[CAUT] Workload; was Position announcement

[tnrwim at aol.com]

This topic got off track about the value of being an RPT. My main point was originally about communicating with music departments. The information that needs to be sent to music schools is not just that they need to hire RPT's. That in itself should be mentioned. But what should be the main focus in the information we send to music schools is what we have been complaining about, and that is the workload and pay scales of full time piano technicians. 

We all agree that for the most part, schools don't have a clue how many piano technicians it takes to properly maintain a fleet of pianos. As someone mentioned earlier, a piano professor sees a full time piano tuner with 1000 clients, and thinks that a school with a 100 pianos should a couple of weeks worth of work. This is why the PTG needs to send out the work load formula, with an explanation of why one technician can properly take care of only 70 - 80 pianos. Along with that, the PTG needs to explain why a full time piano technician needs to make a minimum of $45,000 - $50,000. 

This is the kind of information that music schools need to be given, again, not just once, but several times a year for a period of 5 or 6 years, or longer, in order for "them" to get the picture. Until that happens, we will continue to see schools advertising for low paying technicians to take care of too many pianos, and we're going to continue to complain about it. 

Wim


-----Original Message-----
From: tannertuner <tannertuner at bellsouth.net>
To: caut <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Sat, Jul 24, 2010 8:53 am
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Workload; was Position announcement




I disagree Wim. RPT is not the only credible "certified" piano technician out there. It is a basic skills test. Other programs out there are offer far more advanced level of skills evaluation. There may not be any letters associated with them. But there are all sorts of educational experiences, and work experiences out there that say a lot more than RPT does on a technician's resume.  For example, it would say a lot more to a search committee if I'd completed all 4 Steinway or Yamaha training seminars.  It would say a lot more if I'd been the personal technician of a highly regarded artist, symphony or performance venue for any length of time.  Anybody who's completed the Potter course or first year at North Bennett Street is supposed to be capable of passing the RPT basic skills test. That's 6 months or a year's worth of exposure to piano work plus whatever time it takes to get all three exams scheduled. A drop in the bucket compared to the other experiences.
Jeff


--- On Sat, 7/24/10, tnrwim at aol.com <tnrwim at aol.com> wrote:


From: tnrwim at aol.com <tnrwim at aol.com>
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Workload; was Position announcement
To: caut at ptg.org
Date: Saturday, July 24, 2010, 2:14 PM




I've said before, it doesn't take an RPT to make a difference in most of the pianos at a school. And there are a lot of non-RPTs out there who do very high level work. 

Yes, there are non-RPT's doing high level work. There are also RPT"s doing high level work. As I said before, the PTG is spending a lot of time, energy and money promoting the RPT. When school administrators are looking for a piano tuner, instead of them advertising in general, wouldn't it be to our advantage, as an organization, if they would be looking for an RPT, instead of just any piano tuner? That's all I'm trying to convey here. 
 
Until there is a government approved, and funded, apprentice program, the RPT is about the only credible "certified" piano technician out there. And just as there are in other profession, there are good ones, and there are bad ones. Remember, in a class of 500 graduates, someone graduates first in that class, but someone also graduates last. 
 
Wim






-----Original Message-----
From: tannertuner <tannertuner at bellsouth.net>
To: Ed Sutton <ed440 at mindspring.com>; caut <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Sat, Jul 24, 2010 7:48 am
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Workload; was Position announcement




This is the attitude I've run into generally. It seems the faculty believe they know what to look for, and few see the RPT designation as any real assistance in that process, because a score of 80 and a score of 100 get you the same lapel pin, despite being miles apart in skill level. When they're looking for cheap, they know what the budget is and they look for cheap because they've been unable to increase the budget. I took over work at a small school for a tech who'd been charging them the same low price for 10 years, and their $3500/year budget for 28 pianos which had been the same for years actually got cut this past year. All that extra stuff good techs do just eats away the insufficient budget. So, that's kind of what you get when the faculty manage the maintenance and you aren't really able to make recommendations and push the bar higher.  You don't need to be an RPT, much less a CAUT endorsed tech, to do that.  
 
I've said before, it doesn't take an RPT to make a difference in most of the pianos at a school. And there are a lot of non-RPTs out there who do very high level work.  No PTG designation will ever make a hill of beans until government requires we obtain some sort of certification to practice our trade.
 
As for Klavierbauer, is that a private or government program?
Jeff

--- On Sat, 7/24/10, Ed Sutton <ed440 at mindspring.com> wrote:


From: Ed Sutton <ed440 at mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Workload; was Position announcement
To: caut at ptg.org
Date: Saturday, July 24, 2010, 10:34 AM


Sadly, it seems to me that most colleges want cheap, discount service. Look at the quality of truck maintenance in most state universities. I would not have my car serviced in the truck service department of the last school where I worked.
Getting these schools to upgrade to RPT would be a real accomplishment.
 
A few of the best schools want something more. Usually they know how to recognize it.
 
Klavierbauer is possible in a country the size of New England with a small handful of top notch manufacturers, a national school system that teaches cooperatively with industry, and a centuries-old tradition of exclusive trade and craft guilds. A place where all is well for those who fit in the system.
 
es








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