Niles Duncan has been rebuilding pianos since the early 1980's while simultaneously pursuing a career in software development. In June 1996 he left the software industry and is now totally involved with pianos. He studied piano technology in the late '70's and early 80's with the Los Angeles technician and composer Leon Levitch who at that time was teaching piano technology through UCLA Extension. He is a classical pianist and has also been involved in historical performance on the fortepiano.