Jane Cheslo’s piano technician apprenticeship began after she had stepped on her mother’s last nerve when she was seven years old.

“I don’t remember what we (she and her sister) did, but I do remember waiting at the tiny kitchen table for my father to come home for lunch. We knew we were in trouble and sat as quiet as mice in the rear corner not daring to wiggle or speak,” Cheslo said.

When her father came through the back door, Jane’s mother demanded that he take her to work with him. From that point forward, she spent every summer, Christmas and spring break working with him. Cheslo enjoyed learning from her father and the two formed a special lifelong bond through their common interest.

Cheslo, of Burlington Township, comes from a long line of piano technicians. In fact, she’s fourth generation. Her great grandfather attended school in New York City to learn the trade, and her grandfather followed but passed away at a young age due to complications from a wound sustained during WWII. Her father relocated to the Philadelphia area and opened a storefront in Woodlynne, New Jersey, where he bought, sold and rebuilt used pianos. 

“I was about six years old at the time and remember being fascinated by the intricate inner workings of the pianos that were being rebuilt,” Cheslo recalled. 

Jane’s fascination extended beyond the aesthetic elements of the piano when she began to teach herself how to play.

“I had very few formal lessons as a kid. Mostly, I watched my family and worked from a home-study course called ‘The U.S. School of Music: Piano in 96 Lessons.’ I asked questions of my dad, uncles or anyone else who wandered through the room,” Jane remembered. “No one cared if I practiced or didn't; the family wisdom was, ‘If you want to play, you will.’”

And she did, a lot. She would lose herself for three hours or more at a time, until her parents made her buy her own piano and put it in her bedroom. 

“People didn't own home computers and the gadgets we have now. My family didn't even own a television, but we did have an awesome record player,” Cheslo said. “I liked Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, Janis Ian, Floyd Cramer, Melanie, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and The Blues Brothers Album.”

Jane grew up in an old farmhouse in Mount Laurel, during a time when there wasn't much to do. She played music to amuse herself and earn a place among her musical relatives. 

“All of the really interesting people in my family were musicians, and music was part of any holiday gathering, which was the place to be when the run-of-the-mill grown-ups were talking about boring grown-up stuff.”

Jane wanted to be included with her dad and uncles who played guitars and sounded like The Everly Brothers when they harmonized. She wanted to learn more about her enigmatic great uncle, who looked like a pirate and played the viola professionally. She wanted to earn the respect of her great grandmother who, she was told, once sang with the London Opera. Although they were passionate in their crafts, none were eager to encourage her to become a musician. 

“Sometimes, they would let me join in on the guitar, piano or voice, but it was a bit like riding a mechanical bull; make a mistake, and I found myself bounced back to the sidelines,” Cheslo recalled. 

When she was 13 years old, Jane’s father created a family music group called “The Grace Notes.” Playing for nursing homes and church picnics gave her a focus for her musical efforts and a common interest for the members of her immediate family.  

“I have great memories of family practices and thinking that it was very cool when my sister learned to play the drums, and my mother mastered the sound board. I learned about negotiation by tagging along with my dad to pawn shops to buy equipment. I positively basked in my father's praise when I developed into a proficient musical transcriptionist and could collaborate with him as he wrote original music for “The Grace Notes.” For me, music is synonymous with family and warmth,” Cheslo mused. 

Cheslo started her own piano servicing business at age 18, right out of high school, and has been successfully running it for 35 years. Unfortunately, an accident at home in 2018 left her with a concussion that took months to heal. It made clear that her limited education beyond her specialised expertise put her in a professionally vulnerable position. Building on her lifelong proximity to music, she chose to forge new possibilities at Rowan College at Burlington County because of its affordability and accessibility. 

“My husband and I had two school-age children still at home. I couldn't justify a long commute or student loans. I needed to accommodate my work and family schedule,” Cheslo said. “When I started classes, I paid for my credits as I could afford them. After establishing a current academic record and being honored with PTK membership, I applied to the RCBC Foundation for additional scholarships. With their support, I have been able to pursue additional credits in the 2019-2020 year. I appreciate their belief in my vision.”

Recently earning a spot on New Jersey’s 2020 All-State Academic list, Cheslo is set to enroll at Rutgers-Camden, under a substantial scholarship, to pursue a Liberal Studies degree. She participated in RCBC’s 2020 Dress for Success and was featured playing the violin; watch it here. 

“My career plans upon graduation are not sharply defined, but the most important part of this journey is the path forward. I started at RCBC looking for a way to improve my avocational musicianship by taking a couple of classes,” Cheslo shared. “I had thought that the doors to completing a degree were no longer open to me. Being here, I discovered that my ability to succeed and thrive in an academic setting is alive and well. I've also learned that, with flexibility in the vision, a path forward to completing my education is possible!”

Jane’s story is an installment of Behind the Baron, a series that shares real stories from real RCBC students and alumni. Anyone interested in being featured can contact rcbcnews@rcbc.edu. To follow along on social media, use #BehindtheBaron.