[CAUT] Piano Available

[Porritt, David]

Yes, I've had to do those too and they are difficult.  I think you did
an admirable job in explaining the truth and the reality of the
situation in very sympathetic terms.  

On the other hand, four times I've had the opportunity to reply to such
offers with a "thank you for your generous donation.  His/her instrument
will be put to very good use in _____ here in the Music Division."
Maybe we've just been lucky!  We've gotten 2 Baldwin Ls, a Hamburg O and
a NY B.

dave

David M. Porritt
dporritt at smu.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Conrad Hoffsommer
Sent: Tuesday, November 21, 2006 1:12 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Piano Available

To the CAUTerized,

One of the hardest parts of my job...

I'd rather wrestle with simultaneous, multiple, obstinent fortepiani
than 
write this kind of letter. I've had to do it before, and I am sure I'll 
have to do it again.  It took me a long time to come down to the wording

I've got here and sent it, but I'm sure some things could have been said

better.

Do any of you folks have a "stock" letter to cover this situation, or do

you have to agonize over every one?




Mr ---,

At 02:40 PM 11/20/2006 -0600, you wrote:
>Mr. Conrad Hoffsommer
>Luther College
>
>Dear Conrad:
>
>As I told your colleague ---- ----, my mother, ---- ----, lived in 
>-------(assisted living) in Decorah, where she died two weeks ago.  In
her 
>apartment is an Acrosonic spinet style piano, about 50 years old, with
a 
>built-in humidifier.  It has been tuned and maintained by ---- in
Decorah, 
>who is familiar with the instrument and can provide further details.
My 
>sister, a fairly accomplished pianist, thinks it is a very nice piano, 
>with good tone and good action, in good condition.  It also looks nice.
>
>Would Luther be interested in the piano?  If so, I would be happy to 
>donate it to you, with thanks for the great enjoyment my parents got
out 
>of the college's music program during their time in Decorah and 
>before.  If you want it, just tell me so, and we can arrange for you to

>pick it up.  The only catch is, you have to transport it, and we
probably 
>should get it out of ------ by mid December, if possible.
>
>I will look forward to hearing from you.
>
>Dick
>

--My response:


We greatly appreciate your generous offer to donate a piano to enhance
the 
Luther College music program.

While I am not familiar with your mother's instrument in particular, I
am 
familiar with the make and model.  Baldwin Acrosonics do have a good 
reputation as far as spinet pianos are concerned.  Unfortunately, it was

not built to take the strenuous use that an institutional environment
would 
give it.  Because it doesn't have the heavy duty construction of studio 
consoles and larger upright pianos, I fear that it would quickly be 
destroyed in such an venue.

It was designed as a home piano and, in my opinion, it's best place
would 
be in a home or light duty location such as a church Sunday school room
or 
parlor.

I'm sorry to say that we do not have a suitable location here to make a 
fitting memorial of the piano.

Thank you again for your offer.




Conrad Hoffsommer - Keyboard Technician
Luther College, 700 College Dr., Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045
1-(563)-387-1204 // Fax 1-(563)-387-1076

- Right now, I'm hoping to live until my age matches my golf score,
- Until then, I'll have to be content to have my IQ match my handicap.