Issue: June 2013
On April 29, 2013, after 17 months of negotiations, the musicians of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra ratified a “return to work” agreement, effective April 30 through June 30, 2013, and a three-year agreement spanning July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2016. This ratification came after a 191-day lockout during which the musicians received no salary or benefits. It was the first work stoppage in the … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
In a time when we all are confronted with a daily onslaught of pessimism, some good news could be found in the release of the BCA (Business Committee for the Arts) National Survey of Business Support for the Arts, conducted by our friends at Americans for the Arts. The survey, which can be obtained here, found that arts contributions continue to recover from the depths of the recession. From … [Read more...]
Issue: June 2013
Orchestra of Exiles (2012) Director Josh Aronson Aronson Films Production, 85 minutes www.pbs.org/wnet/orchestra-of-exiles (also available from other sources, including Amazon and Netflix) In 1993, Steven Spielberg brought the heroism of Oskar Schindler to the attention of the world through an Oscar-winning film that educated a generation about Schindler’s efforts to save the lives of over … [Read more...]
Issue: June 2013
At the beginning of April, musicians and management of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra reached agreement on a new two-year contract. The musicians’ negotiating committee supplied the details that follow. After unilaterally declaring an impasse in September 2012, management imposed a 20% reduction in base salaries and reduced the season from 37 to 33 weeks. The musicians filed a bad faith … [Read more...]
Issue: June 2013
One of the most amazing aspects of the present age is the ability to carry useful tools for concert preparation and teaching in our pockets. In this article I’ll introduce but a few of the best of the current crop, with emphasis on inexpensive mobile applications (“apps”) for iOs devices (iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch). Need a full-featured tuner? I recommend two apps that utilize the … [Read more...]
Issue: June 2013
After a challenging year without an orchestral season in Hawaiʻi, plans for a 12-week Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra season starting this October are being finalized, and a staff is being reassembled. It was a hopeful time for the musicians of the new Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra in March 2012, when the organization played its first season after the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra was silenced in October … [Read more...]
Issue: June 2013
It has been a real pleasure for me to advocate for symphonic musicians as chair of the ASAP board. I have the added pleasure of being in a position to lobby and educate Congress and the executive branch of the United States federal government on the virtues and advantages of support for symphonic musicians. Since we last had an opportunity to speak, I have met with over 50 members of Congress and … [Read more...]
