Another notice about the Berkeley event

Attention Northern California PTG Technicians: 

Lothar Thomma – Swiss piano designer will be in the San Francisco Bay Area at the end of January.

 Mr. Thomma worked for Bechstein as a designer from 1987 through 1994, was consultant to Fazioli and Steingraber and Sons, did design work for Honner and Young Chang and has designed the high end Ritmuler for Pearl River.

 The Ritmuller will début at the 2009 NAMM show and then make its way to Russell Kassman’s Piano Store in Berkeley Ca on 30, January 2009.

 The event will begin with wine and cheese at 6pm Friday January 30 and be followed by a lecture by Mr. Thomma on scale design.

 Technicians are encouraged to invite music teachers and interested friends and family.

 Please RSVP as soon as you know that you are going.

Russian School not real

The comments I've been getting convince me that the Russian school is not real. So don't send them any CDs.

Russian music school needs donations

I got this email recently. I went to their website and it looks legitimate. If it is a scam, it's for extremely low stakes.

I am writing to you on behalf of the teachers’ council of our Moscow Musical College after finding your e-mail address at the Piano Technicians Guild.

For more than 15 years we have been providing music training for children from 5 to 14 years of age. Unfortunately, because of the poor economic situation that has prevailed for a long time in Russia, we have received only minimal support from the Moscow government’s federal budget.

I would like to explain that we do not collect any tuition fees from the students at our college, otherwise the majority of parents would not be able to afford their children’s tuition. Consequently, it is becoming increasingly difficult to continue with this very worthwhile enterprise. Furthermore, when it comes to the matter of teaching materials, the situation is little short of catastrophic, particularly with regard to sound materials.

We would be extremely grateful if you could send us any recordings of music on CDs, DVDs or LPs, even if their boxes are damaged.

YOUR HELP IS NECESSARY TO US!

Yours faithfully and hoping for your help,

Nickolay Carmanow,
Director.

Moscow Musical College
39-5-25, 3-Barkovaya street
105037, Moscow
Russian Federation

Phone: 7-985-366-6917

E-mail 1: MusicalCollege@mtu-net.ru
E-mail 2: MusicalCollege@bk.ru

Web: http://MusicalCollege.narod.ru

Best job listing ever

If you are half of a dueling piano duo, click here.

Special PTG program in Berkeley

"Piano Scale Design" will be presented on Friday, January 30 at R. Kassman's piano showroom at 843 Gilman Street in Berkeley (phone 510-558-0765) by  renowned Swiss piano scale  designer Lothar Thomma, who on accolades for his redesign  of the C.  Bechstein line of pianos in the 1980's and who  regularly consults for  manufacturers Steingraeber and Fazioli, has recently  redesigned the entire  line of Ritmüller pianos. Please arrive by 6 pm to enjoy the light supper to be provided by our gracious host, Russell Kassman. 

     Mr. Thomma has an illustrious career in the piano industry as a designer and  teacher and is credited with being one of the main inventors of the “TF-65” calculator for piano scale design. He has worked or  consulted for 20 different piano manufacturers worldwide and has more than  30 years  experience as a member and director of both the German Piano Manufacturers’ Association and the European Piano Manufacturers’  Association. He taught the master course at the German Music Instrument Technical  School in Ludwigsburg, Germany and has been a member of the German Piano Industry Research Project in Ludwigsburg since 1968.  Mr. Thomma is an enthusiastic spokesperson for the new Ritmüller models. His  participation in the creation of these extraordinary new pianos speaks to  the Pearl River commitment to honor European tradition in the design and  construction of the Ritmüller brand.

       Representatives of other chapters: we would appreciate it  if you would  forward this on to your members who might be interested in  attending.  Thank  you.

        Rob Mitchell

    San Francisco PTG Chapter Secretary  

CCM makes largest Steinway purchase ever

CCM Joins Steinway & Sons in Historic Partnership

CCM's acquisition of 165 new pianos is the largest unit purchase in Steinway's history.

Date: 11/18/2008
By: Katie Syroney
Phone: (513) 556-9484
Other Contact: Curt Whitacre
Other Contact Phone: (513) 556-2683

    CCM, the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati (“UC”), received approval today from the UC Board of Trustees to enter an agreement with Steinway & Sons to purchase 165 new pianos, the largest unit purchase in Steinway’s 155-year history.

read entire article

Very few people can play Lizst up to tempo