[CAUT] Position Announcement, SIU, Carbondale, IL

[Jim Busby]

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Christopher Purdy
Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2008 1:20 PM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Position Announcement, SIU, Carbondale, IL

I would like to add a bit of perspective to the discussion about the job posting at SIUC.  The salary quoted is misleading and has caused a flurry of emails.  Please note that the State of Illinois requires the university by law to advertise the lowest possible salary when posting a job search.  Although the figure posted is in fact their minimum, the actual salary is quite flexible and open to negotiation.  It is unfortunate that the state mandates this policy but it is a reality that SIUC has to comply with.

When their piano technician, Larry Reynolds, was killed in a tragic car accident this May, I accepted a month long appointment at the school to fill in for him.  The Southern Illinois Music Festival was just a couple of weeks away and with 57 events taking place over a 200 mile radius in three weeks time, I was kept very busy.  I also performed a lot of routine tuning and repair in the music building during my month there.

I found the school, the university, and the town of Carbondale extremely welcoming and a very positive experience.  The music building is a piano technicians dream!  It is a beautiful, 100 plus year old building, (it looks like a castle!) and just a few years ago it was totally renovated.  The new HVAC system is amazing.  I have never experienced a facility with better humidity and temperature control, period, and the condition of the pianos showed it.  The piano inventory is mostly newer instruments.  I didn't take the time for a total inventory but almost every piano I encountered was a Steinway, Baldwin, or Yamaha and considering the use and abuse that pianos in a music school experience, in very acceptable condition.  One policy they have that is new for me is that the approximately 27 practice rooms are kept locked and students are issued keys.  I found absolutely no vandalism or careless damage to pianos.

The faculty that I met were all very supportive and I got the impression of extended family there.  Just an interesting side note, they estimated that some 2,000 people went to Larry's visitation!  Every faculty member I met gushed with praise for him.  It was obvious that he enjoyed complete support there at school.

The piano shop is a little small but well equipped.  It is a good sized school with about 40-50 music faculty.  There are some very nice performance venues and the main auditorium is next door and connected to the music building.  It is also a very beautiful building with two nice Baldwin SD-10's.  Their new Steinway D lives in the music building but one of the Baldwin's is so nice that Emanuel Ax chose it over the Steinway in a recent performance there.  I personally prepared both of the Baldwins for the Mozart double piano concerto and the pianists loved them!

I could go on but the point I would like to make is this, this is actually a nice opportunity for someone at SIUC.  If you know anyone that might be interested, I would encourage you to recommend checking this out.  The official wording of the job posting may read like they want the world's most experienced tech to work for peanuts but please remember that everything is negotiable to some extent.  Not only the salary but the experience requirements.  This would be a really good job for someone with good skills but maybe not the years of experience.

Although the life of a CAUT may not be for everyone, I am extremely happy with my position here at OU and would recommend it to a like minded tuner.  Yes, a self employed tech in a larger city can make much more than I do but I would not be happy doing that.  I really enjoy being in a small town but working for a larger university.  I love the benefits that I have, not the least of which is a tuition deferment.  My second of four kids will be a freshman here this fall.  And, I have as much outside work as I care to take.  My salary is more than twice what it was when I started in 1991 and I am happy with it.

If you know of anyone that might be interested in applying for this gig, they are welcome to contact me.  I will answer any questions that I am able to.

Chris





Christopher D. Purdy R.P.T.

Registered Piano Technician

School of Music, Ohio University

Rm. 311, Robt. Glidden Hall

Athens, OH  45701

Office (740) 593-1656

Cell    (740) 590-3842

fax      (740) 593-1429

http://www.ohiou.edu/music



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