Issue: Chairperson's Reports
Solidarity, along with collective action, is the heart and soul of a strong union. Recognizing the interests and objectives we share with our brothers and sisters engenders a sense of unity. The conscious affirmation of this unity creates an environment where mutual service is encouraged. Yet, for participation to be most meaningful, we must actively practice solidarity—oftentimes having to choose … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
As it becomes increasingly clear that diversity in our orchestras must be a priority moving into the future, more opportunities to facilitate that goal are being created within our industry each year. The National Alliance for Audition Support (NAAS) is an unprecedented national initiative created by the Sphinx Organization (which is the program leader and fiscal administrator of NAAS), the New … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
Imagine for a moment the tens of thousands of sensations that bombard your conscious mind daily: that which you see, both moving and still, its color, detail and depth; what you hear, pitch, volume, perhaps words; touch, smell and taste. Your brain can process and sift all that information with minimal conscious attention, all while you’re walking down the street, sipping a coffee and reading … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
One of the responsibilities of my position that I feel most acutely is the need to be the public voice of ICSOM. I am afforded several opportunities to do so on a regular basis, including this column in each issue of Senza Sordino, and the opening address to our annual conference. While it feels gratifying to be an advocate for our orchestras and our art form, there are times when some … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
In the past several years, cultural diversity has become a major topic on the national arts agenda. Across the country, foundations, arts councils, advocacy organizations, nonprofit organizations, and universities alike have taken serious steps to explore, understand, and commit to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts. Against the backdrop of the widely publicized violence … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
The 21st Annual Sphinx Competition and SphinxConnect conference were held at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center, January 31 to February 4. ICSOM has been a supporter of the Sphinx Competition since 1998, and this year President Paul Austin and I attended, along with AFM SSD Director Rochelle Skolnick; Susan Ayoub, Secretary-Treasurer of Detroit Local 5; Alfonso Pollard, AFM … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
America is facing a pension crisis of epidemic proportions. At the very moment when our population is rapidly aging, the fabric of our pension system is collapsing. By the year 2030, one in five Americans will be over 65. Plan assets for private pensions are grossly inadequate—underfunded by billions of dollars according to the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC). Many employers are … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
The 4th International Orchestra Conference (IOC) took place in Montreal at the beginning of May, hosted by the Guilde des Musicians et Musiciennes du Quebec (GMMQ), Local 406 of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada. The IOC is a creation of the Fédération Internationale des Musiciens (FIM) which is the only global organization for musician trade unions, guilds and … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is a critical part of funding for the non-profit arts sector. Despite the miniscule amount of Federal money allocated to the NEA (0.004% of the 2016 fiscal budget), NEA grants spur giving from private sources, foundations, corporations, and individual contributors. On average, each NEA dollar generates another nine dollars from state, local, and private … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
In Terry Teachout’s Wall Street Journal article “The Money Pit”, dated 10/19/16, he uses the book Tales From The Locker Room: An Anecdotal Portrait of George Szell and his Cleveland Orchestra, by Lawrence Angell and Bernette Jaffe, as a cautionary tale for orchestral musicians. In 1952, just a few generations ago, the base salary for a 30 week season in Cleveland was $3240, that’s $29,231 in … [Read more...]
