[CAUT] Piano juries on concert instruments

[Dennis Johnson]

Hi-

I would suggest that for better or worse we are in the position where
whatever respect or distinction we may acquire within our departments is an
individual thing based mostly on our own credibility and abilities, earned
over time. None of this comes with the title. Granted there may be some
remote administrators who lump us in with the grounds maintenance crew, but
certainly not the music faculty- I hope. Anyone who is reasonably satisfied
with your own department system will make a strong case for that, of
course.  What I hear in the end it comes down to ... respect.  You have to
know that from a different perspective most faculty also struggle with the
same thing.  It's relative.  The regard I feel around the this department is
magically somehow directly proportional to the condition of the important
pianos.  Go figure....

That's how I see it anyway. Refuse to do any more than your absolute best.
If that doesn't work out, nothing else is going to either.

Dennis Johnson
__________________

On Mon, Jan 4, 2010 at 1:01 PM, Jeff Tanner <tannertuner at bellsouth.net>wrote:

>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Susan Kline" <skline at peak.org>
> To: <caut at ptg.org>
> Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 12:47 PM
>
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Piano juries on concert instruments
>
>
>  What we do is a strange hybrid of physical and mental work, with
>> a strong component of enlightened interaction with musical
>> people: faculty, students, and visiting artists. None of
>> this is true of someone who fixes the lights or the photocopier.
>>
>
> ...and yet, we are viewed no differently by administration. This is
> evidenced in so many job descriptions falling into job classifications where
> the piano technician is side by side with the HVAC techs and carpenters, as
> well as the fact that more is spent per inventory value on maintenance of
> copiers than on pianos.
>
> It is great that we see ourselves the way you describe. But we are
> apparently the only ones who do.
>
> Jeff
>
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