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<DIV><FONT face="Century Schoolbook" size=2>Ed</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Century Schoolbook" size=2>I am one of the technicians
use when they are in Florida. I've worked with them over the past 4 yrs.
and have grown to know and respect them quite well..</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Century Schoolbook" size=2>There are 5 siblings, however only 4
graduated from Julliard, as the youngest boy is about to graduate from the
Manhattan School of Music. He butted heads with the Julliard teachers and found
it best to move to another school.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Century Schoolbook" size=2>There are 3 girls and 2 boys. The 3
girls are all married and one, I believe is newly pregnant, which will change
the scope of their touring.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Century Schoolbook" size=2>Their first tours had only 2
pianos which they would trade off playing 4 hand and 8 hand pieces, and
individual solo pieces. Once the "60 Minute" segment aired and the popularity
began to grow, Steinway started endorsing there concerts by making 5 grands
available to them from the local Steinway dealers. Eventually the logistics were
too much for each Steinway dealership to manage and it was cost
prohibitive. Plus the kids were finding that there were too many changing
variables of piano personalities from one venue to another.Eventually Steinway
decided to provide instruments from the factory for their needs. Wheaton Van
lines does the moving for free in lieu of good advertising.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Century Schoolbook" size=2>The first tour had 2 Steinway
B's and 3 Steinway A's which they used for 2 yrs. Now they are traveling with 2
Steinway D's and 3 Steinway B's.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Century Schoolbook" size=2>Pianos arrive on the day of the
concert by Wheaton Van lines and the pianos arrive in Anvil shipping boxes. Each
venue must arrange to have a crew to unload the pianos with the technician
acting as the supervisor. Pianos need about 2 hrs of acclamation before tuning
can begin and the tech will have about 4 hrs to have everything finished before
the group shows up for their rehearsal. Pianos are to be touched up prior to the
show and they prefer to have them to be touched up during intermission.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Century Schoolbook" size=2>It has been a learning curve for the
kids as they had no idea of the logistics of such a traveling show. Between
getting the pianos there, to getting the set up tuned, to being understanding
of the technician's needs in terms of time, to host of
additional items, and for them to find time to do some serious practicing,
everyone has to be very flexible and understanding. I had many times when
they would show up out of the blue and wanted to practice which I was in the
midst of tuning. It took me several tries to get them to understand
the bigger picture. Now they are very predictable and understanding.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Century Schoolbook" size=2>The family, including the parents
and one brother-in-law are all about the nicest people you would ever want to
spend time with. They are genuine and they are gifted. They have become a part
of our family as they have spent time in our home and gotten to know my
wife and girls as well. My one daughter is one her way to becoming quite
the pianist, and the Brown kids have been keeping a keen eye on her
development. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Century Schoolbook" size=2>The kids all live in the Salt Lake
City area, except the youngest, who is still in NYC. I think he graduates this
year and will be moving back west. Gregory, the older boy just started his
doctoral studies at the University of Utah.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Century Schoolbook" size=2>Hope this gives a glimpse into their
traveling logistics</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Century Schoolbook" size=2>Oh...one other funny thing to share.
Last year they came during the school spring break and 2 of the kids
had their juries to do the following week. Both were about 15 hrs of
practice behind and needed every minute to practice their personal pieces. We
rolled an upright into the bathroom backstage so that Gregory could continue
memorizing a Beethoven Sonata which was on his jury requirements. Since
the bathroom was tiny and their was no room for the bench, he used the
toilet as the bench. Of course the jokes were flying after one of
them took a picture of him on the thrown practicing.....you guessed
it " the 2nd movements"...or as we called
it "movement 2" . Funny stuff.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Century Schoolbook" size=2>Tom Servinsky</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=edwcarw@yahoo.com href="mailto:edwcarw@yahoo.com">Ed Carwithen</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Piano Tech List</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:18
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> 5 Browns</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>I heard a segment on "Radio West" concerning the 5 siblings of the
Brown family who are all concert artists, all graduated from Julliard, and who
concertize together on the same program. It got me wondering about the
logistics of tuning 5 concert grands together. Does anyone know who
is their tuner? Where do they get 5 grands; do they own their own
or try to rent them in each location? They are based in Salt Lake City,
but play all over. "Inquiring minds want to know."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Ed Carwithen</DIV>
<DIV>John Day, OR</DIV>
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