| Author | Message | ||
     Diversity Man Citizen Username: Deadwhitemale Post Number: 667 Registered: 5-2001 |
So, music dept. phones Craftsman Piano, at the above number, explains we are a cash strapped district, and requests a concert grand Bosendorfer, since the district plays with other people's money all the time. Or, just ask for a grand Yamaha. I waive the 100K salary. DWM | ||
| J. Crohn Citizen Username: Jcrohn Post Number: 938 Registered: 3-2003 |
DWM: "So, music dept. phones Craftsman Piano, at the above number, explains we are a cash strapped district, and requests a concert grand Bosendorfer..." Can one do an umlaut on this board? The pedant in me requires one. The Bosendorfer is must-have. This school district desperately needs the extra keys, and even more resonance than is provided by a good used Yamaha. Nothing else will do. Do we still have an instrumental music program? If so, our budget should reflect the cost of Strads and Guarnaris for the principal violins and any indigent soloists. | ||
| Tom Reingold Citizen Username: Noglider Post Number: 2283 Registered: 1-2003  |
Jcrohn, you can say Bösendorfer by copying from "charmap" on Windows and pasting it into the MOL window. With other operating systems, the method is different. With that said, I don't see the message behind your sarcasm, unless you're agreeing with DWM. Tom Reingold the prissy-pants There is nothing | ||
| J. Crohn Citizen Username: Jcrohn Post Number: 939 Registered: 3-2003 |
Bösendorfer. Yes, Prissy, that appears to work. I'd hoped for a less complicated way round the diacritical marks issue; personally, I prefer keystrokes to copying out of Character Map, but the only combination I've been advised about renders the umlauted O an uppercase letter, thus: BÖsendorfer. "With that said, I don't see the message behind your sarcasm, unless you're agreeing with DWM." I'm agreeing with DWM. My husband and I bought a terrific Yamaha upright, ca. 1964, from Vienna Piano Co. in Hackettstown, NJ. Repairs are warranteed for the lifetime of the instrument, which set us back $3,500 including bench. This is a fairly tall upright that, frankly, sounds nearly as good as a baby grand. (My father is a pianist; we had him play it for us to help us pick it out.) It also happens to be rather attractive. We didn't even shop around. Deals are to be had. Yamahas tend to be excellent value for the money. There is no reason to buy a new instrument for use in a high school auditorium; some of the best are old and refurbished. And no, the district doesn't need a Bösendorfer. (Unless someone out there plans to donate one, in which case we need it desperately.) | ||
| mwsilva Citizen Username: Mwsilva Post Number: 390 Registered: 5-2002 |
I'd rather see this kind of money spent to teach our kids how to read and work with math. I'd like to see fewer drop outs, higher test scores and no gap between races. We don't need to spend this kind of money on a piano until we can teach kids the basics. | ||
| Diversity Man Citizen Username: Deadwhitemale Post Number: 668 Registered: 5-2001 |
What is a charmap? A burned map? Help? 16K would buy many spellers and grammar books, and even teacher guides. DWM | ||
| Tom Reingold Citizen Username: Noglider Post Number: 2289 Registered: 1-2003 |
Whoa. I agree we should spend money judiciously on everything in the schools, and that means being careful when buying a piano, just like everything else. But I do not believe we should cut back or cut out arts programs just because basic academics are imperfect. That is a slippery slope I do not want to tread on, and I think no one should. Tom Reingold the prissy-pants There is nothing | ||
| birdbrain Citizen Username: Birdbrain Post Number: 25 Registered: 2-2003 |
Seton Hall is having their annual piano sale now. I don't know if they have grand pianos, but they advertise that all the pianos are around a year old and in good shape. That's the first place the school should look, perhaps Seton Hall could even cut a bulk deal as a community gesture. --- David Wren-Hardin amygdala17@yahoo.com Thousands of years ago the Egyptians worshipped cats as gods. Cats have never forgotten this. | ||
| michael Citizen Username: Michael Post Number: 498 Registered: 1-2002 |
