<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2>In a message dated 9/5/01 2:00:42 PM Central Daylight Time, doepke@fwi.com
<BR>writes:
<BR>
<BR>
<BR><BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Having been in education for over 20 years, I am also curious to find out
<BR>about The University's position regarding regular maintenance and
<BR>regulating. When I was teaching choral music, I wish that a local
<BR>technician would have told me more about how climate/humidity changes
<BR>affected the pianos in my department. Even some literature from the PTG
<BR>would have been welcome.
<BR>
<BR>Brian Doepke
<BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BR>
<BR>Brian:
<BR>
<BR>The big difference with maintaining pianos at the university and maintaining
<BR>pianos in a school, is that I am paid a salary. I have a budget to buy piano
<BR>parts, but other than going through the purchasing process, I don't have to
<BR>ask permission, and it doesn't have to be "put in the budget," to repair a
<BR>piano.
<BR>
<BR>As was mentioned by others, it is important that the music teacher, and
<BR>perhaps the principal, of problems with the piano. Schools have paid a lot of
<BR>money for an instrument, and if you can convince them that paying you $500
<BR>now, it will keep the piano going for another 10 years, instead of having to
<BR>buy a new piano for $5000 in 2 years. It's like the Fram Oil Filter
<BR>commercial. "You can pay me (a small amount) now, or pay me (a large amount)
<BR>later"
<BR>
<BR>Wim</FONT></HTML>