All resolutions were submitted by the ICSOM Governing Board and adopted by unanimous consent
Support for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Musicians
Whereas, The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) has been a cultural icon for over a century, serving its community through good times and bad; and
Whereas, The BSO is one of our great American orchestras, the only ICSOM orchestra originally formed as a branch of a municipal government, performing educational concerts since the 1920’s; and
Whereas, Since 2002, the musicians of the orchestra have agreed to seven concessionary contracts, and the total amount spent on musicians in that time has grown about 0.4% per year on average, from $10.6 million to $11.2 million; and
Whereas, In the course of bargaining since September 2018, the BSO management has made and maintained onerous proposals, including proposals that would cut 12 weeks from the season and 20% from the musicians’ annual compensation; and
Whereas, The BSO musicians spearheaded an effort, along with former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and former board member Greg Tucker, that secured an appropriation of $3.2 million over two years from the Maryland General Assembly; and
Whereas, Despite this legislation, the BSO management canceled the recently announced 2019 summer season and shortly thereafter locked out the musicians; and
Whereas, Governor Larry Hogan has not yet released the funds appropriated by the General Assembly; and
Whereas, The BSO musicians have now been locked out for ten weeks; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Officers and Delegates to the 2019 ICSOM Conference call on the board and management of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra to fulfill their duty as custodians of the orchestra for the citizens of Baltimore, the state of Maryland, and this country by ending the destructive lockout and bargaining in good faith to reach a fair contract agreement with the musicians of the orchestra; and, be it further
Resolved, That the Officers and Delegates to the 2019 ICSOM Conference call on Maryland Governor Hogan to immediately release the funds for the BSO appropriated by the Maryland General Assembly.
Support the Butch Lewis Act
Whereas, The International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) represents nearly 4,000 orchestral musicians from the top 52 orchestras in the United States and Puerto Rico; and
Whereas, More than 200 multi-employer pension plans across the country are in financial jeopardy, threatening the retirement benefits of millions of Americans; and
Whereas, The American Federation of Musicians and Employers’ Pension Fund (AFM-EPF) multi-employer pension plan has entered critical and declining status as of this year; and
Whereas, The vast majority of ICSOM musicians are relying on the AFM-EPF for economic security in their retirement; and
Whereas, House Resolution 397, the Butch Lewis Act, was passed by the House of Representatives in June of 2019 and introduced in the Senate as S. 2254 in July of 2019; and
Whereas, The Butch Lewis Act would establish a trust fund to make loans to certain multi-employer pension plans such as the AFM-EPF, thereby securing the previously earned retirement benefits of ICSOM musicians, the approximately 55,000 participants in the AFM-EPF, and millions of other hardworking Americans; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Officers and Delegates to the 2019 ICSOM Conference urge the United States Senate to pass S. 2254.
David Angus
Whereas, David Angus joined the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra as third horn in 1973; and
Whereas, He represented his orchestra colleagues on the orchestra committee, negotiating committee, and as ICSOM Delegate for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra from 1977-96 and again from 2002-13, for a total of 30 years of service; and
Whereas, Since 1994 David Angus has served as president, and currently serves as both president and secretary-treasurer, of the Rochester Musicians’ Association Local 66; and
Whereas, He served on the ICSOM Governing Board as Eastern Orchestras Regional Vice-Chair from 1978-83, as Member at Large from 1988-90, and from 1990-2002 as ICSOM President; and
Whereas, Since 1992 he has served as a valued advisor and Trustee for the AFM Symphony-Opera Strike Fund; and
Whereas, After 46 years, David Angus is retiring as a member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Officers and Delegates to the 2019 ICSOM Conference express their immense respect, admiration, and gratitude to ICSOM President Emeritus David Angus for his decades of service on behalf of musicians in Rochester, other ICSOM orchestras, and orchestras across the US and Canada, and offer their best wishes in all his future endeavors.
Matthew Comerford
Whereas, Matthew Comerford, assistant principal trumpet of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, admirably served multiple terms as a member of the orchestra committee and negotiated six contracts during his tenure; and
Whereas, He represented his orchestra as ICSOM delegate from 2004-18, and during that time he was elected as ICSOM Member at Large in 2008, a position he held until 2015; and
Whereas, Matthew Comerford served as an outstanding representative for the pit orchestra musicians in opera and ballet orchestras in ICSOM; and
Whereas, He served as a member of the ICSOM Electronic Media Committee from 2004-19, as Co-chair and then, from 2013-15, as Chair; and
Whereas, Matthew Comerford recently retired after 32 seasons with the Lyric Opera of Chicago; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Officers and Delegates to the 2019 ICSOM Conference extend their thanks and respect to Matthew Comerford for his devotion to orchestra musicians and recording orchestras across the country, and offer him best wishes for a rewarding retirement and many holes-in-one in his future.
Brian Rood
Whereas, Brian Rood has been a member of the Kansas City Symphony since 1995, where he has been an outstanding leader in his orchestra; and
Whereas, After leading his orchestra in achieving union recognition, negotiating the orchestra’s first collective bargaining agreement, and joining ICSOM, his ICSOM activities increased when he was elected to serve as ICSOM President from 2002-05 and then again from 2006-15; and
Whereas, Brian Rood has served as Trustee to the AFM Symphony-Opera Strike Fund and AFM Trustee for the American Federation of Musicians and Employers’ Pension Fund; and
Whereas, He is stepping down from his position as Chair of the ICSOM Electronic Media Committee, a position he has held since 2015, and where he served as a key musician representative during the recently-ratified Integrated Media Agreement (IMA) negotiations; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Officers and Delegates to the 2019 ICSOM Conference offer their thanks and gratitude to ICSOM President Emeritus Brian Rood for the energy, expertise, compassion, and devotion he continues to display on behalf of orchestra musicians throughout the US and Canada, and hope that he will continue to offer his services and influence for the benefit of the orchestral field in the future.
Kimberly Tichenor
Whereas, Kimberly Tichenor joined the Louisville Orchestra’s second violin section in 2000, and in 2010 she moved into a leadership position as assistant principal second violin; and
Whereas, For most of her tenure with the orchestra she has served on Louisville Orchestra’s orchestra committee and negotiated many contracts; and
Whereas, In tandem with Co-Chair Clara Markham, she was instrumental in leading her Louisville Orchestra colleagues through the orchestra’s bankruptcy filing and subsequent lockout of the musicians; and
Whereas, Kimberly Tichenor has attended ICSOM conferences as an observer in 2010, as Alternate ICSOM Delegate in 2013 and 2016, and as the Louisville Orchestra ICSOM Delegate at the 2012, 2014, and 2017 conferences; and
Whereas, In 2016 she was elected and has served as Member at Large (MAL) for the past three years; and
Whereas, Kimberly Tichenor has decided to step down as MAL to concentrate on the upcoming negotiations for the Louisville Orchestra; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Officers and Delegates to the 2019 ICSOM Conference offer their thanks and respect to Kimberly Tichenor for her service, advocacy, and devotion to her orchestra and to the thousands of members of ICSOM orchestras across the country, and wish her all the best as she continues to proactively serve her colleagues and the Louisville community in the future.
