The teacher's piano

[Jay Mercier]

Clyde and list,

Clyde wrote:
Unfortunately, for every teacher I serve who has a decent grand
>piano, there is one (or more) who has a spinet, console, or old
>upright.  Sorta sad, in my mind.

Why is it sad?  I am also a piano teacher with 41 students.  I teach 
beginning through advanced on the 4 periods plus jazz piano.  What do I use? 
  A Baldwin Hamilton console.  Do you think I would ever let 41 students 
play (or pound in some cases) on a weekly basis on a grand piano if I 
actually could afford one?  If I ever save up for one, it certainly goes in 
my living room and not in the studio.  I have to regulate and replace minor 
parts every summer.  Most piano teachers cannot afford to do the same.

All but one of the piano teachers I serve all have good quality consoles.  
The teacher with the grand has a spinet for students, a grand for herself.  
She only lets her top students play it once in a while before recitals and 
such.

Just my 2 cents,

Jay Mercier
Piano Technician / Teacher
Glenwood, MN





>List,
>
>I agree with Julie's assessment of what a piano teacher's piano should
>be.  Unfortunately, for every teacher I serve who has a decent grand
>piano, there is one (or more) who has a spinet, console, or old
>upright.  Sorta sad, in my mind.
>
>And now for a little trivia -- I seem to remember from my
>English-teaching days that the preferred spelling is "gray" in this
>country.  In the dictionary I have, "grey" refers me to "gray," which is
>where the definitions are.  But I reckon both are correct.
>
>Regards,
>Clyde Hollinger
>
> > I would not recommend a gray market piano to a piano teacher.  I happen
> > to be a piano teacher and the lack of a Manufacturer warranty and the
> > unknown background of such pianos would keep me from even considering
> > it.  A piano teacher's piano must always be in excellent condition and
> > be there for the long haul with stable tuning, etc, and be able to hold
> > up to the heavy usage it will get.  In my area, it's not that much more
> > just to buy the new over the gray market, especially for piano teachers
> > (some of our area dealers are very good at giving us a price break).
> > It's well worth the extra cost.
> >
> > Julie Bond, NCTM
>


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