Off campus work

[Avery Todd]

Hi Paul,

   I don't really envy you this situation. Thankfully, since we moved into
our new building, I rarely have any kind of problem like that anymore.
   But here's a few thoughts, anyway.....  :-)

>We currently have a dilemma regarding off campus recitals.  Here's the
>scenario.  We have a few off campus sites that the faculty like to use for
>recitals.  The pianos are owned by the church or institution hosting the
>recital and for the most part were my private customers before the
>recitals started to become an issue.
>
>This appears to be a really grey area as far as compensation for the
>tunings.  I'm wondering if any of you have a specific policy regarding
>this type of situation.

   They really expect you to tune for free? Professional performers?
   The only time I've ever tuned for free in this type of situation
(usually students, rather than faculty) was when one of our own pianos had
to be
moved in for the recital. Since the student had to pay for the move, I went
ahead and did the tuning gratis since it was usually a case of space not
being available at the particular time and it was a degree recital.
   If the faculty member is using another facility, I assume that they have
to pay some kind of fee for same. Correct? I think I would try to work out
something with the various locations to include a tuning fee in the fee for
the use of the building. Especially if they are "still" your customers,
anyway. That way, the person giving the recital has to pay for the tuning
just as in any professional situation and the church/institution, etc. gets
a "free" tuning.
   If they're not being charged to use the facility, well..... Hmmm.
   Let's face it. Most performing faculty types usually make a good bit
more money than we do! :-) They're professionals and they should expect to
have
to pay for professional services!

>I am not a contract technician but work for the college and I feel that I
>am >caught between a rock and a hard place.

   Actually, if you're like me, you work for the School of Music. Not the
college, i.e., it isn't in my job description to maintain the other pianos
around campus. Thankfully.
   Even if this doesn't really help, if nothing else, maybe if enough of us
write along these lines, it'll give you some ammunition to get this
resolved.
Let us know what happens. Some of us might also find ourselves in this kind
of situation some day. Just my opinion(s).

Best of luck,
Avery

>Regards,
>Paul
>
>Paul Kupelian, RPT
>Tyler Hall
>Oswego State University
>Oswego, NY 13126
>kupelian@oswego.edu