Question about a purchase

[Avery Todd]

List,

   Got a question for you. We have an opportunity to buy a Steinway D
(1960, I think) in mint condition, for $35,000.00 and that figure might
even be a little negotiable. We want it for our largest rehearsal room
where the orchestra rehearses. I've been moving one of our D's into the
room for a Saint-Saens Piano Concerto rehearsals, back to the
performance hall today, back to the reh. room Monday for a Prokofiev
Concerto rehearsals next week, back to the the Hall for a choir rehearsal
and performance that needs two pianos, etc., etc. You get the picture,
I'm sure.
   The problem is that the Director of the Music Dept. (a cellist!) can't
see the necessity of having a 9' piano in there only for rehearsals. He
thinks a 7', or even a larger 6' would be sufficient. We pay $300.00 for
every round trip and he can't understand the necessity of it. He says
there are schools all over the country who don't have concert grands in a
comparable rehearsal room. My thought (unspoken) was, "So what? There are
schools all over the country who don't have and may never have, a nice
new music building like we do, either. Does that mean we shouldn't have?"
   We've already had two pianists 'almost' injure themselves trying to
play a 7' Baldwin on those two concerti. One did postpone a recital for a
couple of weeks. He just said, "That's too bad. They need to learn to
adapt to the piano and the room, have the orchestra play softer and just
do what they can. On a Prokofiev Piano Concerto? Fat chance. (It's either
the 1st or 3rd. I can't recall right now.)
   This is the closest I've gotten in my 6+ years here to getting into a
"heated" discussion with him. This is his last year as the Director but
is staying on to teach and perform, so there'll be someone else in that
position next year. He's done some wonderful things for this department
and if it weren't for him, we probably wouldn't have this new building.
But it's so frustrating trying to get a non-pianist to understand the
needs in a case like this.
   Am I (and the head of our piano dept.) being unreasonable in
asking/pushing for this?
   Her husband, who's probably one of the best private piano teachers in
Houston is seriously considering buying it for his home studio if we
don't. He's the one who found it (it's waaaay out of the Houston area)
while he was doing some Master Classes this past weekend. I'd just like
some unbiased opinions. Or at least as unbiased as another university
tech can be in a situation like this. :-)  Thanks.

Avery