[CAUT] S&S Hearing Aids!?

[Willem Blees]

Thanks, Jeff, for putting so succinctly. 

Wim 


Quoting Jeff Tanner <jtanner at mozart.sc.edu>:

> 
> On Jan 22, 2007, at 5:06 PM, Willem Blees wrote:
> 
> > That's because we're not in that economic stratus. If we had the
> kind
> > of money some of these people have, we'd think those items are
> right
> > up our ally. :)
> >
> > Wim
> >
> 
> Exactly, Wim.
> 
> We must remember that we are the beneficiary of that lifestyle.  We 
> 
> live on the crumbs of those in that economic status, moreso today  
> than in years past.  Gluttony has always been a pursuit of the  
> wealthy and the arts are a part of that gluttony.  Who else is paying
>  
> to support the high arts?  The only reason we are able to exist today
>  
> is because high art is and always has been seen as a part of the  
> lifestyle of nobility and the upper crust.
> 
> (It's also a pretty dang good tax deduction)
> 
> Face it.  Look through the audience at your next school event.  Who 
> 
> do you see?  The wealthy and the students who are required to be  
> there for class credit.  Classical music doesn't exactly appeal to  
> your average middle and lower income concert goer.  99% of our  
> concerts are free to the public and we can't even fill the seats.
> 
> For the most part, schools which become All-Steinway schools are not 
> 
> buying Steinways with their own money.  Steinway dealers go out and 
> 
> find donors who can use a tax deduction and that is where much of the
>  
> funding for supplying instruments to colleges is coming from today.  
> 
> State governments certainly aren't budgeting for it.
> 
> Steinway's strategy of putting its name on other products and  
> publishing this magazine is merely to keep its name in front of the 
> 
> elite, maintaining its status with potential donors, so that when it 
> 
> is time for that donor to fork out that donation for the school of  
> music, Steinway is the only donation they consider worthy.  It is  
> brilliant, actually.
> 
> Jeff
> 
> 
> Jeff Tanner, RPT
> University of South Carolina
> (Bachelor of Business Administration, 1993, University of Georgia)
> 
> 
> 
> 


Willem Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
School of Music
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL USA