is this honest+

[pianoman]

NO.
James Grebe
R.P.T. from St. Louis
pianoman@inlink.com
"Only my best is good enough"

----------
> From: Wimblees@aol.com
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: is this honest
> Date: Sunday, November 09, 1997 12:06 PM
> 
> In a message dated 97-11-09 11:02:42 EST, you write:
> 
> >s this happening anywhere else.
> >Friday I got a letter form the St. Louis Symphony sent by the Executive
> >Director Bruce Coppock.  It seems that the Steinway Piano Gallery here
is
> >having a special sale in conjunction with the symphony music school for
> >pianos used in the school and others on special sale.  This sounds like
a
> >normal university sale except that:
> >1.  The symphony is part of a recipient of special tax monies in this
area
> >that everyone pays.
> >2.  The symphony has its own music school that competes with private
music
> >teacher for the same students.
> >3.  Since when does the St. Louis Symphony have as its official piano
the
> >Steinway.  They say in the letter, "the same brand of instrument you
hear
> >us play in concert".  Last I heard Baldwin, Kawai, Yamaha, Petrov,
> >Bosendorfer, and Fazioli  were all competing in this market.  True most
> >pianists use the Steinway but that doesn't make it "THE OFFICIAL PIANO".

> >Could it be that it is chosen many times cause the Steinways are already
> >there?
> >	I am totally against institutions receiving public money and then using
> >part of that money to compete against the private businesses doing the
same
> >thing.  Same thing with public educational viewer supported television
that
> >begs for our money every few months.  I watch 'The New Yankee Workshop"
as
> >well as 'This Old House" regularly.  Before and after each program of
> >viewer supported programs we are subjected to commercials by Builders
> >Square, a travel agency, Porter Cable Tools, Stanley Works, Delta,
etc...
> >
> >How can all these institutions get away with this!
> >
> >
> >James Grebe
> 
> 
> 
> Jim:
> 
> I got the same letter, and, of course, being in the piano sales busines,
I
> was not too happy about it. Unfortunatley, there is not much that can be
done
> about it. You say, " 1.  The symphony is part of a recipient of special
tax
> monies in this area that everyone pays"  The fact the the symphony gets
some
> public money doesn't prevent it from promoting a private companies.  Even
> though sales like were previously held at private schools like Webster
> University, they also get some public assistence from, in the forms
grants
> and other funding. Therefore, the symhony can do the same thing. Several
car
> dealers havealso  been promoted by the STLSO, in exchange for sizeable
> contributions. There was even an expensive car sitting in the lobby of
Powel
> Hall once to promote it. 
> 
> "3.  Since when does the St. Louis Symphony have as its official piano
the
> Steinway.  They say in the letter, "the same brand of instrument you hear
us
> play in concert".  I don't know when the last time was you went to the
> symphony, but in the program it clearly states that Steinway is the
> "official" piano of the STLSO. This, I guess gives the manufacturere the
> right to publicy say so, and hold a sale. Since the Symphony Music
School,
> formerly CASA, is now owned and operated by the Symphony, and since the
> Steinway company has supplied them to the school, they have the right to
hold
> this sale. 
> 
> "2.  The symphony has its own music school that competes with private
music
> teacher for the same students." This is irrelevant. It is a private
school,
> operated by the symphony. A college's music school also competes with
private
> music teachers. If there is a music teacher with a large enough music
studio
> to attract the attention of a major manufacturer to have them supply the
> studio with free pianos in exchange for a "sale", I don't think the
teacher
> would turn that down. In fact, I just got a terrific idea. I am going to
hold
> a sale of "Music Studio" pianos, after I let my wife teach on them for a
> year. Do you think it will work?
> 
> Wim Blees 
> 
>