Concert

[Greg Granoff RPT]

Mary,
I also am an active pianist, with accompanying being my focus. I enjoy it
immensly and  I usually accompany at least one instrumental faculty member in a
recital yearly (the most recent being the piano reduction for the
orchestral accompaniment to Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez), and have more
requests from upper division students for the same service than I can meet,
given other obligations as technician. I was a music major at the University of
the Pacific, where in addition to continuing piano studies, I studied organ as
well-- I have been playing as a steady church organist for almost all of the
last 22 years.  Like some other  techs I play and noodle constantly as I tune,
with a peculiar love for arranging and playing (improvising actually) non-piano
music such as film scores, commercial jingles, orchestral music, etc.--
whatever inspires me. The more 'off the cuff', the better.
It's a source of some amusement to faculty and students that I view the piano
as a resource for the exploration of almost any kind of music -- not just
'pianistic' types.  A short digression here:  to me this is a testament to this
instrument's universality, and is not demeaning or lowbrow in any way.  I often
seriously think that classes in the piano as a 'universal' instrument as a
requirement for piano majors might help to lift some players out of the 'piano
keys as on/off switches' syndrome we all know about. They would no longer be
able to rely on ego boosting sound of pianistic fireworks as a kind of default
expressive content-- but would need to think seriously about how to make the
instrument emulate other instruments' expressive capabilities.  They could then
return to the standard literature with an all new awareness about what
expressive playing really means.  I'll get off the soap box now!

 I consider these activities invaluable from a technical perspective (besides
their obvious recreational advantages).  As a technician, I always evaluate a
piano from a musical perspective first, and then try to bring my work directly
into the service of what will make the piano a better musical instrument
compared to the inner ideal that I have evolved over the years, whether a
practice upright or a concert grand.

But there are musician/techs out there-- some particularly fine.  Bob
Grijalva-- where are you??

Greg Granoff
Humboldt State University

"Mary C. Smith" wrote:

> Okay, now y'all have piqued my curiosity...Seeing Ron's post about his
> recital, and Susan Kline's response that she's given some cello recitals
> made me wonder how many amateur musicians are on this CAUT list. I'm an
> amateur pianist myself, and perform regularly with my beloved
> piano/violin/cello trio, named Liendo Trio. We gave a recital at The
> University of Texas, where I am employed as a technician, in February. We
> also have played on local recital series at other venues, as well as house
> concerts just for our friends and families. It is a joy. I am delighted to
> know that other techs are active musically, and it makes my wheels turn
> about classical jams at National seminars, etc...Anyway, who else out there
> plays on a regular basis?
>
> Mary