[CAUT] Down Weight Too High With New Hammers

[Paul Milesi, RPT]

Brent,

First, let me just say that I love the Emerson quote!  One of my favorite
writers!  BTW, it¹s Ralph, not Frank.  And he was actually encouraging
risk-taking, not discouraging it.  ;)

Thank you very much for expressing your concerns about my reputation, etc.
I¹ll offer some perspective.  Yes, I¹ve gone way out on a limb here.  I¹m
the new tech (18 months now) at this school, and, in all modesty, have
already made a HUGE difference in this small department (150 majors) -- but
only by taking lots of large risks.  Within 3 months of joining the
department, I moved more than 20 grand pianos, and completely reallocated an
inventory of 80 pianos.  They had fallen into a pit, and I knew climbing out
was not going to be easy.  They knew it, too.  Hence the support I received
from chair and faculty.  There were no performance pianos.  They were short
on any kind of grand acceptable for piano studios.  There was no piano shop.
Disrepair was everywhere.  Of the 3 grands in practice rooms, none were
playable because all three pedal lyres had separated and were on the ground;
hence, no pedals!  Loose tuning pins abound, thanks to unregulated or
dysfunctional HVAC systems of varying kinds and ages in a 50-year-old
building.  There were only 3 piano majors, because in spite of a couple
great piano faculty, there were no instruments for them to perform or
practice on.

In one year, I have removed 50-yr-old grands from most non-piano teaching
studios and placed them in practice rooms where I can get to them for
extended repairs.  We now have 15 grands in practice rooms.  We obtained 4
grand and 5 upright loaners from the Yamaha dealer for studios.  All major
case repairs have been completed, including installing lids with new hinges
(having repaired cases), fallboards repaired and off the floor, all lyres
rebuilt, casters purchased and installed, damper pedals that were completely
worn through replaced, all music desks and benches repaired, all spinet and
beat-up console pianos taken out of service and placed in storage, etc.  You
get the idea.  I asked for and was given a practice room for a piano shop,
along with funds for proper shelving, etc.  I can efficiently process 2
grand actions at a time in there.  I¹ve installed 10 Life Saver systems on
critical pianos, and treated the 15-yr-old Yamaha C5 that was on the recital
hall stage like it was at the Kennedy Center.  Needless to say, the faculty
AND students have been nothing short of amazed.

When the chair (new 4 months before I was hired) saw what I was doing, he
purchased cardkey locks for all 20+ practice room doors and programmed them
for specific use, hired a fulltime security guard for the practice area, and
instigated a department-wide physical plant renovation of classrooms,
studios and practice rooms that included electrical upgrades, soundproofing,
carpets, painting, etc.  It¹s like a new place, and a joy to be in!  Morale
is very high now.

My most recent dramatic achievement was to get this Steinway D that was
bequeathed to the department by a former piano chair, moved from the Chapel
to our 110-seat Recital Hall this past May.  It had been completely
abandoned by the department well over a decade ago as unplayable.  Literally
no one even knew it was the music department¹s piano anymore.  I found a
small brass plaque on it stating it was a gift to the department.  I thought
that was a shame, and said so, particularly since it was the only
potentially concert-level instrument they owned.  I felt they should at
least claim ownership, and put it aside for future rebuilding.  It took a
year, including going through university lawyers, to establish departmental
ownership.  The 3 piano faculty were so excited, as was the chair, that they
insisted on attempting to resurrect it and put it into use again, honoring
and preserving the legacy of the longtime faculty member who donated it.  I
accepted the challenge, warning of course that while I would do my best, I
could not guarantee that I could bring it up to recital level without a full
rebuild.

And so, that¹s how we¹ve gotten to where we are now, and how I¹ve gotten
into the work I¹m into.  This whole position as a CAUT was totally
unexpected for me, but perfect timing and I find myself wonderfully happy
here.  I¹m learning a lot, and making things a whole lot better for a whole
lot of people.  It¹s all about context.  Our situation here is very
different from a school that¹s historically had lots of money and knowledge,
and knew what to do with them.  We do not have several, or many, Steinways,
etc. sitting in studios and practice rooms.  But things are improving
dramatically now with an enlightened dean and departmental chair.  I can
only hope it will continue.  New student enrollment in the department this
year is up almost triple what it has been the past decade or so, and student
retention this year is also up.

Never think one man can¹t make a difference!  That¹s my motto.  Obviously, I
don¹t worry too much about what people think.  Too old for that.  I do what
I believe is right.  But thanks again for your concern about my reputation.
:)
-- 
Paul Milesi, RPT
Staff Piano Technician
Howard University Department of Music
Washington, DC



From: Brent Fischer <brent.fischer at yahoo.com>
Reply-To: <caut at ptg.org>
Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 05:25:42 -0700 (PDT)
To: <caut at ptg.org>
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Down Weight Too High With New Hammers


Paul-
 What is the outcome expectation of this instrument? I may
have missed a message or two on this but budget rebuilding
on a performance piano sets you up for challenging comments.

You want your reputation to grow as a discerning tech with
high standards. Compromising to fit a budget, not good.
If this is a practice studio, fine. If it is not the primary
of a professors studio, fine.  Recital instruments are the
fundamental baseline for your reputation. I urge you to
tread carefully on the results perception and if necessary
get a loaner from the Steinway dealer until you can do
a comprehensive  restoration.

"Do not be too timid or squeamish
 about your actions"  Frank Waldo Emerson

Brent Fischer 




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