CAUT in KC:Pianotechnology in Colleges

[Rolf von Walthausen & Nancy Larson]

Ed Sutton outlined the issues well by separating them into three catagories:

>      1)"History of the piano and how it works"
>      2)"Introduction to piano technology"
>      3)"A curriculum for training technicians as apprentices in a music
>school setting"

Perhaps I should clarify the point I was trying to make in my last post.
What I see is that #1 stands on its own as a viable course that can be
offered anywhere at any time without getting into the "training" issue.
And #2 should not be attemped unless one is serious about and committed to
following up with #3.   Establishing #3 is time consuming and fraught with
difficulties and philosophical considerations such as have been outlined
and alluded to.  But the potential upside to#3, if organized correctly, can
be the enhancement of an existing institutional maintenance program
previously beset with shortages of labor and qualified individuals as Tim
Coates mentioned.  Such programs are not for everyone and certainly will
not work in every institution.  But in a rapidly changing world where the
boundaries between academic/ trade, professional/technical pursuits are
increasingly being blurred, what better place than at instituations of
higher education to develop a piano technology program?

We don't have an obligation to create an easy path for people to learn how
to be piano technicians, nor provide the necessary training.  But I do feel
we should at least think about the issue of how to create a clear path to
getting there, and a clear idea of the costs involved.  It just seems to me
that CAUT's are in the perfect position to help define, develop and
implement such if so desired.

OK, I'll try to quietly disappear now into my previous state of lurking.... :)

Rolf von Walthausen