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<P>Joe said:<BR><BR></P></DIV>
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<DIV></DIV>. So, I'd like to try again.
<DIV></DIV>>I am sure that there are many young musicians, in your area, that are sorely lacking of adequate instruments and music programs. We, as Technicians can do something about it. (see my previous posting). It would behoove us to try to get our local Chapters involved. Please consider it and give with some comments.
<DIV></DIV>>Regards,
<DIV></DIV>>Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon)
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<DIV>Dear Joe,</DIV>
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<DIV>I like your idea about helping young musicians. In our area the Music Teacher's Association of California has a program of providing free instruments, free service and free lessons to needy but interested music students. Many of us dealers donate pianos and us techs donate our free services.</DIV>
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<DIV>I also think that there is a need to have a mentoring program for people who want to become piano technicians. Probably the majority of us became piano techs when we were already responsible for supporting ourselves and maybe our families too. We had to <EM>somehow</EM> learn how to tune and repair pianos while we held down full time jobs in other fields.</DIV>
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<DIV>Now techs following in our footsteps are facing the same kind of problems; how to learn this wonderful business with very little help and very little in the way of educational and experiential possibilities.</DIV>
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<DIV>Fortunately for them there is the PTG, pianotech, correspondance courses and books where they can get some help, but that help is by the very nature of those things, limited. A mentoring program, whereby an aspiring tech could receive hands on experience under the guidance of an experienced tech, would do a lot to raise the quality of the work performed in our field.</DIV>
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<DIV>Diane</DIV>
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<P></P>Diane Hofstetter <BR>245-M Mount Hermon Rd.#343 <BR>Scotts Valley, CA 95066 <BR>ph 831-438-6222 <BR>fax 831-430-9741 <BR>dianepianotuner@hotmail.com <BR><br clear=all><hr>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at <a href="http://explorer.msn.com">http://explorer.msn.com</a><br></p></html>