Issue: November 2022
Tom Hall’s ICSOM: Fifty Years of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians begins with the following: “On May 12 and 13, 1962, a ‘Symposium of Symphony Orchestra Delegates’ was held in Chicago. The meeting was called in preparation for a symposium of orchestra representatives and local union officials to be convened at the invitation of the American Federation of Musicians in … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
Much hangs in the balance with the outcome of the 2022 midterm election. Republicans, who appear poised to take control of the House as I write this column, have openly promised to stall Biden’s Democratic agenda until after the 2024 presidential election. They have also explicitly threatened to force a default on US Treasury debt unless they obtain cuts to programs like Social Security and … [Read more...]
Issue: November 2022
Once viewed as a slang term when asking someone to go away, advising someone to take a hike these days could be a solution to the polarization that we observe in today’s world. Last July, I attended a two-day online conference of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). Of the many presentations, “The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization” was a session that really caught my … [Read more...]
Issue: Counsel's Columns
By Kevin Case The 2022 “bargaining season” is coming to a close. Most orchestras with expired CBAs have settled, though there are a few exceptions. I personally handled 10 negotiations, and I have some thoughts on how things went. This round of bargaining was not focused as squarely on pandemic-related issues as in 2021, though of course COVID-19 always lurks in the background. Some … [Read more...]
Issue: November 2022
By Helen Reich, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra In April 2022, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra performed our first “sensory friendly” concert, a long-term goal of Education Director Rebecca Whitney. Several years ago, she started to think about presenting sensory friendly concerts, but as our home was a multi-purpose, county-owned facility, we would not have been able to make the necessary … [Read more...]
Issue: November 2022
Resolution adopted remembering former ICSOM Secretary Nancy Page Griffin Submitted by the ICSOM Governing Board Whereas, Nancy Page Griffin, who faithfully served ICSOM as its Secretary from 1980 to 1988 when, following the September 1988 decertification of the Seattle Symphony from the AFM, she was forced to resign from that position; and Whereas, Her contributions as Secretary and … [Read more...]
