The letters ARPT after a member's name stand for Australasian Registered Piano Technician. ARPT members demonstrate their commitment to Australasia-wide standards of workmanship and skill.
The ARPT category was introduced in 2006. It is only awarded to technicians who pass a comprehensive, practical examination of their skills. It was not compulsory for existing members at the time of its introduction and some members have chosen not to apply for ARPT status. However, since 2006, any person wishing to join the Association must pass the ARPT examination to gain full membership.
The examination consists of four sections: • a tuning assessment to specific standards of accuracy and stability • a practical assessment of regulation and repair skills • an oral assessment of the technician's approach to a range of grand and upright problems • a questionnaire on a wide range of piano topics.
The exam is rigorous and can take up to 12 hours to complete. It is administered by experienced ARPT members. The successful candidate is presented with a certificate and permitted to use the letters ARPT in their advertising.
All members of the APTTA are bound by a Code of Ethics. Consumers are encouraged to seek out technicians who have the ARPT accreditation as a further assurance of their underlying skills.
When you view the membership list of the branch in your area, the last column, "ARPT", denotes whether the member has attained this status through his/her successful completion of the ARPT examination. A "YES" in this column assures you that the piano tuner/technician is fully accredited, and virtually guarantees you that his/her workmanship is of the highest quality.
Copyright APTTA, July 2006. Last updated 9 July 2006
