[CAUT] Working for other departments

[McNeilTom at aol.com]

When I was the tech at SUNY Fredonia, the president and  his wife were very 
big patrons of the arts.  She hosted many  soirees featuring faculty and 
visiting artists as well as stellar student  performers.  It was considered an honor 
and a privilege to be on her  invitation list, and I often was.  She brought 
her 6' 4" Knabe, to the  mansion when they arrived.  She loved the piano and 
the performers were OK  with it.  It was understood (read "commanded") that her 
piano was to be  considered part of my workload, otherwise she would just 
commandeer an S&S  'B' from the School of Music, which piano had been assigned to 
the mansion  previously.  All of this made great sense from many community 
relations  perspectives.
 
Eventually, she decided it was time to overhaul the action of her  Knabe.  
She proposed, and my boss agreed, that I would do the  project as part of my 
duties; she would pay for the parts.  The piano  went from "OK" to "very 
satisfying" and she became an even  bigger supporter of the School of Music.  
Everybody won.  (And in  a couple of years, she and her husband went on their way, as 
college presidents  do, with a nicely spiffed up piano, courtesy of SUNY.)
 
There was the usual array of pianos on campus beyond the School of  Music.  
These were not my responsibility, and some of those I never  saw.  Others came 
under my care occasionally when they were used for SOM  performances.  This 
also applied to a few other pianos around town, in  churches, etc.  For a while 
the SOM found itself short of recital venues  and with a decent concert grand 
to spare.  This piano was moved to the  Lutheran church across the street from 
the campus; very nice acoustics and  ambience.  It became a favorite for 
student recitals - and of course the  church was free to use the piano for its own 
needs.  Another win-win  situation.
 
Fortunately, I had a very good working relationship with the SOM and the  
college.  I was always involved in the discussions leading to these  'deals'.  It 
really pays to nurture healthy relationships at all levels of  the musical 
community!
 
~ Tom McNeil  ~
Vermont Piano Restorations
VermontPiano.com

346 Camp  Street
Barre, VT 05641
(802) 476-7072
 

 
In a message dated 6/12/2008 12:31:43 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
tannertuner at bellsouth.net writes:

At South Carolina, I was always of the  impression I couldn't work for other 
departments as a contractor.   Other employees who had attempted to bill other 
departments for work later  were surprised when the amount was taken out of 
their  paychecks.  I typically had to refer other departments to other  techs.
 
The school of music kept the President's House  piano, but was not 
responsible for any other departments, including the larger  performing arts venue next 
door that we regularly use for  performances.
 
 
Jeff Tanner
 
----- Original Message ----- 

From:  _Willem  Blees_ (mailto:wimblees at aol.com)  
To: _caut at ptg.org_ (mailto:caut at ptg.org)  
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 2:18  PM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Parts Mark up




When I was at UA, my job was to tune the pianos at the SOM,  period. I was 
told specifically that all the other pianos on campus  should be treated as 
private customers. This included the President's  Mansion, the school's convention 
centers, the dorms, radio station,  etc. 

Was this an unusual situation, or is the common  practice?

Willem  Blees
Hawaii. 









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