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Associates

Our Associates

Meet our Team of Piano Experts

We love helping you with your piano needs!

Neal Hickson

Neal has been a resident of New Mexico for 15 years. He began piano study at age 14 and, from 15 to 18, attended the Arts Magnet High School for the Performing Arts in Dallas, TX ― the first performing arts school to open after New York, and the prototype for magnet schools nationwide to follow. Neal studied music theory, composition, accompanying, and was the pianist for the school’s symphony and chamber orchestras…as well as performing orchestral solo works…graduating “Senior Musician of the Year” in 1978. Noted alumni of the school include Edie Brickell, Grammy award-winning artists Erykah Badu, Roy Hargrove, and Yamaha Artist Norah Jones. After graduating from high school, Neal studied Piano Performance on full scholarships at three notable universities: Meadows School for the Arts at Southern Methodist University, studying with Alfred Mouledous, a student of pedagogues Walter Gieseking and noted French pianist Alfred Cortot; at the University of Texas with Dr. Arryl Paul; and at Arizona State University with Robert Hamilton, a prizewinner of the Busoni, Casella, Montevideo, and Rudolph Ganz competitions.

Mr. Hamilton is featured in the book, The Most Wanted Piano Teachers in the USA. Following formal studies, Neal taught piano ― and accompanied and performed chamber music ― before becoming a piano consultant in 1987. In 1995, on his first visit to New Mexico, during a business trip, Neal fell in love with Albuquerque and decided to make it his home.

Anthony “Butch” Bauske

Anthony, a native New Mexican, is head of Customer Service and Operations and works directly with clients, institutions, arts groups, and vendors. He is a piano veteran, key team-member and has associated with PianoWerkes since its inception, and is involved with every aspect of the business.

Maurice “Moe” Unis

Maurice’s history and his involvement in the piano business started at an early age. He first learned the piano trade from his maternal grandfather, Maurice T. Schuster (“M.T.”) ― violinist with the Portland Symphony Society and a piano tuner. When the orchestra fell on bad times during the Great Depression, M.T. made his living by tuning and repairing pianos. Moe “cut his teeth” around pianos and later mentored his sons in the family’s fourth-generation piano vocation. Known throughout the piano industry, Maurice is a respected mentor to other dealers nationwide.  Nearly twenty years ago, Maurice Unis and his eldest son, Brian, opened Classic Pianos in Portland — next to the Aladdin Theater ― in a building that had earlier housed a violin maker. The business has now grown to seven showrooms throughout North America, with all three Unis sons involved in its day-to-day operations.