[CAUT] becoming an all Steinway School

[Richard Brekne]

I dont really qualify, outside of attending this years S&S university 
environment technical seminar at Oberlin where I had the chance to talk 
at length with the fellow in the administration of Oberlin who is in 
charge.  A kind of VP general authority position.  And of course I had 
plenty of chances to talk with both the techs that work at Oberlin and 
others that work at other Steinway Schools.

To begin with... nothing is perfect... nor even close. Buying all 
Steinway products does not mean you are going to be relieved of having 
to do any real work.  And a good dean with the will to look after the 
schools interests in their half of the <<Bargain>> is definitely a 
plus.  That said I'd have to say that the alternatives out there, at 
least the ones I have seen... are in far worse condition.  That is to 
say Universities in general have problems maintaining and purchasing 
instruments well. Hell, far too many if not most schools dont even have 
a clear idea what piano techs do... and dont really care... its money 
out and thats as far as it goes.  Collage schools with a hopscotch 
collection of gawd knows what abound and I think we all know what thats 
like.  To be sure tho... there are some non-alligned schools that have 
very good technical maintainence programs and are very conscious about 
what they buy. 

Sauter was mentioned by Andrew... interesting as they too are a very 
pricey instrument that are delivered often as not very rough.  I have 
lots of experience with Sauters over here of course. Nice pianos tho... 
as Steinways... nice in the sense that if you work with them you can 
bring out so very much fine piano sound and performance.

At our school we have 2 S&S C's 2 B's (one a quite old NY), and a Boston 
218 G, Boston 126U and 132U.  The Bostons hold up quite well.  Way 
better then some of the other size comparable instruments we have.  A 
notable exception is a 25 year old Bluthner that was purchased for Leif 
Ove Andsnes when he was a student here.  That piano has ages 
wonderfully. As as a Bechstein C we have.  Most of the other grands 
could easily be junked at this point... tho perhaps a few of them could 
warrant a full redesign / rebuild.

We have talked about becomming an all Steinway school... and brought it 
up at a recent visit by the regional sales rep from Hamburg.  It is our 
understanding that no such school exists in Europe... that this is an 
American thing.  We are looking into the possibilities of establishing 
the first such school here.  If we manage it.... all our non-Steinway 
inventory will have to leave our ownership... including a rather ok CF 
III that is 4 years old now.

All in all... for better and for worse... I'd have to say that the All 
Steinway School stamp is one that is very very much worth the dark sides 
of any such marriage  is bound to have.

Cheers
RicB


    hi folks
    I'd be interested to hear experiences from those
    techs. working at schools  that have become ''All
    Steinway''. Is it very restrictive on the purchase
    choice of instruments. What happened to existing
    inventory. Was administration and faculty  won over by
    becoming ''All Steinway''. How are the Boston pianos
    holding up etc etc..........