[Richard Crowley]

"Arny Krueger" wrote...
Since the manufacturer of the electronic piano is known, the above seems
to be similar to saying that all Roland electronic pianos have "twinky
cheap plastic keyboards".

Not at all. We don't know the *model number* so we don't know
what kind of keyboard it has. Are you saying that ALL Roland
keyboards have classic piano hammer-action keyboards? If so,
then we already have our answer and don't need to know the model
number. I don't know enough about ALL Roland products to know
whether they ALL have piano hammer keyboard actions? If anyone
does know, they haven't spoken up here yet.

I think the more serious point is that *all* pianos have a different feel.
Obliging a pianist to play on an instrument that he doesn't feel
comfortable with, whether or electronic or acoustical, is cruel and harsh
punishment, not to mention not too smart in situations like this.

That all said, most of the pianists I work with have, in the natural flow
of modern events, spent considerable time playing on a wide variety of
instruments, acoustical, electronic, expensive and cheap.

Yes, and the same is true for *most* of the pianists I work with.
HOWEVER, high-end classical musicians are a different breed
and much more "prima-donna" about things like this. For better
or for worse. They have their reputations to protect and, of course,
their individual quirks. We don't know anything about the musos
in this scenario, and I would NOT just *assume* that the singer's
accompanist would be fine with a cheap plastic keyboard. Been
there, done that, and got burned for my trouble.

In fact, many pride themselves on their ability to wrestle good sound out
of a wide variety of instruments.

Absolutely, and would that we could all work with musicians
like that. But it isn't safe to assume that they are ALL that nice.

Favorite quote from the printed program at the last "PDQ Bach"
concert in town...

"Professor Schickele plays whatever piano is available, exclusively."

But Peter Schickele is NOT your typical musician. :-)
(And I'll bet he doesn't do real public performances on plastic
keyboards.)