In Memory of
Walter Haass
Piano Tuner and Technician
About Walter
Walter Haass is an expert in piano making and restoration and a master Concert Tuner.
He brings world class training and experience to all his clients in Perth, Australia, and Southeast Asia.
,,
“When it comes to classical piano recitals, Perth Technician Walter Haass is the maestro the audience never sees.”
Walter David Hough, The West Australian
In Perth, Walter’s local clientele include concert venues, recording studios and private clients such as:
Perth Concert Hall, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Musical Viva, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Perth International Arts Festival and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO).
As a concert technician and Steinway specialists Walter is often called to resolved technical problems locally and internationally.
He has travelled regularly to Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Cambodia, and New Zealand.
Training & Experience
Walter Haass studied piano making at the renowned Ludwigsburg Vocational School for Piano and Harpsicord Making, in Germany whilst doing his apprenticeship at Matthaes Piano Factory in Stuttgart. His apprenticeship lasted three and half years, full time.
He then continued his training at the Fromenteil Atelier in Paris. Later Walter worked as a freelance piano tuner and concert technician in Berlin until moving to Perth, Western Australia in 1982.
,,
“Walter Haass has played a critical role in the success of our piano festival. He is a perfectionist craftsman. Pianists like Nikolai Demidenko and Pascal Roge have said to me that he is among the very best in the world – and I guess they should know!”
Goh Yew Lin, Artistic Director
Singapore International Piano Festival
International Collaboration
Over the years, Walter has attended professionally to the varied tastes and requirements of the world’s finest pianists.
A long list of artists contains such well-known pianists as:
Joaquin Achucarro
Dimitri Alexeev
Piotr Anderszewski
Vladimir Ashkenazy
Paul Baduth- Skoda
Giovanni Belluci
Frederic Chin
Boris Berman
Borris Berezovski
Philippe Bianconi
Idil Biret
Daniel Blumenthal
Yetim Bronfman
John Chen
Arnaldo Cohen
Jean-Philippe Collard
Imogen Cooper
Michael Dalbuto
Bella Davidovich
Peter Donohoe
Nicholai Demidenko
Barry Douglas
Julius Drake
Ronald Farren-Price
Vladimir Feltsman
Benjamin Friter
Alexander Garrylynk
Helene Grimaud
Andreas Haefliger
Marc Andre Hamelin
Thomas Hecht
Angela Hewit
Stephen Hough
Leslie Howard
Michael Houstoun
Reg Howat
Peter Jablowski
Cyrien Katsaris
Kevin Kenner
Freddy Kempf
Steven Kovacevich
Ewa Kupiec
Katia and Marielle Labeque
Piers Lane
Lang Lang
Andre Michel Laplante
Demmi Lee
Robert Levin
Paul Lewis
Yundi Li
Cecile Licad
John Lill
Valentina Lisitsa
Nocholai Lugansky
Konstantin Lifschitz
Mark Markham
Ellis Marsalis
Alexander Melnikov
Loan Moravec
Jan Monro
Roger Muraro
Jan Nahamatsu
Davis Nettle
Noroko Ogawa
Garrick Ohlsson
Celcile Ousset
Vladimir Ovchimikov
Kun-Woo Paik
Jon Kimura Parker
Arthur Pizzaro
Jean Bernard Pommier
Pascal Roge
Michael Roll
Mikhail Rudy
Gyorgy SandorVittorio Sangiorgio
Konstantin Scherbakov
Howard Shelley
Kathryn Stott
Yevgeny Sudbin
Melwyn Tan
Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Francois-Joel Thiollier
Fau Ts’ong
Seow Yit Kin
Lars Vogt
Arcadi Volados
Roger Woodward
Igor Zhuhov
,,
“It seems such a long time since we met in Singapore for the piano festival, but the memories of your help and great tuning /technical assistance I shall never forget!”
Geoffrey Madge, Pianist
Singapore International Piano Festival
Walter has worked for the Singapore International Piano Festival since shortly after its inception in 1994.
Mr Goh wrote in his Message from the Director that “Walter Haass has once again agreed to come from Perth to take care of the pianos during the Festival. His tender loving care in preparing the instruments has been conspicuously praised by pianists in each Festival, and I hope he will continue to help us in the years ahead.”
Indeed, Walter returned to this prestigious international event in June 2019 which marked his 25th consecutive year in Singapore.
,,
Vintage Steinway & Sons Model A-188 restoration
“Every detail has been lovingly attended to, including the smallest of hinges and faceplates, some of which I suspect we’re newly handcrafted.
The hammers, pins and strings are of course, all brand new and my guess is that many of even these components would not have been readily available.
Congratulations on a beautiful acquisition and for the work of art it has again become under the skillful hands of your restorer.”
Scot, The Pianoman
Sydney, March 2014
,,
“This is to wish you a big THANK YOU for your dedication, hard work and effort put during the past week of the piano festival. You made the piano sound so wonderful, and that was a unifying factor for the whole Festival.”
Dr Chang Tou Liang, Artistic Director
Singapore International Piano Festival
,,
“Great to meet you in Perth last week and thank you again for all your work-it makes such a difference to a pianist’s mental health not to have to worry about these things.”
Paul Lewis, Pianist
Tributes
,,
“A pinnacle of our community, Walter Haas will always hold a special place in our hearts.
The news of Walter’s passing has brought great sadness to us all.
Our thoughts are with Walter’s family and friends during this difficult time.
We deeply cherish the incredible moments we shared with him.”
Perth Concert Hall
,,
“West Australian Symphony Orchestra is deeply saddened by the passing of Walter Haass, our cherished piano technician of over three decades.
Walter was not just a master of his craft, he was a beloved member of our WASO family. With his meticulous attention to detail, unwavering professionalism, and gentle spirit, Walter ensured that every pianist who worked with the orchestra performed on an instrument that inspired and enabled their artistry.
The West Australian once wrote, “Perth technician Walter Haass is the maestro the audience never sees.” His work, though unseen by most, was profoundly heard by all. For audiences, performers, and conductors, Walter’s finely tuned pianos were the foundation of unforgettable musical moments.
We extend our deepest sympathies to Walter’s family and friends during this difficult time.
Thank you, Walter, for your extraordinary service and for helping us bring music to life.”
West Australian Symphony Orchestra
,,
“It is with profound sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Walter Haass, a cherished friend of the SSO and an integral part of the Singapore International Piano Festival (SIPF) since its inauguration in 1994.
For the past 30 years, Walter brought world-class piano sounds to Singapore audiences as he ensured that every piano in the SIPF was tuned and impeccably prepared for the world’s most celebrated pianists. His meticulous craftsmanship ensured the highest calibre of performances, fostering an environment where music could truly shine. Beyond the festival, Walter frequently travelled from his home in Perth to Singapore, lending his expertise to concerto performances by piano virtuosos, including Helene Grimaud this past October.
Walter’s unwavering dedication, precision, and warmth has left an indelible mark on the music community. His legacy will live on in the countless performances and musicians whose artistry he helped bring to life.
Our thoughts are with his family and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.”
Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Get In Touch
This site is protected by Google reCAPTCHA.
The Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.