Issue: May 2015
We can all agree: classical music is at a crossroads. Much of the rhetoric swirling about our period of change is negative. (According to blogger Andy Doe, we are now nearing the end of the eighth consecutive century of panicked cries of “Classical music is dying!”) Little of the discussion, however, has focused on an exciting new possibility—the use of the internet to increase our reach and … [Read more...]
Issue: May 2015
In 2009, I learned about an intermission feature at New Jersey Symphony Orchestra concerts called “Ask a Musician” that was started and run by musicians. Sarah Seiver (cello) and Mark Timmerman (bassoon) created “Ask a Musician” as a fun way to make connections with audience members. When Mark told me about it, I knew that’s exactly what we needed to do in North Carolina. As orchestra musicians, … [Read more...]
Issue: May 2015
A recent article posted on the Daily Beast website reported on how “Music Shields a Child’s Psyche in a Time of War”. The article describes a moment when Palestinian music students reach a road block assembled by Israeli soldiers, and in the midst of the tensions inherent in the conflict of the region, a student and a soldier each learn that the other can play the violin and they play for each … [Read more...]
Issue: May 2015
On March 4, 2015, members of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra participated in a unique and historic benefit concert. The event was called “Cancer Blows” and showcased many of the greatest trumpets players of our time, together making a statement in support of cancer research. The performance sold out, filling the 1,800-seat Meyerson Symphony Center, with an additional 6,000 viewers watching the live … [Read more...]
Issue: May 2015
After resident Freddie Gray died while in the custody of Baltimore Police, protestors took to the streets of downtown Baltimore seeking justice. Following a week of peaceful protests, the demonstrations turned violent on April 25, as protestors attacked a number of downtown businesses and disrupted an Orioles game at Camden Yards. Several arrests were made and about a dozen police officers were … [Read more...]
Issue: May 2015
Every spring the Utah Symphony invites 20,000 fifth graders to Abravanel Hall for a very special concert, an annual ritual that is more than fifty years old. The students dress up for the occasion, they whoop when the lights go down, they cheer when the conductor enters, and applaud enthusiastically when they are moved by the music. The Utah Symphony has a long history of reaching out to … [Read more...]
Issue: Counsel's Columns
Group long-term disability (LTD) insurance is an important benefit that can dramatically affect quality of life for orchestra musicians and their families in the event of a disability. Recently, some orchestra musicians have inquired about the content of their orchestra’s long-term disability policies. Negotiating for a good disability policy is essential. The collective bargaining agreement … [Read more...]
Issue: May 2015
NYCO Honors Rudel NYCO Renaissance and the Rudel Family presented a musical tribute to Maestro Julius Rudel on March 9th at Rose Hall. Rudel passed away last June, and he made explicit that he did not want any memorial service. His last public appearance had been at NY City Center at the NYCO 70th Anniversary concert, presented by Local 802 in February 2014. Rudel had spent much of his career … [Read more...]
Issue: May 2015
Sam Denov, a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s percussion section from 1954 until 1985, passed away on Wednesday, March 4, 2015, in Des Plaines, Illinois. He was 91. Born in Chicago in 1923, Sam Denov attended Lane Technical High School and, following service in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he spent a year in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago before joining the San Antonio … [Read more...]
Issue: May 2015
Recently I have been reading Bowling Alone, by the political scientist Robert D. Putnam. It is about a disturbing diminution, during the latter part of the previous century, in many forms of social capital. By this, he means the connections among individuals and the resulting social networks, including their norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness. Putnam amasses a host of data to support his … [Read more...]
