Concert nightmares/no time

[Farrell]

How true. Boy, that sure puts things in perspective.

Terry Farrell

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Driscoll" <tomtuner@mediaone.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2001 12:21 PM
Subject: Re: Concert nightmares/no time


> Group, Give me kimball a  spinet ,a leaf blower outside, bad coffee that I
> dump in the sink, and an appreciative client  anyday over this situation .
> Look it up in the dictionary under "no win" .
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Michael Jorgensen <Michael.Jorgensen@cmich.edu>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Friday, May 25, 2001 12:58 AM
> Subject: Re: Concert nightmares/no time
>
>
> > David,
> >       Totally unfair!  You should write a brief letter explaining your
> > experience, how you were treated, how badly it makes you feel.   Explain
> > requirements for quality tuning, (time, piano condition, etc.), and what
> to
> > do to avoid future problems. Tactfully remind them how proper planning,
> > appropriate investment in instruments and people, proper scheduling,
> affect
> > individuals' moods, the quality or the work, the music, and ultimately
the
> > success or failure of the festival.  Written carefully, this bad thing
can
> > become a good thing for your reputation, income, our profession, and the
> > organization.  Copy it to all concerned persons including, management,
> > directors, board, tuner, artist, and employee.  It's quite likely the
> > artist had other negative experiences that day which all came out on
you.
> >
> > --Mike Jorgensen
> >
> > David Renaud wrote:
> >
> > > Here's one for my book.
> > > Perhaps there is something to learn from it.
> > >
> > > How many established concert tuners out there would be comftorable
> > > with these time constraints. I need one hour for each piano for my
best
> > > concert tuning, assuming it is within reach of pitch.
> > > Have I been spoiled by regular clients.
> > >
> > > Our local Arts Centre technician, and Yamaha man is away at a
> > > convention.
> > > He recommends me for tuning pianos at a string quartet festival at our
> > > National Art Gallery....all week. It is a last min. call. There is a
> > > Yamaha CF, and
> > > a 9' Steinway brought in from a local university that needs work. One
of
> > > the
> > > artists had to have a Steinway as he had used the Yamaha three years
> > > before,
> > > and would refuse to play it again(I did not know this at the time).
> > >
> > > I am told, as there three concerts/ day, plus rehearsals, I must tune
at
> > > night.
> > > 10pm till 10am, anytime. I show up at 10 pm, start at 10:30pm
> > >  Within minutes I am alone with the security guard.
> > > He informs me I have to be out by 11:30.
> > > I have 40 min left. There are two grands to tune to each other.
> > > The Steinway is at A442, the Yamaha at 440. I decide to finish the
> > > Yamaha with my best 40 min.effort and spend 20 min quickly lowering
> > > the pitch of the Steinway to A440. For that last 20 min security is on
> > > my back.
> > > I think as there is a current strike of Art Gallery workers, and
picket
> > > line, they made
> > > an exception to let the concerts go on, but they apparently are not
> > > anxious to
> > > do overtime for the tuner.
> > > I leave a message for the person that booked me that Yamaha is done,
> > > but if they need Steinway I will have to get in to tune it. I am told
> > > not to worry
> > > about it as there are no piano duets tomorrow. They will just use
> > > Yamaha,
> > > tune the Steinway tomorrow night.
> > >
> > > Well,  the pianist(from France), used Steinway for the dress rehearsal
> > > anyway.
> > > He did not want to play Yamaha, but in the end he did, for live
> > > broadcast.
> > > I heard about this, and went to find him, hoping to assure him it
would
> > > be done
> > > overnight for tomorrow. I never got to tell him as he went ballistic.
> > > Ranting
> > > and raving a long time about the condition of the Steinway, and not
> > > liking the
> > > Yamaha,, threatened to quit the week, and stomped out of the room.
> > > The result of it all was the next time I went in, I found another
tuner
> > > there tuning.
> > > The pianist is boarding with a person on the committee who called
their
> > > personnel tuner
> > > to "fix it" without informing me or the person who hired me, or even
> > > realizing
> > > the Steinway had not been done. I've somehow gone through 10 years
> > > without
> > > a tuning complaint, and I do some concerts venues regularly.This is
sure
> > > a kick
> > > in the pants and a confidence breaker. I should have stood up and
> > > demanded time,
> > > and defended myself when the artist was ranting instead of standing
> > > there shocked.
> > >
> > > Committees
> > > Too many chiefs, too little communication.
> > >
> > >                                                    Dave Renaud
> > >                                                    RPT
> >
>