working for a university

[Vanderhoofven]

Dear Friends on Pianotech,

I appreciate the wonderful opportunity to associate with you on this list.
It is very helpful in terms of knowledge gained and friendships maintained.

For the last two years, at the beginning of the fall semester I have gone to
our local state college to speak with the head of the music department.  He
knows who I am (that I have only been tuning for a few years) and told me to
come back when I have more experience.  Today when I visited with head of
the music department, he expressed a willingness to have me tune some of the
pianos in practice rooms and teachers studios.  This opportunity may come in
the next few weeks when classes resume.  The college does not have a staff
technician, but bids out the work.

The two concert Steinway's at the college are tuned by a local retired tuner
who only tunes a few pianos now.  The rest of the pianos are tuned by
another man in a town about 13 miles away.  Neither of these men is a part
of the PTG.  I do not know how my tunings sound in comparison to their
tunings.  In order to be allowed to tune pianos for this local college I
would need to compete in price before I would be allowed to tune for them.

I have thought long and hard about setting my prices.  Six months ago I
raised my standard tuning fee by 25 percent to the current levels of $50.00.
Having spoken with tuners in various parts of the country I believe that my
prices are still lower than the average.  As an associate member (currently
studying hard to prepare for the RPT exams by taking Randy Potter's course)
I believe my prices are fair for my current skill level.

The problem is that the man who tunes the concert pianos (the retired man
with lots of experience) charges only $40.00 for his tunings.  The man who
tunes the rest of the pianos charges only $35.00 for his tunings.  In order
to be allowed to tune for the college, I need to compete in price with
$35.00.  The head of the music department said that the school has money to
pay more for the tunings and realizes that the price is currently low, but
until the price they are currently paying increases, I need to compete with
$35.00.

This is my opportunity to get my foot in the door, and I don't want to blow
the opportunity.  A few years ago I tuned several pianos at another local
college 30 miles away, but I feel that my work was poor (but consistent with
the skills I had at that time).  I never heard back from the other college
again.  This is a chance to do it right this time and I don't want to blow
it.  (I realize my limitations; I am not a concert tuner - yet!  I can do
home tunings and regulation.)  Should I even attempt to try this opportunity
at this point in my training?  Or should I let it pass until I am more skilled?

I have the PTG publication "Guidelines for Effective Institutional Piano
Maintenance" Published by the CAUT.  Are there other books or publications
that I should be aware of?

Also, what should be the minimum qualifications for someone who is doing
work for a college or university?  (Schooling, experience, etc.)  How hard
is it to try to convert a college in terms of price and/or transform their
way of doing business by using a staff technician (preferably me!) instead
of bidding out the work?

I realize that this may have already been hashed out at some time in the
distant past and the answer is lurking in the archives.  If so, just point
me in the right direction to search for the answer.  This discussion may not
be interesting to others on the list.  If not, please e-mail me privately.

Thank you so much for your time.


David A. Vanderhoofven
dkvander@clandjop.com
Joplin, Missouri, USA
Associate Member, Piano Technicians Guild
web page:  http://www.clandjop.com/~dkvander/index.html