In this issue:
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From the Editor...
Welcome to the October '03 issue of The Buckeye Backcheck. First of all, I would like to thank Chris Altenburg, RPT for hosting the September meeting of our chapter. I would also like to thank Annekatrin Forster, vice president of August Forster, for coming to Graves piano, along with Berthold Neidhardt, President of German American Trading Company. Finally, I would like to congratulate Steinway & Sons on celebrating their 150th anniversary this year. Nominations are being accepted for the Guild Awards. Please submit a nomination if you feel so inclined to honor a piano technician worthy of such an award. Kim Hoessly has been informed by the Home Office that the Columbus Chapter is getting a new member by transfer from the LA Chapter of the PTG. His name is Mark Kessler, and he lives in Marietta, Ohio. We also have a prospective member from Waveriy, Ohio named Mary Tyree. We look forward to meeting them! The Chapter Tool Kit was received by President Kim Hoessly and passed around the room. This Tool Kit is a large notebook which contains information on helping a chapter organize and communicate. There are helpful ideas on maximizing member attendance and executing long-range planning. Go to www.ptg.org and check out the site for CAUT. (CAUT refers to College
And University Technologists.) This is from the web site:
Graves Piano & Organ recently received Annekatrin Forster of August Forster pianos, and Berthold Neidhardt. President of Germon American Trading Company. Ms. Forster is the great-great granddaughter of the founder, August Forster. She was assisted in communication by Mr. Neidhardt, who talked extensively about the quality of August Forster pianos. (Mr. Neidhardt deals with the importing/exporting of musical instruments in Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Canada, Central America, China, Korea and Japan.) There is a high level of craftsmanship in August Forster pianos- perhaps
this is because they produce so few of them. There are only forty employees
building approximately 100 grand pianos and 200 uprights per year. Annekatrin's
father, Wolfgang Forster, is the president of the company. He has endured
much during his tenure as leader of this fine piano company. After the
death of Wolfgang Forster's father Gerhard, the exceedingly high inheritance
taxes led to August Forster being assimilated by the state owned VEB Fluegel
und Pianobau Loebau. Later. after the collapse of the government of the
German Democratic Republic, Wolfgang Forster was able to re-privatize the
family business.
This offering comes from the 7/0 Pin, the newsletter of the Baltimore Chapter of the Piano Technicians Guild. "CA" Glue Preservation
I have been using CA glue for quite a while now. I used to buy a lot
of accelerator because it would evaporate from the dispenser. Not anymore.
Here is the solution. It just takes a moment each time you use CA glue.
Store your accelerator liquid in its bottle with the solid lid. This stops
me evaporation. Keep an empty bottle of accelerator with the spray dispenser
screwed on. This protects the spray mechanism. When you are ready to
use, put the spray dispenser on the full bottle. When finished, spray
any excess back into the full bottle. Put the solid lid back on.
Put the spray on the empty bottle You would be amazed how long a
single bottle of accelerator will last.
The Arts Journal, an on-line publication, is a good source for what is current and important in the music world. The crises that symphony orchestras and opera companies are experiencing is alarming, and I thought it appropriate to post a few of these stories. ST. LOUIS SYMPHONY DUMPS GENERAL MANAGER TO SAVE MONEY The St. Louis Symphony, struggling to get its finances in order, has
dismissed its general manager. The orchestra says the move is to help reduce
expenses, and that the duties of the well- respected Caria Johnson will
be divided among other senior staff. Critic Tim Page called Johnson "the
admin- istrative heart and soul of the St. Louis Symphony."
