A Day Off

[Paul Dempsey]

>List,
>
>   I'm considering sending a memo about various things to all our faculty
>who would have a student doing a degree recital: piano, voice, composition,
>etc. and stating that I will no longer be available to do tunings on
>Sunday. I've just gotten to the point, that with 150 pianos plus four
>concert instruments to try and take care of, I need to have at least one
>day off each week that I can count on. After all, I'm not a "spring chicken"
>any more. :-)

(snip)


>   Do you feel that I'm out of place by saying things like this? I'd
>appreciate your opinions. Thanks.
>
>Regards,
>Avery
>
>

Avery,

Although we're not quite as large as UH (2 performance D's...85 overall) I've had a policy such as you describe in place for about the last three years.

Requests for recital preparation must be in writing and made two weeks in advance. Also, there is a box on the form that identifies which instrument is needed. 

It had gotten to the point that faculty and even students were stopping me in the hall on a Friday with an "....Oh by the way, I need a piano tuned for my recital tomorrow or the next day....".  

You need to take a hard line, but they will fall into place. The is some truth to the old joke that says: " Poor planning on your part does not constitute and emergancy on mine"

Paul E. Dempsey
Piano Tuner/Technician
Marshall University
Huntington, WV
dempsey@ramlink.net