[CAUT] caut Digest, Vol 1090, Issue 3

[Rick.Florence at asu.edu]

Wim, I don't think I would choose to marginalize my position with the
Director/Chair.  If we wish to be the respected professional whose opinions are
valued, then we need to play the part, not run away from the opportunity.  It is
true that the decision may not be ours to make, but we SHOULD be called upon for
our expertise in ALL keyboard matters and be available with an educated
recommendation.

Paul, gather up your information, present a few possible alternatives, recommend
the one you feel is best, and ask the Director in which direction (s)he wishes
to proceed.  This may be a good time to put together a capital purchase proposal
as well.  The keyboard faculty will be your strongest ally, or your worst enemy.
 Use this opportunity to push for a win-win situation for both camps
(piano/fortepiano) and you'll begin to build a rewarding working relationship
with your colleagues.

If we fail to participate and act proactively in these types of situations we
will simply be the "tuner" who is easily replaced and underappreciated, both
personally and financially.

Carpe diem!


Rick

________________
Rick Florence
Senior Piano Technician
Arizona State University, School of Music


Quoting Willem Blees <wblees at bama.ua.edu>:

> Paul
> 
> It me took me a while, but I now refer those difficult questions to 
> the people who are paid to make difficult decisions. Lay this problem 
> on the desk of the piano chairman or the department chairman. I would 
> go so far as to not even offer my recommendation. That leaves you 
> completely out of the decision making process. 
> 
> Wim 
> Willem Blees, RPT
> Piano Tuner/Technician
> School of Music
> University of Alabama
> Tuscaloosa, AL USA
> 
> 
> Quoting Paul T Williams <pwilliams4 at unlnotes.unl.edu>:
> 
> > Hi List,
> > 
> > Some of my greenish hue is starting to wear off on being a CAUT, but
> > on 
> > budget matters with piano faculty, in particular, I shine brighter
> > that 
> > the emerald city!!  We have 105 keyboard instruments here at the 
> > university, one of them being a Belt forte-piano about 25 years old.
> 
> > The 
> > professor who plays it primarily is demanding a major rehabilitation
> > to it 
> > which will require some outside help with my assisting this outside 
> > expert.  The estimated cost of bringing this "expert" in will take
> > over 
> > 28% of my yearly budget.  The instrument is used in concert 6-8
> times
> > per 
> > year as compared to our 3 Steinway D's, 1 concert Baldwin and 3
> > Steinway 
> > B's which are used constantly.
> > 
> > Some of the other faculty are up in arms about using the piano
> budget
> > and 
> > insist that this is a "special project" and should use "special
> > funds" 
> > like grants and the like.  Of course I agree strongly both ways!  It
> > is a 
> > university instrument, so it should use university funds.  On the
> > other 
> > hand it is used so infrequently, that I can't see using a huge slice
> > of my 
> > pie.  On the third hand, one of my responsibilities is to see to it
> > that 
> > all instruments are happy.
> > 
> > Having such a limited budget as I do, if I had to replace a good
> > quality 
> > grand, (not even concert level), I would be spending far more than
> > one 
> > year's budget, leaving all other instruments on hold until next year
> > 
> > whatever the need may be.INCLUDING the concert instruments.
> > So I ask for a bit of seasoned advise from you all.  How have you
> > handled 
> > such delemmas? Thanks for your help.
> > 
> > Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.....
> > 
> > Paul T. Williams RPT
> > University of Nebraska-Lincoln
> >