly every evening and every weekend. This continued for several years, and in 2015, I finally took that leap of faith: I made the difficult decision to leave my job and expand YPS into the full-time venture that it is today. The rest, simply put, is history.

In addition to my full-time work with YPS, I also hold concurrent appointments as Minister of Music (Organist & Choir Director) at the First Baptist Church of Gardner, and as Assistant Organist at the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Worcester. I may not be in the role of which I once dreamed, but I’ve certainly been blessed to find equally rewarding roles that still add music into my life every single day. For that, I am deeply grateful.

Has it been a smooth road?
The decision to leave my full-time, steadily paying job was a challenging one to make. I loved the people with whom I worked; they were as much my friends as they were my co-workers. Moreover, I have a family to support, and like most people, I also have bills to pay. However, YPS had reached a point at which it simply could not grow any more without requiring more of my time. It was an opportunity that demanded to be explored.

I’ve read that the first year of any business’ existence is often its most challenging. This was certainly true of YPS as well. In my first year of self-employment, there were some frighteningly slow times. In a few instances, I even considered abandoning the entire venture to secure other employment. Through the support and encouragement of my loyal clients, family, friends, and even fellow piano technicians, my schedule did eventually fill. I’ve been at this on a full-time basis for more than three years – nearly seven years in all – and I now service about 650 pianos each year. My wife, Laura, assists with administrative duties, and my son, Thomas, has also expressed a possible interest in joining me in my business someday.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Yankee Piano Service has been recognized as a Top 5 Finalist for Best Customer Service in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette’s Best of Central Mass 2018 reader’s choice awards. (Vote for us in September!) We proudly offer a full complement of piano tuning and repair services, as well as a wide variety of parts and accessories for most makes and models of acoustic pianos. We also offer trusted local referrals for piano lessons, moving, sales, refinishing, rebuilding, and more. Although our regular service area is focused in Central Massachusetts and Metrowest, we serve clients throughout New England. Our clients include many of the area’s most recognized and respected musicians, performing arts venues, schools and universities, music studios, retirement and assisted living communities, religious institutions, hospitals, corporations, hotels, restaurants, and private households. Our rates are always competitive; our service is always professional; and our work is always of superior quality. As our slogan says, it’s quality you can hear!

Where do you see your industry going over the next 5-10 years? Any big shifts, changes, trends, etc?
At one time, most homes had a piano, and it was common for several people in a household to play. This tradition has become much less prevalent over the last generation. Furthermore, advances in technology have allowed for the production of better digital instruments, and thus, there is a reduced demand for acoustic pianos. Tuning and maintaining pianos is a highly specialized art and skill, and as with any industry, there will be changes over time. I believe that the most successful individuals in any field will be those who willingly and proactively adapt and expand their horizons to change with their industry. This is exactly what I strive to do with YPS as the field of piano technology continues to change and advance.

Contact Info:

• Website:yankeepiano.com
• Phone:978-943-6098
• Email:info@yankeepiano.com
• Facebook:facebook.com/yankeepianoservice
• Twitter:twitter.com/yankeepiano
• Yelp:yelp.com/biz/yankee-piano-service-auburn

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