Issue: Chairperson's Reports
I get it. It feels as though nothing we do or say has any influence. What is the point in contacting our congressional representatives when the entire federal government is in gridlocked chaos? Do our voices count for anything? Congress appears to have no interest in passing legislation that might actually be of service to anyone other than the monstrously wealthy—and certainly not legislation … [Read more...]
Issue: December 2019
In 1858, during a campaign speech for the US Senate, Abraham Lincoln stated, “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” referring to the need for our country to agree about the slavery issue—or face destruction. While he lost that specific election to Stephen A. Douglas, we know that Lincoln eventually was victorious, both in winning the presidential election two years later and (posthumously) … [Read more...]
Issue: Counsel's Columns
We often hear the phrase “elections have consequences.” True enough, but sometimes those consequences fly under the radar. One example is the change in the makeup of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that occurs when a new presidential administration takes over. That has never been so apparent as it is right now. The NLRB is the federal agency charged with enforcing the National Labor … [Read more...]
Issue: December 2019
Several ICSOM orchestras publish newsletters, including the musicians of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. This article from their November issue, reprinted by permission, exemplifies the fine writing one can find there. To subscribe, visit https://mailchi.mp/c38aa8355976/isomusicians-subscribe Have you ever heard classical music spilling down Mass Ave on a Tuesday night? This month we are … [Read more...]
Issue: December 2019
Here is what is happening in Congress and at the AFL-CIO regarding the connection between the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and pension legislation. The idea of attaching the Butch Lewis Act to the USMCA was first floated by Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA), Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, using the trade agreement as a possible “must pass” vehicle. However, there are … [Read more...]
Issue: December 2019
From November 6–9, 2019, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra hosted its first annual Women in Classical Music Symposium. This conference brought together performers, entrepreneurs and administrators working in the arts and education for panel discussions and networking sessions, and included add-on options for film screenings, art tours and concerts. To kick off the Symposium on Tuesday November 5, … [Read more...]
Issue: December 2019
The Clarion Quartet, consisting entirely of members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO), had the honor of playing at the American Academy in Berlin on the orchestra’s recent European tour. Joining us was our music director, Manfred Honeck, and members of our board and management. The special concert, with the theme “Peace, Culture, and Remembrance”, was scheduled on the orchestra’s first … [Read more...]
Issue: December 2019
A Shared Sing-along In October, the Kansas City Symphony premiered a new work for children’s chorus and orchestra at a series of Young People’s Concerts and the sensory friendly concert Postcards from the Americas. The orchestra’s principal music librarian, Elena Lence Talley, personally commissioned “Come and Sing a Song with Me” from composer Gary Fry. Talley commissioned the work, with … [Read more...]
Issue: December 2019
The purpose of a labor union is to achieve improvements for its members, by means of collective action. These improvements traditionally have been in terms of employment—wages, benefits, and work rules. But historically they have not been limited to that, nor have the beneficiaries of the improvements been limited to the membership of the union that bargained them. Any casual student of US … [Read more...]
