[CAUT] Fw: liszt

[Jim Busby]

Hi Paul,

These events can be stressful, but make sure you think through all the "what if's". Here's a few that have helped me in similar situations; make sure you have several benches available. Have your stringing kit available and know good methods to stabilize strings (Mannino gives great advice here) , and even better, have an alternate piano in the wings, if possible. Funny, but have voicing tools on hand to at least look like you have strong voodoo <G>, but you may be asked to do some very quick work on a note that "sticks out" for someone. Have your "squeak fixes" handy.  1. Unisons 2. Squeaks 3. Broken strings, 4. Quick voicings and 5. Bench are the only things that I've been pressed to deal with in these high energy situations. You probably have already thought of all these, but that's my short list. Good luck, and don't forget to smile!

Best,
Jim Busby BYU

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Fred Sturm
Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2009 10:41 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Fw: liszt

On Oct 22, 2009, at 9:25 AM, Paul T Williams wrote:


Hi all,

Has anyone out there dealt with a HUGE piano festival as you can check out on the first attachment. (I don't know why Dr. Barnes put his signature on here!).  It doesn't look physically doable to keep the piano in wonderful tune, and would love some advise on how to handle so many piano pieces in such a short amount of time.

Thanks
Paul

            Quite a star-studded affair! Some great music and great musicians. Yes, it looks like a challenge, but in fact it looks easier than a competition, since there are gaps within the day and they don't start all that early. Often a competition piano is used without break from 8 am to 8 pm or the like.
            I guess my best advice is first to just do your best and accept the results. That's life as a concert tech, and that's part of what all cauts are. You have to develop a thick enough skin to accept that you aren't perfect. But second, I'd try to get blocks of time secured ahead of time (schedule them now) in the hall, and try to make them as firm as possible (realizing that they won't be entirely firm, that there will have to be some give). And third, just nail the unisons. Nail them solid. Forget other considerations for the most part. Have the piano(s) set up well at the beginning, and then just deal with unison creep, which shouldn't require more than 15-30 minutes a piano if you are focused and have a nice fairly silent hall.
            Good luck! And try to have some fun and enjoy the music.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm at unm.edu<mailto:fssturm at unm.edu>





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