[CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?

[Richard Brekne]

Hi Jeff

         > Number one who has shown one way or the other whether there
        is any  
         > truth to this statement.


    I think the real challenge would be to prove there is no truth to the  
    statement.  The fact is that there are many very respected techs at  
    upper echelon schools who do not have music degrees.  In my mind, it  
    would be more difficult to prove their work is inferior to that of  
    someone who has a degree than to prove that it is not.

As I pointed out earlier.  All else things being equal between two 
techs.... it is hardly a difficult thing to imagine that a tech with the 
ability to speak and understand the language of the end user is better 
equipped to more efficiently solve that users needs then one who does 
not.  If I had two very highly talented CAUTs in front of me who were 
equal in all ways except their ability to relate to pianists use of 
language and perspectives... I  have no doubt who I would choose.

The bulk of the rest of your post relies on a view about testing I have 
on several occasions pointed to as flawed.  As with piano technicans,  
Pianists, doctors, teachers, plumbers... virtually everyone included... 
testing is not about guarantees.  It is wrong to assume that just 
because one has any particular certification one is the best qualified 
for any given job.  The goal of certifications is to give the outside 
world a handle to hold onto... one of several evaluation tools in their 
bag of hiring tricks.

With all due respect in return... you go on to make a series of 
assumptions that you have really less grounds for making then the one 
you accuse me of making. Of course there are many <<techs>> in the 
buisness who have no interest at all for music.  That is indeed at least 
half our problem.  Neither do I see how you can first more or less 
discount the above claim, for then to turn around an give it some small 
yet insignificant acknowledgment.

I say again.  Accreditation is simply a tool, and as such it can of 
course be misused like all other tools.  I gain a sense that you seem to 
take issue with accreditation in general since you apply the same 
reasoning to both pianists and the CAUT issue.  I think its fair to say 
the general value/pitfalls of accreditations in general are well 
discussed in the world and I think its equally fair to say that most, if 
not nearly all other professions in the end decide to rely on them 
because the pros outweigh the cons.

In our case... the problem is by far more one of ourselves coming to 
agreement on the issue of what to do then it is a matter of contriving a 
viable stamp of approval.

Cheers
RicB