Making the Transition

[Conrad Hoffsommer]

At 05:12 02/08/2000 -0600, you wrote:
>Rook,
>At 05:30 02/08/2000 -0500, you wrote:

>>A long-winded 'how did I get here' coming up soon from
>>Rook

>I could make the same threat. ;-}

Making good the threat..........

Almost exactly two years ago there was a similar thread I'll excerpt and
edit my post from 2/12/98 below, but if you search the archives during Feb
98 and again in May 98 under "bios" and "poll" you should come up with
several.

>After dabbling at tuning, aided and abetted by Wm Braid White, getting out
>of the service and returning to Michigan State, I really learned to tune
>under Owen Jorgensen.

While stationed in Vallejo, CA (I was a navy nuclear power plant mechanical
operator), I was greatly encouraged by the folks at Couch Piano (is it
still there?), but the ship left the yards and rejoined the 'Tonkin Gulf
Yacht Club'. 

>I worked a series of day jobs

These included power plant operator at Guantanamo Bay Navy Base and
positions at a textile machinery manufacturing plant in Delaware, where I
did assembly, shipping , sales and tech. rep.

>... then went to Western Iowa Tech, apprenticed at
>Aspen (where I learned a lot about harpsichords), worked for stores in Sioux
>Falls,SD and Phila.  Spent a week at Steinway with Joe Bisceglie - what a
hoot! 

In Sioux Falls I was a staff tuner, so I had an instant (if meager) income.
 In Philly area I was a sub-contract tuner for a large dealer, and being
hungry (and much younger), I took all the tunings I could and was working
on expanding my own client base. Working in a large market meant that I did
not have to "steal" the store's customers.

Left the area for a steady paycheck and benefits of a college tech.

>Been here since '81.
>86 quasi-normal pianos, 1 square, 1 fortepiano replica, 4 harpsichords, 5
>tracker pipe organs, occasional teaching.

I've been to numerous conventions over the years and never fail to gain
tremendously from them.


>Conrad Hoffsommer		Office - (319) 387-1204
>Acoustic Keyboard Technician - Luther College
>700 College Drive, Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045
>hoffsoco@martin.luther.edu 
>
>If I had multiple personality disorder, my resume would make more sense.