[CAUT] "All Steinway" Schools. The problem with...

[David Ilvedson]

If I might comment...I don't see why we are constantly coming down on Steinway?   This is an American company making a good product.   We NEED more of this...

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Fred Sturm" <fssturm at unm.edu>
To: "caut University Technicians" <caut at ptg.org>
Received: 11/22/2008 5:37:16 PM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] "All Steinway" Schools. The problem with...


>On Nov 22, 2008, at 1:14 PM, Ed Sutton wrote:
>> Is it possible that only practicing on one brand of piano results in  
>> performers who only know how to play that brand of piano, and so,  
>> believe that it is the only best piano for performance?
>> Kinda like knowing that English is the language everybody else  
>> should learn to speak?
>> ES


>	I have to say that from my experience, what is more important is  
>whether the piano has been well maintained: in good "condition,"  
>regulation, voice, tune. Practicing on pianos that are lacking in  
>those respects is definitely a detriment. As for variety, and how that  
>impacts the educational experience, I am certainly in favor of variety  
>(personal experience as a performer/practicer included here). But I  
>must say that I find more variety among pianos within the Steinway  
>line than among pianos in any other line. Some will say that is a  
>defect caused by bad production or design standards. I say it is  
>admirable whether or not it is a "defect," because variety is  
>necessary to the performer. Pity the violinist who has to choose one  
>instrument. I'd rather be the pianist who has to take "pot luck" some  
>times.
>	Bottom line, yes, philosophically and indeed practically speaking I  
>hold with those who favor diversity. Diversity of brand may or may not  
>be a good thing in and of itself, depending on many factors. If the  
>brand S&S plus the marketing skill of the company is capable of  
>getting donors to open their wallets, I say hurrah!! In most of these  
>cases, there was no replacement budget or a laughably inadequate one  
>prior to "taking the plunge."
>	The number of schools which have adequate replacement budgets, and  
>are capable of maintaining both diversity and quality (of maintenance  
>especially) is pretty tiny. I happen to work at one (well, we have an  
>adequate replacement budget, and a not quite adequate maintenance  
>budget). Trying to come up with a variety of quality instruments is a  
>challenge, especially working under state regulations. Our dealerships  
>are limited in their offerings, and I often don't get bids on  
>instruments I would want to consider (eg, the dealer who carries  
>Bechstein as well as Kawai and Yamaha failed to bid the Bechstein last  
>year even though I listed it on the request for bids). Shrinking  
>markets and increasingly weak dealerships mean choices are very  
>limited, unless I want to go to the expense of shipping people 500  
>miles or more to try out pianos (and they are willing to spend the  
>time).
>	In any case, this whole question is very much a mixed bag. There are  
>a lot of passions aroused one way and another. I think that on the  
>whole, those schools who choose to go all-Steinway are well served, as  
>long as they have adequate maintenance staff. If variety of brand/ 
>manufacturer is a big plus, this means that all the other schools have  
>the opportunity to compete on this basis, and if it is a big plus, the  
>students will come flocking to their doors. What I fail to understand  
>is why people seem to feel threatened. Competition has been going on  
>in the piano world for 300 years. May it continue.
>Regards,
>Fred Sturm
>University of New Mexico
>fssturm at unm.edu