KEYNOTES September 2011 Newsletter

KEYNOTES
September 2011 Newsletter
Presidents Message.
At our recent Business Meeting and Presentation on August 1st, two new Provisional Members were welcomed into our Guild,
John Parise and Martin Tucker congratulations to you both, on behalf of my committee I trust that you really feel part of our
Guild and enjoy all the benefits of being a member. Following the formal meeting we all enjoyed a very informative talk and
demonstration on the musical instrument the bag pipes. Bradley Saul a student of the Australasian Piano School and a Master
of the instrument kept everyone enthralled with his enthusiastic approach.
Bradley also conveyed his experiences of the tuning school, supported by his fellow students John and Tim.
Our Guild enjoys a very close and healthy relationship with the school and the students. On behalf of our guild I sincerely
thank Bradley for his time and willingness to participate, my thanks also to John Borsje for the use of his piano shop and for
providing his kind hospitality to all in attendance.
On Tuesday Aug 16 I had the pleasure of being the guest lecturer at the school, the topic being re bushing, it was a mixture of
theory, practical demonstration and full participation of the students..
I also had the opportunity of meeting the three mid year intake students, who also took part in the presentation. Brent certainly
is making great headway with all the students, please take a moment to pop in when you have the time, it is very impressive.
During my visit I presented all the students a copy of the two disc DVD set on the -ARPT bench test, which covers many
practical aspects for their learning, also each student received one of our ever popular Guild Mugs, with the school also
scoring a set of six.
It is very pleasing indeed to see the enthusiastic reaction from the students as they left with them.
I am currently en route to Wellington for the Convention, so I shall pen part two in a few days time.
Yes the Wellington Convention has been extremely well received by all that attended. Congratulations to all our New Zealand
colleagues for conducting a very friendly and professional event. The array of overseas speakers combined with local (NZ)
and Australian talent ensured that there was a broad spread of topics available. The great news to come from the convention
also was that New South Wales shall be hosting the next convention in September 2013 in Manly,NSW. , also Bob Hawker
from Western Australia has been elected as the new APTTA President, congratulations to Bob for agreeing to take on the role
and a huge thank you to David Jenkin for his outstanding leadership as President.
Further exciting news for our Victorian Guild is that Chris Whelan and I have arranged to have Mr Ken Eschete of Chicago
USA and soon to be of New Zealand come to Australia to conduct our first Master Class for 2012 in February. This will be an
event not to be missed! A warm invitation shall also be extended to our interstate colleagues to attend if they wish.
As of August 26 through to the end of September I shall be overseas on holiday, during this time my very good friend and
colleague Chris Whelan shall be taking over the reins, please contact him via phone or email for any Guild related matters.
Chris Whelan has also prepared a more detailed pictorial report on the Convention.
Please keep in mind that our Annual General Meeting shall be here very soon, it will be a Luncheon format held during the
day, this important date is Monday October 17. 2011. At the AGM all positions will be available for nomination.
Regards
Christopher Streader ARPT
President.
Whip into Wellington Convention August 2011
Written by Chris Whelan
The convention is too high end for the ordinary piano tuner. Doubts in which I
include myself and a flat economy left us with only eight Victorians attending
the convention
Wellington really is a beautiful city and for the first time in thirty years central
Wellington actually had snow. So the first few days were very cold and bleak
not that you really noticed it inside, only when you looked out, or actually had
to venture onto the street. The hills, houses, cars and trees covered in snow
really were the picture postcard.
To the convention itself.
Andre Oorebeek. From the Netherlands‘s voicing class was a winner. Andre is
a working technician so understands the pressures on both side of the fence,
when it comes to preparation of a piano for concert or general playing.
The star of the show was Ann Garee from Florida State University. Just ask
John Borsje he bought just about everything that she brought with her .
Frank Emerson talked on the Hailun piano factory and new hardware. I
would suggest the soft fall for a grand lid is a real winner. It also gave us the
opportunity to look at the new design for the Bernstein grand designed by
George F Emerson.
Bernie Capicchiano with the new George Emerson designed
Bernstein Grand
Geoff Pogson gave a technical workshop on installing a Dampp - Chaser into an
upright piano that took away any trepidation you might have had.
