Cheltenham Piano Centre

Who’s Who

Keith Beckingham

Keith Beckingham commenced piano lessons at the age of 5 and made his first public appearence playing the Wurlitzer organ at the age of 13.  Keith spent the first 26 years of his working life demonstrating Hammond Organs throughout the UK for Boosey and Hawkes and then around the world on behalf of the Hammond Organ Company, Chicago.  Since the demise of the home organ market Keith has returned to his first love, the piano, and was a Director of two prestigious London musical instrument and piano showrooms before he and his wife moved to the Cotswolds.

Keith takes a professional pride in helping customers select the piano best suited to their needs and their budget. Whether you are choosing a modest ‘starter’ upright or a fully rebuilt Steinway grand, Keith will happily share his expertise.  When not working in Cheltenham Keith enjoys playing vintage theatre organs and can be frequently heard on the popular BBC programme ‘The Organist Entertains’ on Radio 2.

John Beckingham

John was born in Gloucester and attended The Kings School there. He was a Cathedral chorister from the age of eight until his voice broke.

John’s Father, “Jack” was a well-known brass band musician, arranger and adjudicator who for many years presented a brass band programme on local radio.

John ran his own music shop in Gloucester in the early 1970’s until the three day week put an end to this part of his career. Undaunted, John moved into the distributive side of the music industry and started selling electronic organs, and eventually pianos, to music shops throughout the country. This led to the job as sales manager of The Bentley Piano Company in Stroud and ultimately to a directorship with The British Piano Manufacturing Company.

Throughout his career John has continued to actively play music semi-professionally and now runs his own jazz outfit, “The JB Jazz & Blues Band” who have achieved great success locally and beyond, playing at jazz clubs, jazz festivals and jazz venues. In both 2008 and 2010, the Staffordshire Jazz Society voted them “Band of the Year”

John, who is a distant cousin of Keith, has considerable experience with both traditional and digital pianos and therefore brings a high level of expertise to the Cheltenham Piano Centre.

David Warr

David Warr was born in Bristol.  When he left Bishop Road School in 1960 he was taken on by Mickleburgh Ltd.  He did a five year indenture apprenticeship in piano restoration which included tuning.  He learnt tuning so proficiently that he was made chief tuner to the Bristol Colston Hall where he tuned for many famous names in the classical and jazz world.

In 1965 he applied for a job at Musical Instruments Ltd in Cheltenham.  Mr and Mrs Matthews, who owned the music shop at that time, took him on and it was a great learning curve that has given him the knowledge and skills that he has today.  He now does restorations of the highest quality, which our clients can confirm.  Grand pianos are his favourite instruments.  David loves his job and says that it is his ‘calling’.  It is in his blood and will be hard to give up when he retires (which thankfully, he won’t do for a while yet!).

David has restored pianos for many people over the years, titled and non-titled, young and not so young.  They have all had one thing in common – their love of the piano, which he shares.  Talk to David about restoring your piano, grand or upright. Pianos are his passion!