About Excel Piano

Xiaodan (pronounced Shao-dan) Liu is the owner of Excel Piano.

Xiaodan is a Registered Piano Technician (RPT), who has passed the series of examinations given by the Piano Technicians Guild.

Xiaodan grew up in Shanghai, China, where her parents were musicians and teachers. She studied violin making and violin performance at Shanghai Conservatory of Music. For four years following graduation, Xiaodan was a full-time violinist in the Beijing Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra.

In 1990, Xiaodan came to Boston to pursue a Masters at Boston University's College of Fine Arts, studying with Yuri Mazurkevich. In the mid '90s, Xiaodan first worked for Verne Q. Powell Flutes, then at Brannen Brothers Flutemakers, making and inspecting what are widely considered the finest professional flutes in the world.

Xiaodan had always been fascinated with pianos. One day in 2004 she happened on a display booth for North Bennet Street School (NBSS) in a street fair, and that September found herself embarking on their prestigious two-year piano technology program. While at school, she was selected for internship positions at NBSS's piano shop and at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.

Since 2007, Xiaodan has split her time between her Excel Piano customers, caring for pianos at BU's College of Fine Arts and doing tuning and repair work for Concord Piano.

Piano technician is in tune with her job

Xiaodan's work at BU is featured in this interview with the Boston Globe.

Xiaodan is Head Technician at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, responsible for managing and training 5-8 intern piano technicians, for tuning and keeping in good repair practice, master class, and concert pianos, and for coordinating with administration and artists. She has also been an invited guest lecturer.