Geoffrey showing the install.
Robin Steven's gave a talk on Cyber Tuner in the trenches which made Dean
Reyburn's lectures look very dry indeed.
John Martin's Wertheim talk was another well attended lecture ably assisted
by Geoff Hyde and Chris Whelan.
Bridge recapping by Ken Eschete and key weight and touch by Bob Hohf USA
were all well attended and to hear the enthusiasm expressed at morning or
afternoon teas was really positive. As were all the other lectures I noted and
couldn’t fit into the schedule.
The Saturday night Yamaha Banquet with the Hot Club Sandwich Band was a
real success. The Bands quirky songs and lyrics were a real winner with the
crowd. As well as an auction for a set of grand hammers donated by Andre
Oorebeek helped keeps the fun going.
It was a very good, well run convention from the food and the lectures to the
hotel. Wellington really is a beautiful capital and the New Zealanders
well mannered, amiable help and advice, was also a delight. For those
who didn’t bother or voiced their disapproval by not attending and to
those members who never attend anyway, sorry to say you missed out!
Why aren’t you here?
For some original quirky fun music visit the Hot Club Sandwich website
www.hotclubsandwich.co.nz/
Overseas Travel and the Mobile Phone
When you are overseas, phone calls to and from home can be a real financial
drain, especially if you are still trying to stay on top of your business. On the
advice from one of the mobile phone shops in Wellington New Zealand we
went to a large bulk warehouse store and bought a mobile phone kit for forty
dollars (NZ) this included a Nokia phone and charger, sim card with five
dollars of calls to which we added another twenty dollars. Good advice! I
now have a phone that is not locked to any particular carrier and will work in
other countries with just the purchase of a new prepaid sim card... Like I said
I’M well ahead!
AND THEN THERE WERE THREE
Lou Park NSW, Robin Stevens SA, and Chris Whelan Vic the last three members
that have been to every convention so far. The basic formula was probably set
in those first two conventions and has steadily been refined ever since. It will
be interesting to see where New South Wales takes it in 2013. One thing I can
say it will be interesting it will be entertaining and it will be dearer.
So I suggest you start saving the dollars now.
Meet our newest Guild member Martin Tucker Tasmania
FOR SALE
Piano Tuners and Technicians Guild of Victoria coffee mugs
Available for $15.00 each.
Please place you orders with David Nyhouse at [email protected] .
EBONY
Definition, wood of several species of trees of the genus Diospyros (family Ebenaceae),
widely distributed in the tropics. The best is very heavy, almost black, and derived from
heartwood only. Because of its colour, durability, hardness, and ability to take a high polish,
ebony is used for cabinetwork and inlaying, piano keys, knife handles, and turned articles.
Encyclopædia Britannic
Grenadilla or African Blackwood is often mistaken for ebony, since it is such a uniform
black color. However, African Blackwood is not part of the ebony family. Rather, it is a
part of the rosewood family, and the black color is actually an extremely deep purple.
Training DVD’s
DVD’s are available at a cost of $30.00 each or $90.00 for the full set,
plus, postage and handling for members. Otherwise, $45.00 each or $135.00 for
the full set, plus postage and handling for non members.
We have a limited number available at this stage so please place you orders with David Nyhouse at
[email protected] .
This is a story screened on the
ABC earlier this year.
Piano tuning a dying art
Broadcast: 13/02/2011 ABC radio/tv
Editor Notes; If you go to Johns website you can watch the interview in its entirety
www.pianogallery.com.au
REBECCA NASH, REPORTER: The lack of suitably qualified or experienced employees is a common
lament among Australian businesses these days. But for those trained in the fine art of piano tuning
and restoring, it's become a theme song as they look to try and pass on their businesses on to the
next generation.
(Piano keys strike different notes as tuner works)
JOHN BORSJE, OWNER, PIANO GALLERY: I can see myself tuning until I basically can't hear any more.
I don't ever not want to tune. I just love tuning.
Just to smell the felts and the leathers and the French polish - I just long for that.
REBECCA NASH: Happily for John Borsje, there's a robust demand for his skills.
JOHN BORSJE: We just find that the work is just falling into our lap now. I'm probably too old for it.
