[CAUT] CAUT position announcements, CAUT Academy

[Scott E. Thile]

I'd love to see educating faculty and administrators on the difference a
good technician can make as part of the CAUT Academy's mission, but I'm
skeptical a brochure is the way to go. I think we need to use the internet. 
 
The CAUT website could be redesigned (it desperately needs it anyway) with a
primary focus of delivering this message on the front end, and moving the
technician focused material to the back. The existing site is very outdated,
and the importance of this message was not considered when it was designed. 
 
Maybe I can carve out some time to re-design the website, and others have
expressed an interest in taking that on, but it may be our message is too
pressing to continue trying to do this with volunteer help... 
 
Les brings up another interesting point-- I worked on an Aeolian spinet for
an English faculty member. His son was studying with one of our piano
proffs. and grew into a fantastic pianist. I thought he must be coming over
here to practice and asked about it. Nope, nearly all his practice time was
on that pitiful excuse for a piano... When playing our Ds here for recitals
or competitions you would never guess what he was practicing on at home.
He's at Yale now. Blew my entire theory of providing the best possible
instruments right out of the water. I maintain that this is an exception
when it happens. The plot thickens--that boys father is now my Dean! Very
thankfully he totally gets it, and has worked very hard to keep my happy
here, and provide me as many resources as he can find to maintain and
replace our aging piano inventory. He also asked me to look out for a
Steinway to rebuild for his son....
 
I think the angle to take with faculty is what we can do for them and for
their students, but the angle with the administrators is how that translates
into getting more and better students, and then keeping them! 
 
Scott, CAUT web slave.
 
-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Wolfley, Eric (wolfleel)
Sent: Friday, August 22, 2008 7:23 AM
To: 'College and University Technicians'
Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT position announcements, CAUT Academy



Wim,

 

I like the idea of a CAUT brochure.I don't think we should directly mention
salary in there but anything we can do to enhance the concept of hiring
experienced, qualified people for these positions rather than the lowest
bidder will hopefully accomplish the same thing.

 

I'll see what we can do.

 

Eric

 

Eric Wolfley, RPT

Director of Piano Services

College-Conservatory of Music

University of Cincinnati

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Willem
Blees
Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:51 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT position announcements, CAUT Academy

 

Instead of us discussing amongst ourselves how bad a school is for offering
a sub standard salary, perhaps it would do us more good to "educate" the
school. Although it is important for "us" to know how to approach a school
and ask for a salary commensurate with our abilities, it will ultimately be
up to the school to decide how much to pay a piano technician. But since
most school do not know how much a competent piano technician needs to be
paid, and more importantly, why, perhaps the best approach is for CAUT to
develop a brochure outlining the why a school should hire a qualified piano
technicians and pay him/her a salary commensurate with his/her abilities.
This brochure would be sent to schools who are in the market for a piano
technician. 

Just a thought. 

Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
Honolulu, HI
808-349-2943
www.bleespiano.com
Author of 
The Business of Piano Tuning
available from Potter Press
www.pianotuning.com

 

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