The original subject of this thread is "silly" ( I’m sorry benois.... I never meant to hurt you but...) As I said before, $16,000 is not an exorbitant amount of money for a decent concert grand piano for a large auditorium. (not a basic upright for a classroom) This whole thread is meaningless unless you believe that they do need a new piano and should be able to get along with the one they have. I have no idea. Do you ? Without details, further conversation on this issue is a waste of time.(in my humble opinion, of course) | ||
| Diversity Man Citizen Username: Deadwhitemale Post Number: 669 Registered: 5-2001 |
A large auditorium in a concert hall, where costs are covered by ticket sales and benefactors? 16 K is a lot of money to assuage someone's artistic ego. Buy Seton Hall. DWM | ||
| xavier67 Citizen Username: Xavier67 Post Number: 360 Registered: 6-2002 |
"I hope its a Steinway. If you are gonna buy a piano once every 50 years, you better be buying a damn good one." $16,000 would not even get you a decent used Steinway. But I agree that if you are going to spend the money, spend it on an instrument that will last (like a Steinway). It would be a better financial decision over an extended period of time. We do, afterall, live in Maplewood/SO, filled with houses that were built to withstand the ravages of time. | ||
| Diversity Man Citizen Username: Deadwhitemale Post Number: 672 Registered: 5-2001 |
And filled with Steinwegs. DWM | ||
| harpo Citizen Username: Harpo Post Number: 1312 Registered: 6-2001 |
Budgeting just $16,000 for a good grand piano to use in an auditorium is already a statement of hoping to find a deal. I'm with Michael on this one. | ||
| Frank Fighera Citizen Username: Flapper Post Number: 1 Registered: 3-2004 |
A good piano is a once in a lifetime purchase. Once. At $16,000, a piano is not nearly 'top o' the line'. Try around $75-90,000 for a new Steinway Grand. So perhaps we should cutback the fat. You know there are places that sell used athletic uniforms. Maybe the football team can start wearing used uniforms. We could also buy close outs on shoes, after all they really serve no advantage if they match,, just that they fit. And no more extra money for teachers who tutor, we parents can do it at home. Get my drift? The point is $16,000 is no where near too much for an instrument that might give thousands of kids enjoyment and an education of the classics, or that might help produce an Elton John or a Bill Charlap for that matter. I suppose it makes more sense to spend $9000 now and in 5 years spend $25,0000. It's that kind of mindlessness that causes fiscal stress to begin with.}}} | ||
| bobk Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 4856 Registered: 5-2001 |
Looks like we will be selling the uniforms with the new budget that will knock out athletics at CHS. Maybe we will make a few bucks. This year isn't the year to be spending money on pianos imho. An 8% to 9% school board tax increase isn't the way to go. | ||
| happyman Citizen Username: Happyman Post Number: 117 Registered: 6-2001 |
Hey Lauren or Wycliff, Any chance you have a spare Steinway in the basement?  | ||
| xavier67 Citizen Username: Xavier67 Post Number: 361 Registered: 6-2002 |
"This year isn't the year to be spending money on pianos imho." Bob: When is it ever a good time? Do you honestly see a time in near future (say in next several years) that would be a better time? | ||
| bobk Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 4862 Registered: 5-2001 |
Yeah, A fair amount of the increase this year is, I believe, because of pay increases. I don't think this is a year for the "it would be nice" or " I think we need" items. Other districts in our DFG and in the DFG below where we are seem to be controlling budgets this year. Why can't we? | ||
| ffof Citizen Username: Ffof Post Number: 2030 Registered: 5-2001  |
Who is controlling budgets? My friend in Millburn says they are facing an 8% increase. | ||
| swankhank Citizen Username: Swankhank Post Number: 29 Registered: 8-2002 |
We could sell sponsorships on the uniforms...a la Nascar...Who would ever forget watching the Goody's Headache Powder Fencing Team from Columbia High School... Or...why not put a big Tide logo on top of the piano? Better yet...political ads...now we're talking. |
