Paul, Your post caught me attention tonight. My sympathies for having to deal with a person who does not appreciate the cogs in the wheel that allow him to roll. Here in Hickory, NC we usually don't have the high-level performers that create high "pucker factors." In fact, here was my experience tonight. I had to tune an old worn out Steinway D that I rebuild the action on last year. I was alone on stage, stage lights on, my wife was at home working feverishly on her own agenda, so here I was... just me and that piano. I stayed extra long working on it, making it sound better that it has ever sounded. I struggled with bad unisons, voiced worn out hammers, and fixed what I could fix in three hours. Knowing I won't get paid for all I did, I was walking away thinking, "This was a good day." At 52 years old, my father having died from stress at 59, and having my neck pain fixed by my chiropractor yesterday, I feel like a blessed man having found this profession and my mentor several years ago. Keep up the good fight. Just a reflection on perspective, John Parham Hickory, NC > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Re: [CAUT] How long is too long? > From: "Wigent, Donald E, Jr" <WIGENTD at ecu.edu> > Date: Thu, December 16, 2010 12:24 pm > To: "caut at ptg.org" <caut at ptg.org> > > > Don Wigent here. V F is who. > > > > From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Paul T Williams > > Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2010 9:53 PM > > To: caut at ptg.org > > Subject: Re: [CAUT] How long is too long? > > > > Alan, > > > > We'll, my duty is done over at Lied, but as much as I love hearing the Chopin Ballades for the second half, I just had to leave. VF has got to be one of the most arrogant, selfish and cold hearted bast@#$s I've ever had to work with. I just couldn't stay beyond what the contract there stated. I just don't think he liked being here....it was like telling a child to clean the bathroom as a chore, but needing all the tools juuuuust right or he wouldn't do it.....and never really pleased with them after they were as good as they could be!! > > > > It seems like those with that attitude get what they deserve....a measly 150 or so people in the house that seats over 2000. Maybe it's just me, but he wanted the world for peanuts without a word of thanks or appreciation...just a sort of expectation. I hope he doesn't visit again. > > > > Best, and off to fight another day! > > > > Paul > > > > > > From: > > > > "McCoy, Alan" <amccoy at ewu.edu> > > > > To: > > > > CAUTlist <caut at ptg.org> > > > > Date: > > > > 10/20/2010 03:37 PM > > > > Subject: > > > > Re: [CAUT] How long is too long? > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > > > > > Funny you should mention this. I’ll be working with Vladimir Feltsman tomorrow night. But, whew, for us he’s playing only one concerto – Brahms 2nd. He’s always interesting. Worth stressing over, I think. Good luck and enjoy the concert. > > > > Alan > > > > > > -- Alan McCoy, RPT > > Eastern Washington University > > amccoy at ewu.edu > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: Paul T Williams <pwilliams4 at unlnotes.unl.edu> > > Reply-To: CAUTlist <caut at ptg.org> > > Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2010 13:30:23 -0700 > > To: CAUTlist <caut at ptg.org> > > Subject: Re: [CAUT] How long is too long? > > > > Yes, Susan, I get overly anxious about these things when so many other things are happening at the same time. Feltzman is at Lied next week, using all 3 of their grands...Two B's and the D over there for master classes, practice and performance. There is also the student grad and undergrad concerto competitions happening Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday-using 2 pianos tuned together each night. My favorite DMA student has a performance Tuesday eve on this new Steinway project, the same night as Feltzman. I'm not freaking out over one piano, but 6. So, I'm not stressing out about just one performance! You can understand the pressure, I'm sure. It's not as bad as our Liszt Fest last spring with our central west regional conference was happening and to top it all off, my father in law passing away all the same week, but it's close. This kind of stuff happens about twice per year. The rest of the time, I'm pretty laid back and unstressed. > > > > Paul > > > > > > > > > > > > > > From: Susan Kline <skline at peak.org> > > To: caut at ptg.org > > Date: 10/20/2010 12:13 PM > > Subject: Re: [CAUT] How long is too long? > > ________________________________ > > > > > > > > On 10/20/2010 5:42 AM, Paul T Williams wrote: > > That would be in a perfect world! The piano is being used on Saturday. Now that fall break is over, I have until noon today, then just a couple hours on Thursday morning and Friday morning. It should work. (unless it doesn't!) Worse case scenario would be that they have to use the Baldwin D on Saturday, but it's a fine piano and these aren't piano majors performing, just accompanying. Paul > > > > Have you ever noticed that so often we tend to run on anxiety, fighting deadlines, as if something is crucial, but in retrospect, all "FAILURE" would mean was that someone would play an accompaniment on a Baldwin D which was not a bad piano either? > > > > You know, every time we stress out several days over nothing much (and I surely do that as often as anyone!) we lose a little health and longevity? Cortisol has its price. > > > > Susan Kline
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