Hi Bill,
If things have changed since I was on the committee (and I admit to not having followed if any changes have occurred), then, no, I'm pretty familiar with the list of subject material that will be covered on the 4 written tests. It occurred to me then, and now, that the number of classes required to be taken before one could take the exams will be substantial, and even if each participant attended every regional and national at a cost of $1200 to $1500 each, it could potentially take 10 years to cover all the material on the 4 exams.
But the primary focus of my argument is that this is a backwards approach to salary improvement, and will never achieve it. My debate follows exactly what Ed Foote wrote. If there is no market for higher skills, they will not be rewarded.
I am also 100% in opposition to including historical instrument tuning and maintenance in a CAUT endorsement from PTG. The reasons are that 1.) 100% of CAUT situations are understaffed (most grossly so) for the modern pianos alone, and adding historical instruments to the burden of the piano technician takes away from the primary job responsibilities, which means his real work isn't getting done. 2.) Historical keyboard players HAVE to, and usually do learn how to do the tuning and maintenace themselves. Unless the piano to technician workload is below 40:1, I am of the conviction that historical instruments should NOT be a part of the job responsibilities of the piano technician at a university. We are not the Harpsichord Technicians Guild, and without such title, really have no credibility to credential historical instrument tuning and maintenance in the first place. I stand firm in my belief that any CAUT endorsement should only address tuning and maintenance of modern pianos, which is 99.9% of the work that is needed to be done in all universities, and which is the primary focus of the Piano Technicians Guild.
That doesn't mean I am opposed to a piano technician possessing some historical instrument skills. I actually learned quite a bit myself as a student assistant to the piano technician in college. I found it interesting and am proud that I possess some skill in that area. It means I don't think it is appropriate (a better word here would be great - I'm supposed to be picking up a pizza right now) to require a piano technician to have them in order to be credentialed to service modern pianos at a university. I tuned a harpsichord maybe 5 times in 10 years at USC. I could have offered to do it much more often, but that only would have resulted in my becoming expected to do all the harpsichord work while the 125 modern pianos were going to hell in a handbasket, and my salary would never have been adjusted upward because of it. I just think it's crossing into someone else's job description, whether or not that person exists on the faculty.
Gotta run,
Jeff
----- Original Message -----
From: Bdshull at aol.com
To: caut at ptg.org
Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2010 2:36 AM
Subject: [CAUT] CAUT Endorsement Requirements Misperception - was Preachingto the Choir
Hi, Jeff,
Your last few posts lead me to think you are not familiar with the CAUT Endorsement proposal requirements, and it might be that others have this same misperception too. It would be easy, if one is to just read Regulations and Codes Article IV, to come to the conclusion that the CAUT Endorsement might only be attained by attending the CAUT Academy courses and taking the 4 written tests. However, this is a mis-read of the proposal. The core of the proposal is in bylaws. If you don't have the May supplement you may go to the PTG Page members area, and follow the links - resources, forms and documents, Council 2010, Organizational/LRP:
http://www.ptg.org/members/docs/2010/2010_Council_Agenda_Section_4-Organizational-LRP.pdf
The only requirements in order to obtain this endorsement are that one be a Registered Piano Technician, and that one pass a written test on CAUT-related subjects. The CAUT Endorsement is designed like a certification, similar to the RPT; preparation for it is not proscribed but a CAUT Academy is offered with comprehensive curriculum. This is similar to the RPT itself, where a variety of paths or combination thereof can lead to the CAUT Endorsement - trade schools, apprenticeships, the Randy Potter course, the PACE lessons.
A CAUT Academy curriculum will be developed and offered, and each segment will be followed by written tests. This road to the CAUT Endorsement will be an incredible opportunity to master the knowledge and skills needed for college and university work. However, there are no proscribed courses to obtain the CAUT Endorsement in this proposal.
I would expect that all of the excellent training programs - the Theodore Steinway Seminars, the Little Red Schoolhouse, etc, that you've referred to could be of use in preparing for the CAUT Endorsement, as they address many of the skills required in the college and university setting. These courses are limited in their applicant pool, while the PTG does not, and can not place anti-competitive restrictions on its certifications. Further, the CAUT Academy curriculum would be CAUT-comprehensive in nature, unlike anything else available.
I would also expect that the CAUT Academy, specifically tailored to the college setting - and not manufacturer-specific - would be an ideal preparation for College and University work, as it will be taught by leading technicians in the field.
The time may come when the PTG community would approve of additional testing beyond a written test, but the development of skills tests is a large project. Testing must meet a number of standards, and a process of beta-testing would also be required. Needless to say this has been the subject of considerable discussion in the committee, as well as in conversations with the board and bylaws. It was felt that this approach to CAUT Endorsement requirements would not be onerous or unachievable by qualified members (RPTs).
The CAUT Endorsement testing would also provide the candidate with an assessment of areas needing further training or education. But there are only these two requirements - RPT status and the passing of a written test.
I hope that you might see that this might satisfy your concerns. Some have considered this a "watered-down" and ineffective proposal, but your arguments actually make the case for the proposal as it is presented, not onerous, not complex, not unattainable, but still a reflection of a commitment to a certain knowledge base, as well as a commitment to continued growth and participation in the CAUT community.
The curriculum component of this endorsement is voluntary. Even if the applicant doesn't attend the CAUT Academy, the curriculum is important in that it defines the skills and knowledge base needed for CAUT piano service, and should be an excellent source of CAUT-specific training and education. Anyone who hasn't studied the proposal should look over the curriculum ; they will see the wide range of areas the CAUT technician works in. At present it is only summarized in "regulations" as:
The CAUT Workplace: Administrative topics.
Concert Tuning and Preparations.
Historic instrument Tuning and Maintenance
Special Topics in Servicing Institutional Instruments
A detailed outline of this curriculum title "Components of Endorsement" was provided last year to council, and I expect that similar supporting documentation in the form of of a beta Policy Handbook with a fleshed-out curriculum will be provided this year, too.
Regards,
Bill
Bill Shull, RPT, M.Mus.
CAUT Committee Member
In a message dated 5/12/2010 3:23:35 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, tannertuner at bellsouth.net writes:
Yes, a certificate of merit from CAUT. Not a doctoral degree in every
conceivable facet of the trade plus tangents into other trades. If nothing
else, schools might also encourage their tech to attend Yamaha and Steinway
training seminars, which the CAUT degree would not, could not recognize. And
since there is no way for a CAUT endorsement to recognize other training
programs considered highly respected and viable by university faculties and
performing artists, it renders the PTG CAUT endorsement uncredible.
Jeff
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Ilvedson" <ilvey at sbcglobal.net>
To: <tannertuner at bellsouth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 8:32 PM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Preaching to the choir;was University of Idaho Piano
Tech Vacancy
> If schools want to do on the job training, that's what they'll do. They
> do need to be aware of the talent pool out there and a certificate of
> merit from CAUT could start their education. PTG/CAUT needs to be
> bombarding music departments with this info. If nothing else, schools
> might require their tech to attend classes with PTG...
>
> David Ilvedson, RPT
> Pacifica, CA 94044
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