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>Having read these posts about piano replacement I'm curious, how big a
part of these programs is piano rebuilding? In our inventory of 46
>grand pianos 35 of them are Steinways, 7 are Yamahas, 3 are Baldwins, 1
is a Mason & Hamlin. While I'd like to replace the Baldwins, and the
>future will tell us what to do with the Yamahas, the rest I'd like to
just keep and rebuild. So far the rebuilds have come up better than the
>new with Steinways.
>
>This past year we did buy 4 new Steinways trading off 3 Baldwins
(netting a 1 piano increase). Two of the new pianos went into practice
>rooms. Logic would say that students would rush to the new ones first
and that the rooms with the new ones would be the most heavily used.
>I've not found that to be the case. Since we can rebuild what we have
for just a fraction of the cost of trading I plan to emphasize that
>route over the new purchases.
>
>Does anyone else plan something similar?
>
>dave
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dave & list:
Well, let's talk about a few things and all of you on the list come up
with your OWN "plan."
This is ALL just " Food for Thought" and I "thought" you'd like to
"think" about it.
I think one of the reasons " moneys " get lost in the bureaucracy of
administrators is that it ALL goes into a general fund
and "someone" forgets to make an accounting list of WHERE that money
taken up really goes. There are a number
of Schools of Music(s) that "charge" that fee ( whatever you feel it
will take to build up to your goal ) and make the student
write a SEPARATE check PAID TO THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC that the
school of music has designated as "theirs"
with the approval of the college / university. This is overseen by the
university's accountant, but is NOT touched by ANY one
else in the whole college system except by the school of music whose
committee ( including the piano technician ) can then
use to replace pianos with NEW pianos over time. However, EVEN IN the
school of music system, this account MUST
have strict accounting and audit spreadsheets made public to anyone
wanting to see where the money is and where it is going.
NOW, on the "other hand", a college or university can contact one of
those piano dealers that deal in the yearly new-piano
rotation (sale) in order to get NEW pianos each and every year AT NO
CHARGE TO THE COLLEGE / UNIVERSITY. That's the
cheaper way out "IF" a piano tech wants and needs work practicing
his/her "dealer prep" skills for the dealer each year (free) at the
university's expense of paying the tech's salary. There's pros and cons
in every situation. What best fits yours ?? Keep the Steinways
and Mason Hamlin GRANDS for the concert stage(s) and put those Yamaha's
and Kawai's [studio consoles] in the class rooms and studios.
They are excellent pianos for the purpose, and NOT so dang hard to tune
as those Steinway 45's (1098's). GEE !!! ( why ANY school of
music "thinks" those are "outstanding" pianos for practise rooms and/or
studios IS beyond me ... )
Still, on another hand, the Dean's office of each School of Music can
make it "public" to each and every music major that NOTHING
in this world is FREE ( or, especially cheap ) and that "cost" of
"higher education" must and HAS to come with a price if one
is willing to accomplish in life their goals set straight out of high
school. In other words, "College ain't no free ride like public
schools."
{ yeah, and most states think kids need to play the lottery starting at
the 10th grade so the state will have enough money to fund
"college scholarships" when that child graduates 12 grade. ..........
Hello ?? -- what's wrong with THAT picture ?? }
[ yeah, yeah, I know one must be 18 to buy a lottery ticket. It's
"tongue and cheek" description of college funding on the state level.]
So, to each and every student =
who studies, plays on a piano, and/or takes ANY music class where a piano
is located, NEEDS to understand the
politics of the university's policy of piano replacement (in a tactfully
nice way, of course) and WHY they must and need to pay an
extra "fee" in order to register and attend the fine, wonderful school
of THEIR choice to study and become the Professional
Musician (they) are wanting to become. Because, my friend, out in the
REAL world, that piano or other instruments one plays and
performs on is going to cost them TOTALLY all of the price to buy, own,
and maintain to THEIR level of expertise.
[ ... train up a child when he is young,
and when he is old, he will NOT depart from it ... ] ???
Hummmm, now WHERE have we read that before .... ???
Education starts at "home," but " TRAINING " starts at College.
The fees charge to the student can be explained to the student that is
works "like" social security ... PAY that fee NOW so the next
student in the future will have the benefit of the NEW piano when they
study at the school YOU graduated from ...
Unfortunately, my friends and colleagues, MONEY is the "root of all
evil" IF the college or university administrators sees "fit" to direct
their spending into "other" important areas, like football and
basketball ?? Oh, yes, the "other" ' school of (arts) ' in skills
of physical
attributes. ( go figure ). But, that's why it will take the Schools
of Music across this country to assess fees (and dues) to the attributes
of learning in the field of music. MAYBE if music were taken OUT of
churches, off the radio and TV, OUT of movies, OFF the stages
of rock concerts, NO D.J.s allowed at parties, NO record albums ( aka =
CD's, cassettes ) sold in stores, etc., etc., etc., on & on I could go,
and >>>> THEN <<<< see how the public reacts to HOW important music
is in our society, and THEN they will start directing the
funding to the students and the Schools of Music. TAKE AWAY WHAT'S
IMPORTANT in one's life, and their attention to "needs"
increase. THIS is going to be the piano technician's and music
professor's political STAND to get what they need.
However, NONE of this is going to happen anytime soon, so, tarry on
with what you've got....
{ ALL of this and 95 cents "might" buy you a cup of coffee, if that's
what you want .... }
So, this is ALL something to "think" about while pacing the halls of
your college or university.
Talk is "cheap" , but ACTION is where the "heart" is.
Dan
Definition : "TRAINING" = Being "rail-roaded" into believing you are
on the right "track" in life.
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