[CAUT] University piano replacement program

[Ed Sutton]

Dear Tony Mastodonna,

By chance are you the same Tony Mastodonna who is Director of Institutional Sales for Steinway Hall at Akron?

Ed Sutton
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: tony 
  To: College and University Technicians 
  Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2008 8:56 AM
  Subject: Re: [CAUT] University piano replacement program


        Fred,

        Thank you for your in site. 

        With all do respect, I do believe you've missed my point, again! 
        I agree with you on recommending the best!! 

        And I believe it's obvious you would want the most "heavy duty" pianos in the area's that get the most use. 

        And with a budget to support that, all would be wonderful. 
        As a consultant we recommend the absolute very best. There is NO argument!
        I respect your opinion on purchasing or rebuilding the best.
        I acknowledge the fact that you would disagree with the suggestion and support the program to only get the best instruments, proven over time, to give the best results in the various different parts of the School facility. I applaud you. I'm sure that your program would serve as a model for other institutions across the country!

        What do "other technicians" do if the budget comes up short of the "Ideal plan" and the need is so great that it was effecting recruiting. Do they continue to put money into pianos that are reaching the end of their life or compromise. 

        I believe that while one university it waiting for the funds to come through, another university moves forward with a compromise in en effort to help compete for students. It's a proven fact, that part of the attraction to incoming students and parents is the physical condition of all of the facilities including the pianos. It may not be the proper way to judge a learning institution. But it still remains a fact. 
        Remember their are many places a quality student can go for their Music degree. 
        Each School is competing for students.

        Once again, I AGREE WITH YOU!! 

        I asked a simple question!

        What would you do if you were asked to compromise.

        I now know your answer.......

        They're are technicians faced with this problem everyday and HAVE made the decision to compromise. 
        I was looking for opinions on that and that alone...Not wether one should or should not.

        I never recommend to compromise, but when given a choice of waiting or moving forward immediately some Technicians and Faculty have decided to compromise.

        I was looking for some experience with this compromise. Because you have made your opinion clear, maybe someone else has had a different experience. We don't know all the facts unless we ask...do we? 

        Once again thank you for your Opinion. One I totally agree with!!

        Tony Mastadonna 
        Institutional Sales Consultant
        amastadonna at neo.rr.com

            Cell-330-603-8843

        -------Original Message-------

        From: Fred Sturm
        Date: 7/2/2008 4:07:25 PM
        To: College and University Technicians
        Subject: Re: [CAUT] University piano replacement program

        On Jul 2, 2008, at 9:35 AM, tony wrote:


        I'm a Institutional piano consultant.


        With all due respect, I don't think you have the knowledge and experience to be an institutional piano consultant, judging by what you have posted. Perhaps an institutional piano purchase consultant, and maybe there are places that need that kind of help. I think most places really need an institutional piano service consultant more than a purchase consultant, though. Doesn't matter what they buy, if the pianos are never well prepped to begin with, and aren't kept up. Even if an institution pays top dollar for what they think is the very best, if they don't hire a highly qualified tech, they have thrown all that money down the drain for all the good it does (other than to the piano manufacturing community, which certainly needs the help).
        Regards,
        Fred Sturm
        University of New Mexico
        fssturm at unm.edu




       
              
       
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