Community College Work

[Richard Brekne]

By all means remember this is a job requiring a proffesional attidude from
both yourself and from the University. If they are not willing to accept
this you have two choices.. Either slop tune them once a year and get the
hell out of there, or set up a program that will really work to provide well
tuned and playable instruments for the teaches and students, and will last
as long time.

Have a talk with the administration folks.. see what they are willing to go
along with. Try and get a regular "basic service" schedule of say 2 days a
month (preferably more) to get all the pianos checked each month, and tuned
well at least every other month. This in addition to whatever concert
tunings and extra's they come up with.

Richard Brekne
I.C.P.T.G.  N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway

Ted Simmons wrote:

> I have been asked to bid on tuning a local community college's pianos.
> These pianos have been recently purchased and the dealer told the music
> director that they should need a tuning only once a year.  Now that's
> baloney and I can get through that OK.  But what I would like to know is
> what would I be letting myself in for if I take this contract.  Some
> things I worry about is access to the pianos whenever I want to. Also,
> what about charging for tunings and extra work.  Should I give them a
> discount (we're talking about 15 pianos)?  What about concerts for the
> stage piano?  I'm inclined to charge extra for concert tunings because
> it involves more than just tuning.  It involves checking all mechanical
> operations as well as voicing.  Would it be unreasonable to charge a
> double tuning charge?  Before Christmas I was scheduled to tune their
> stage piano at noon.  I showed up right on time but they were still
> rehearsing their Christmas program.  I had to wait around for a
> half-hour before the rehearsal was over.  Delays like that are something
> to consider in finalizing a contract.  Can anyone give me some pointers
> to help me out in this matter?
>
> Ted Simmons
> Merritt Island, FL