There is a political element to this. Insisting that the host of the event has a piano that is so bad that it can't be used for 15 minutes is an issue in and of itself. The owner might be shocked to get this information. Also, most pianists have played these kinds of gigs and probably have learned to put up with bad pianos. If the piano is so bad that the pianist refuses to play, the political stakes and problems ratchet higher. Mentioning all this to the event organizers would be appropriate. Then they could call the shots and deal with the host of the event, his piano, the pianist, and any others that might suffer bruised egos/feelings/psyches. Richard West On Apr 11, 2009, at 3:05 PM, Susan Kline wrote: > Since funds are crucial, perhaps a local musician with connections > to the Lied Center might lend a decent piano (being given mention > in the program, and copious thanks just before the program). Then > there'd just be the moving expense. > > If they've got this hot-shot pianist, given a decent instrument, > they should have their 15 minutes before the sit-down dinner, and > then a casual hour or two with coffee and dessert afterwards. > Bringing in a good pianist and then giving him or her just 15 > minutes to play is an insult. The casual nature of the hour > afterwards keeps people who just want the dinner and goodies from > being trapped and formal and tight-laced. A Brazilian might also > play them some Brazilian music, which could hold its own with > chatter, etc. > > Just MHO. > > Susan Kline > OSU, Newport Arts Center > > At 12:15 PM 4/11/2009, you wrote: > >> Hi David and all. >> >> I just had the misfortune to tune a 1933 Whitney (Kimball) grand >> for a huge fund raiser for our local Lied Center for the Fine and >> Performing Arts in a very nice home here in town. There is to be >> a guest artist...a fine pianist from Brazil, who will be >> playing.."something" for 15 minutes prior to dinner served at a >> promenent home in town next Friday. I went to tune it on >> Tuesday...and it's a Whitney/Kimball 4"10" grand from 1933!! I >> tuned it only.....it holds a tune, but was refinished and >> "rebuilt" by one of those people here who should never get near a >> piano...new nickle-plated tuning pins (for looks only) and the >> paint-job on the plate that surely shows the overspray on the >> plate ruining the strings....you've all seen that, Im' sure..The >> regulation had never been done for probably more years than I can >> count....(I'm a musician....so beyond 11...it's difficult! <G> ) >> >> Here's the question; Should the Lied Center bring in another >> piano for the event, or just tell the guest artist to just "grin >> and bear it" for the 15 minutes he's going to play prior to the >> sit-down dinner, fully catered, in order to fund lots of money for >> the Lied Center to continue operating? (This venue is in a lot of >> hurt, financially!!) >> >> Thanks for advise... >> >> Paul -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/caut_ptg.org/attachments/20090411/9e9b7139/attachment.html>
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