Detuning 13 notes (aka: Tuning for outside groups)

[Vanderhoofven]

Dear Friends,

I take care of a Steinway D in the small hall at our local state 
college.  I have an oral agreement with the college to tune their pianos at 
a reduced rate.  I very infrequently bill for pitch corrections, so they 
are getting a good deal, in my opinion.

I also tune this same piano for outside groups, such as the local piano 
teachers association, and local concert groups.  A month ago, I put on my 
calendar to tune this piano today for a concert this afternoon.  Last week 
I confirmed with the secretary of the music department that this tuning was 
to be done, and that it was to be billed to the local jazz society.  A few 
days ago I called the director of the jazz society and left a message on 
her answering machine that I was going to tune the piano the morning of the 
concert.

Today at 10:30 am I began tuning the Steinway D to get ready for the 
concert by a jazz trio.  The concert was at 2:30 pm, so I had plenty of 
time to do a good tuning and be done before they began to set up.  The 
piano was about 4 cents sharp, so I did a 2 pass tuning, using RCT, 
lowering pitch from A-441 to A-440 and tuning at A-440.  When I was almost 
finished with my tuning, the director of the local jazz society came in and 
told me that she was not paying for the tuning and that she had not 
authorized the tuning.  Well, I finished the tuning, checked all my 
unisons, and then played a song to check out the tuning.  I have been 
working on piano Sonata K.1, L.366 by Domenico Scarlatti.  I liked the 
tuning.  I didn't like the voicing, but then, I don't get paid to do more 
than tune, so I don't do more than tune.  I have too much free work already 
for the college.

After I was satisfied with the tuning, the last thing I did was to tune all 
of the right strings on notes G3 to G4 precisely 4 cents sharp.  Since I am 
not getting paid for the tuning, then the jazz society should not get to 
use my tuning without paying.  This is the second time in two weeks that an 
outside group said they would not pay for my tuning on that piano.  The 
first time,  I found out before I did the tuning so I didn't waste my time 
tuning.  This time I didn't find out until after I was almost finished with 
my tuning.

Question:  How do you deal with tunings (and getting paid for the tunings) 
for outside groups at your college or university?  Do you have a policy 
about what to do in situations like this?

Thanks for letting me vent.  Perhaps my experience will be helpful to 
someone.  If anyone has a viable solution, I would like to hear it.

Sincerely,

David A. Vanderhoofven
Registered Piano Technician
Missouri Southern State College