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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Richard-</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Yes. Good exams establish relationships, and
those relationships make professional standards live and
breathe.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ed Sutton</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
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<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=rwest1@unl.edu href="mailto:rwest1@unl.edu">rwest1@unl.edu</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=caut@ptg.org
href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">College and University Technicians</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, October 23, 2007 10:00
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [CAUT] CAUT
Endorsement</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Jim, Fred and others,
<DIV><BR class=webkit-block-placeholder></DIV>
<DIV>I think we have to be careful when we evaluate "people." There's a
dark side to any evaluative process, and it's something that needs to be
figured into any testing or curriculum development. That dark side is
making judgments without taking into account the subjective side of the person
or persons making the judgments. I think there's a tendency to ratchet
up expectations to higher and higher levels, not to raise standards but to
somehow prove no one is really worthy of the high standards that I/we believe
are the "real" standards. We've all seen this in many emails that deal
with RPT standards. So I raise this issue with the hope that it will be
taken as constructive criticism. Food for thought, as it were. Or
just a friendly reminder with the hope to be reassured that, yes, we're on the
same page on this. </DIV>
<DIV><BR class=webkit-block-placeholder></DIV>
<DIV>The fact is there will always be people who do not live up to standards.
Our problem, then, is not to be overly judgmental, but assume the best
in people and build a program that is based on the belief that if "we build
it, they will come." We need to try to find ways to not only encourage
people to get better, but to somehow open their eyes. I remember when I
was first out of school I went to some PTG tuning classes and thought the
teachers were using too many checks and were obsessing with minutia that
really didn't make much difference in getting a decent tuning. I was
deluding myself that a decent tuning didn't require more than what I was doing
at the time. After all, I had just graduated from a real tuning school
(Western Iowa Tech). I knew better.</DIV>
<DIV><BR class=webkit-block-placeholder></DIV>
<DIV>How do we get people to see the light without either appearing to be or
actually being too obsessive? I don't know how big a problem this is in
PTG, but I have a feeling that it is behind much of our failure to reach
Associates and get them to upgrade. </DIV>
<DIV><BR class=webkit-block-placeholder></DIV>
<DIV>Richard West</DIV>
<DIV><BR class=webkit-block-placeholder></DIV>
<DIV> <BR>
<DIV>
<DIV>On Oct 22, 2007, at 7:32 PM, Jim Busby wrote:</DIV><BR
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<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Fred, Jeff,
others,<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">98% of my job
hinges on how well I do on that 2%.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Personally, I think
only about 2% of technicians I know are capable of true “concert work”, but
98% think they are (See attached article).<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Just my 2%
worth.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Jim Busby
BYU<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(I used to work as
a prison guard, which was about 98% pure boredom and 2% sheer
terror!)<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<DIV>
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<P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">
caut-bounces@ptg.org [<A
href="mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org">mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org</A>] <B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">On Behalf Of </SPAN></B>Fred Sturm<BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Monday, October 22, 2007 5:50
PM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> <ST1:PERSONNAME
w:st="on">College and University Technicians</ST1:PERSONNAME><BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Re: [CAUT] CAUT
Endorsement</SPAN></FONT><O:P></O:P></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">On Oct 20, 2007, at 6:18 PM, Wolfley, Eric
((wolfleel)) wrote:<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><BR><BR><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Helvetica size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">the CAUT task force - and
everyone else who posted on this subject -<SPAN
class=apple-converted-space> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><O:P></O:P></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Helvetica size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">create the impression that
the CAUT's position starts and ends with<SPAN
class=apple-converted-space> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><O:P></O:P></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Helvetica size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">the quality of the concert
tuning.</SPAN></FONT><O:P></O:P></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=apple-tab-span><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN>Let me add a bit about this notion of "concert tuning"
versus "whatever other kind of tuning" there may be. We (the skills test
subcommittee) discussed a number of ideas about tuning. We thought a caut
needed to be able to do an efficient bang-up job of pitch change, and come
up with a good solid tuning in the end in a pretty short period of time. Ken
Eschete expressed another side to what kind of chops a caut needs to have,
saying we should check the seventh tuning of the day and see how that
measured up, and then the same after a week, a month. . . Maybe a bit
exaggerated, but the idea is one of focus, efficiency, chops to get it done,
and the professional attitude that says every single one is a quality
tuning, with a focus on solid.<O:P></O:P></P>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=apple-tab-span><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN>And we also discussed, for very good reason, on ability
to produce a "concert tuning." That is where we contribute to the end
purpose of the department: the actual public performance of music. That's
what we're all there for (the whole music department), training students for
that and contributing our bit to the process. <O:P></O:P></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=apple-tab-span><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN>What is a concert tuning? Well, I would say it is a
tuning done with extra care, one that is able to stand up to public
scrutiny. Obviously every single tuning we do should meet that standard,
ideally. So we are really just talking about taking a little extra time and
trouble to make sure we got it as good as possible. In the same sense,
playing a piece of music in public performance isn't essentially different
from practicing or playing for a lesson, except that it is more focused on
making sure the final result is as good as possible. Concert prep of a piano
is a very similar thing: nothing essentially different from any other prep
and regulation and voicing, except that the standards and expectations are
higher. <O:P></O:P></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=apple-tab-span><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN>Is "concert tuning and prep" a significant part of the
workload? It sure is where I work. I'd put it at over 20% of my load. Even
if it were only the 2% Jeff Tanner claims, it would be by far the most
important 2%. It is where the department shows itself to the world. It is
where the students and faculty show what they can do. It is extraordinarily
important. If you don't believe that, you have no business working for a
music department.<O:P></O:P></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=apple-tab-span><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN>Now when it came to developing a draft notion of how to
structure a caut tuning test, it was pretty obvious that major pitch change
would present considerable practical obstacles, as would having someone tune
seven pianos in a day <G>. So we decided to focus on "concert tuning"
but bring along as many of the other abilities we had identified as we
could. Efficiency and ability to produce within a real life time frame was
one. Another was solidity. There are plenty of possible ways to go about
evaluating "concert level tuning." Many people I have heard in discussions
on the topic say that we should just use "CTE level" tuning as the standard
(meaning the current test passed at 90% or above in all segments, done
aurally). That is certainly one route we could have taken. We chose a
completely different route. We chose to look at the real life chops to get a
complete piano done and end up with solid and clean unisons. And we added a
bit about stretch as well, but I think I'll leave that for another
discussion.<O:P></O:P></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=apple-tab-span><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN>The point I am trying to make here is that this is not
some kind of rarified standard we are proposing. It is very much an "in the
trenches" standard, one that applies not just to the concert grand, but to
the practice piano and every single other piano we face. If you have the
chops to do an efficient and solid concert grand tuning to a solid standard,
you can do the rest as well. That is the ability we are aiming to
assess.<O:P></O:P></P>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Regards,<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Fred Sturm<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><ST1:PLACE w:st="on"><ST1:PLACETYPE w:st="on"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">University</SPAN></FONT></ST1:PLACETYPE> of
<ST1:PLACENAME w:st="on">New
Mexico</ST1:PLACENAME></ST1:PLACE><O:P></O:P></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><A
href="mailto:fssturm@unm.edu">fssturm@unm.edu</A><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
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