<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi Richard,<DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Never thought your comments to be negative. They have always been thoughtful and well-received. It is my hope all this good discussion will lead us down the right path and yes, we do realize this may take a long time. Now is a good time to take that first step.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Thanks,</DIV><DIV>Don</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Eric, Fred, Jim, Don and others of the CAUT committee:</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">First, I want to join in the applause for the committee. The tasks you've been charged with are daunting. I appreciate your interest and only ask that your passion be matched with a good dose of realism and practicality. If it isn't, I'm sure you know that you'll hear about it from the multitudes.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Like Dennis Johnson has stated, you've received a lot of input recently and so now you have to pull all of the comments together with your own ideas, and produce something workable. I must admit my preference lies with seeing some concrete movement in curriculum development rather than testing. But I'm not one to stand in the way of progress. Many of the major steps forward in PTG have come about because a dedicated member took it upon himself/herself to follow an idea to a solid product that can be put to use. Also I agree with Ed that consulting with programs that have worked is a good path to pursue. Successful university mentoring/teaching programs, manufacturers schools, and residence schools could all be valuable resources. </DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">I've always felt that the CAUT committee was full of potential that had gone untapped. CAUT's are a talented group with access to quality pianos. Plans that reach out to that group will also reach out across the country to the very grassroots of PTG. I've always felt that as good as the convention is, it only reaches a limited number of people. For PTG as a whole to move forward, we need to find ways to get to the grassroots of the organization. If your efforts can address that problem, the impact will be greater. I would like to see programs that not only help CAUT's to improve/test their skills, but help CAUT's to educate/train students and apprentices in their own local communities. That's a tall order.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">And don't be in a hurry. Kent Swafford in his infinite wisdom once said to me that projects in PTG can take years to evolve, develop and mature. I have to agree with him. </DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">So in spite of what could be construed to be negative comments coming from lowly Nebraska, I support you guys. PTG will be better off because of your efforts and dedication. </DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Richard West</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV><BR><DIV> <SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Don McKechnie</DIV><DIV>Piano Technician</DIV><DIV>Ithaca College</DIV><DIV><A href="mailto:dmckech@ithaca.edu">dmckech@ithaca.edu</A></DIV><DIV>607.274.3908</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"></SPAN> </DIV><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>