The sound of tradition

• • Sylvie started restoring pianos at 15 years old
• • She preserves European musical heritage
• • Her goal is conserving a piano’s identity

Sylvie Fouanon was born to a rich heritage of piano restoration. At the age of 15, she joined her parents’ company, Pianos Balleron. There, she learned the traditional techniques of piano restoration and fell in love with the craft – she has never looked back in her 40 years of practice. Sylvie specialises in pianos made between 1840 and 1940. The restorations are very complex, yet essential to keep the musical heritage and technical understanding of hand-crafted pianos alive, as well as encouraging others to pursue it. What makes Sylvie’s work exceptional is her use, as much as possible, of techniques and materials that would have been used at the time the pianos were made. Using natural products that she makes herself, her restorations are made to last and blend seamlessly with the original materials.