Recital piano usage

[Greg Granoff]

Jeff Tanner wrote:

> >>I wonder what Horowitz would have said to limiting *his* practise time on
> >>an instrument he was going to perform on. *evil grin*.
>
> If Mr. Horowitz didn't have any more respect towards the concept that it is
> either tax-payer's money, or generous gifts from donors which placed that
> instrument in front of him, and that there are others who must use that
> instrument as well for years to come, frankly, I wouldn't care what he
> would have said.  I am the caretaker of not only that instrument but many
> more.  I must be such in a manner considered responsible to those who put
> those instruments there, and I can't neglect that responsibility for every
> "Mr. Horowitz want-to-be" who comes along.
>
> No.  The student IS NOT the paying customer.  I see it as quite the
> opposite.  The tax-payer and the donor foot the bill for piano inventory,
> at least here, anyway.  The tuition the student pays generally covers
> operating costs, NOT piano inventory.  The students should consider
> themselves fortunate that quality instruments are provided for their use.
>
> How many such assets are provided to the math major?  the social work
> major?  the psychology major?  the communications major?  the business
> major?  etc.?  Yet, the tuition is the same for all.  Even the science
> major pays a lab fee.  A music education is one of the best values for the
> tuition dollar of any degree on campus, and yet the world is full of music
> degreed Wal-Mart cashiers.  We have extremely high budgets when compared
> with other departments, and we must be careful when asking for more money
> just so one "Mr. Horowitz" can wear out an $80,000 piano by himself, so
> that upon graduation, he can secure a job as a "dueling pianist" down at
> the local pub.
>
> That being said, I need a raise.
>
> My thoughts,
>
> Jeff Tanner, Piano Technician
> School of Music
> University of South Carolina
> Columbia, SC 29208
> (803)-777-4392 (phone)
> (803)-777-6508 (fax)

Well, there are some of us who tiptoe apologetically around this issue-- and
then (ouch!) there are those who come back with an upper cut to the jaw. (-:
Nicely put and well deserved.

Greg Granoff