I'm working harder now than I was at thirty.
We probably could have a hundred tuners, or a hundred and thirty, forty tuners in Melbourne but
there's hundreds of thousands of pianos.
(Tuner plays complicated piece on a piano)
You can see it's an out of kilter ratio.
REBECCA NASH: It was a different tune 30 years ago when the growing popularity of electronic
organs and keyboards was hammering the traditional piano.
JOHN BORSJE: The piano industry took a very, very bad dive and then to cope with that crisis, the
bigger companies then put off all their tradies.
So that immediately cut all the apprentice system out. So that's why we don't have a lot of piano
tuners and the older tuners now are very, very busy.
REBECCA NASH: It was during this tumultuous time that John Borsje joined the trade in Perth.
JOHN BORSJE: My best friend, he had a piano shop and he desperately needed someone to come
into the shop with him.
JOHN BORSJE (to customer): For $2300, tuned and delivered in the home.
SHOP CUSTOMER: In Sydney?
JOHN BORSJE: In Sydney? We can arrange it in Sydney. There'll be a slight correction adjustment.
JOHN BORSJE: I don't know whether- what else could be prompting it, but definitely there is an
influx of piano sales, let's say from ten, fifteen years ago.
We're what we call a one-stop shop. We move pianos. We tune pianos. But I would say our forte
would be our workshop, where we do extensive repairs.
It is very, very labour intensive because you have all these little parts to a piano.
REBECCA NASH: Although business is booming, John Borsje has just the one employee.
JOHN BORSJE: I would consider David as like a senior apprentice to me. I've actually trained three up
in my time.
REBECCA NASH: The industry hasn't had a formal training program for decades.
JOHN BORSJE: That is probably the biggest concern of the Piano Tuners Guild throughout Australia.
We don't even have our own category registered with the Government. As a piano tuner we would
come under the cabinet makers or woodworkers award.
REBECCA NASH: Some in the industry are considering tackling the problem themselves.
JOHN BORSJE: There could be a school being started up by one of our guild members. It's just making
sure that when we're gone that there will be people to look after these beautiful instruments.
REBECCA NASH: And he's confident about the future for the business he founded.
JOHN BORSJE: The piano won't die. It will never die. There's too many people that have a passion for
music, to start with, but there's piano players that just will always keep it alive.
REBECCA NASH: Meanwhile John Borsje's devotion shows no sign of fading quietly.
JOHN BORSJE: Well, the love is getting this piano in the workshop. You've got this piano which is
almost, almost like firewood, that's all it is - it's just rusted and bent.
And then three months later you've got this beautiful, restrung, polished piano that just gives you
goose bumps when you hear it played, and you think - you've just brought this beautiful instrument
back to life.
Editor Notes; If you go to Johns website you can watch the interview in its entirety
http://www.pianogallery.com.au/
BUSINESS MEETING
MONDAY EVENING August 1 2011
Piano Gallery
A very attentive audience watched Bradley Saul give his talk on the bagpipe.
Bradley dressed for the occasion in his uniform and showed his skill on several
occasions by playing several reels to the approbation of everyone in the
meeting and anyone within a block of Johns Borsje shop.
Bradley was then asked to give a short talk on his experience’ s and thoughts
of being a student at the Australasian School Of Piano Technology .
Please enter these proposed
dates into your diary for 2011.
Locations TBA
Monday 17th October 2011 Annual General Meeting time and venue TBA
Saturday 12th November 2011 Tuning exam day tuning school
Sunday 11th December 2011 Committee meeting
Committee for 2011
Christopher Streader …… President…………….…
0418 350 681……[email protected]
Chris Whelan ……………… …Vice President………
0427 514 418……. [email protected]
Michael Whitney…………..Secretary……………….0403 166 253….. [email protected]
Gary Beadell …………………. Treasurer…… ……….… 0427 530 863……..
[email protected]
David Nyhouse…………….. General Committee …… 0419 137 390……[email protected]
Eddie Tichelaar…………….General Committee …….0418 378 897……. [email protected]
The Editor would like to publicly thank Chris Whelan for his assistance with the production of this September
2011 edition of "KEYNOTES".
 THINK BEFORE YOU PRINT - Do you really need to print this e-mail?