MAKING THE MUSIC THE STAR For small, regional orchestras, the challenge of drawing a significant audience to concerts is considerable, and many resort to booking "superstar" performers like Itzhak Perlman or Yo-Yo Ma in order to sell tickets. The trouble with that strategy, of course, is that such soloists command exorbitant fees, which tend to wipe out most of die profit gained from the full hall. But not every orchestra is trapped in the star cycle. "The simple idea of giving the music itself top billing has kept the Las Vegas Philharmonic in the black for its first four seasons, without having to prop up its main-stage offerings with pops concerts or big-name guest artists." - Las Vegas Review- Journal 10/03/03 BABY STEPS TOWARDS SOLVENCY The San Antonio Symphony, which shut down in May and has effectively cancelled the 2003-04 concert season, says it is close to a new deal with its musicians, which would be a major step on the road back to fiscal solvency. "Federal Bankruptcy Court Judge Leif M. Clark gave the symphony and the American Federation of Musicians undl October 15 to work out a new deal and submit it to the rank and file for approval. A new contract would insure that the musicians, many of whom have moved on to other jobs, would be available when the San Antonio Symphony is able to resume performances." - WOAI Radio 09/30/03 STILL WALKING THE PICKETS IN CHARLOTTE It's been nearly a month now since the Charlotte Symphony musicians walked off the job in the face of management demands for pay cuts, reduced benefits, and a shortened season. Maria Portone says that the musicians should not have to make up for the mistakes of the orchestra's executives. "In my 23 years in Charlotte, the CSO has not mounted an endowment drive. As a result, its endowment is a meager $2.3 million. Similarly sized cities have far larger endowments, averaging $60 million, allowing them to support considerably higher budgets than Charlotte's. Indianapolis, a city about 30 percent larger than Charlotte, has one in excess of $100 million." - Charlotte Observer 10/01/03 CLOSING THE GAP IN FLORIDA The Florida Orchestra, buoyed by a flurry of last-minute contributions, has cut its deficit for the 2002-03 season to $500,000. The organization had been expecting to run somewhere between $1 million and $2 million in the red, due to slumping ticket sales and a drop- off in contributed income. Last month, the orchestra's musicians accepted a 16% pay cut in an effort to keep the orchestra afloat during the economic turmoil. - St. Petersburg Times 10/01/03 Steinway & Sons. which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, decided to conduct a search for the oldest Steinway pianos . The following results comes from their website. FINAL RESULTS OF "OLDEST STEINWAY PIANO SEARCH" NEW YORK (June 17,2003) Steinway & Sons would like to send a warm "thank you" to the thousands of Stetnway piano owners all over the world, who submitted their entries for the Search For The Oldest Steinwav Grand & Upright Piano Contest Your entries helped make this contest a huge success. All participants will be notified by mail in the coming days confirming their contest entry, as well as containing the final results. Steinway & Sons was founded on March 5, 1853 and the first piano produced by the company ac- cording to our original production logs was serial number 483 manufactured in August 1853. We realize that there were pianos produced by members of the Steinway family prior to this date, but this contest was a search for the oldest Grand and Upright produced by the company since incorpora tion. Pianos produced prior to the formation of Steinway & Sons are of great historic interest but cannot officially be considered as produced by the compony Steinway & Sons. We also cannot validate their authenticity, as Reproduction records were kept on these pianos. ### OFFICIAL WINNING ENTRIES OLDEST STEINWAY GRAND Ms. Helen H., San Antonio, TX Serial # 2162 - Manufactured in June1859 (First grand: serial # 791, manufactured in April 1856) OLDEST STEINWAY UPRIGHT Mr. Benjamin T. - New York City, NY Serial # 5488 - Manufactured in July 1862 (First upright: serial # 5451, manufactured in April 1862) Bruce A. Stevens, president of Steinway Sons, publ announced these two winning entries on Sat. June 7 at the Steinway & Sons' 150th Anniversary "In Celebration of Music" Popular Music concert at Carnegie Hall. Grand Prize: The winners may choose to have their Steinway pianos restored at the Steinway Factory Restoration Center or replaced with a new Steinway piano comparable to their own. Minimum prize has a retail value of $16,700. Consolation Prizes: To commemorate our 150th Anniversary, Steinway & Sons has produced a beautiful color glossy souvenir magazine that will be mailed as a complimentary gift to all entries received in the Oldest Steinway Piano Contest. For The Record The earliest pianos made by the company were "square" grands. However, Steinway & Sons stopped manufacturing square grands in 1888. Over the course of the past 115 years, authentic replacement parts for these square pianos are no longer available, which makes restoration impossible. While these pianos are of great historic interest, they are regrettably obsolete, and thus, invalid for the contest. A heartfelt "thankyou", to all the square grand entries we received, proving the longevity of these pianos. HONORABLE MENTION OLDEST STEINWAY "SQUARE" GRAND ENTRY Mr. Wallace S., Bralnard, NY Serial # 521 - January 1855 (First square grand: serial #483, manufactured in August 1853) Thank you everyone for making "The Search for the Oldest Steinway Piano"
such a huge success.
Women In Music-Columbus (WMC) has been a continuous presence in Central Ohio since 1882, Membership is open to all women who love music and includes composers, conductors, performers, and scholars. WMC sponsors the Columbus Women's Orchestra, String Sinfonia, and Choral Ensemble. 121st Concert Season Columbus Women's Orchestra - Mees Auditorium, Capital University
String Sinfonia ~ Various local churches
Sundays in the Huntington Chamber Series ~ Capital University
For more information, call 614-470-0098 or visit www.womeninmusiccolumbus.com
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