Irrelevant of if you are a piano student starting off and playing once a week for pleasure, or a concert pianist playing each night in grand concert halls, the importance of a well-tuned and maintained piano cannot be overstated.

You do not have to possess absolute pitch to notice an instrument is slightly out of tune. While you may not specifically recognise a piano being out of tune, it would certainly be noticed that the sound was not quite right. This can lead to rather discouraging practice sessions if the piano at a home is badly tuned compared to - what should be - the perfectly tuned piano of the music teacher. Similarly, the skills of a concert pianist would count for naught should the instrument they play not sound correct.

It is important both for your development as a pianist and subsequent listeners that your piano performs to the same standard of yourself.