Israel- I understand the potential difficulties, especially in a large region like California. I can't help hoping somebody is in the middle of a perfect situation in one of the smaller regions. I'll bet the chances of getting your expenses paid are better if you say you're attending a seminar at XYZ University! Ed ----- Original Message ----- From: "Israel Stein " <custos3 at comcast.net> To: <caut at ptg.org> Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 9:15 PM Subject: [CAUT] University based regional seminars > On Monday, October 15, 2007 5:17:44 PM Ed Sutton wrote: > >>It seems that several of the regional seminars are having trouble making >>the >>tradition "hotel-based" seminars pay their way. >>A university based seminar, held perhaps on the week-end of Fall break >>might >>be able to offer new ways to learn. All those practice rooms could be >>used >>for extended hands-on repair,regulation and tuning classes, maybe leaving >>the school better off for the deal. >>Ed Sutton > > It's a mixed bag, Ed. Several years ago I taught at a California State > convention organized by the Sacramento Valley chapter and held on the > campus of Sacramento State University. Peter Clark (with about 6 > assistants) taught a three-day hands-on tuning seminar based in the music > building that took advantage of the availability of teaching studios and > practice room - and that was an unbelievable success. There were students > practicing tuning in practice rooms and going over what the learned deep > into the night... > > On the other hand, university staff and facilities are not geared to > hosting trade conventions - so, many classes were delayed, shifted to > different locations at the last moment and otherwise impacted because > facilities were double-booked, or staff was not available to deal with > unanticipated complications, or staff just wasn't there when they were > supposed to be in order to open rooms. Some students in my two-day class > missed sessions because of such circumstances. > > Walking from building to building between classes took up an awful lot of > time. And since there was no suitable housing on campus (who wants to go > to a convention and sleep in a dorm amidst 20-year olds with raging > hormones) we stayed in several motels in the area - which meant that > there was no central area for post-class socializing and receptions. > > A campus might be a good venue for a specialized seminar aimed at a few > dozen people. Like the Peter Clark seminar as a stand-alone event. For an > entire convention - way too many downsides... > > I used to attend summer workshops at Amherst College in Massachusetts - > and they actively solicited conventions and seminars. Still, dealing with > the college staff and administration was always an ordeal. Hotels are > geared to deal with conventions and their staff is trained to deliver > service. Universities simply do not have the right mindset. I am afraid > that a convention with complex needs such as the PTG is simply beyond the > capabilities of most campuses. > > Israel Stein
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