Issue: April 2025
The superstition lives on. For most of the Washington National Opera’s (WNO) “Look-in” performance of Verdi’s Macbeth (a children’s performance featuring excerpts from the opera as well as discussion about all the elements that go into making it), the host had insisted she could not say the name of the title character because, as a member of the production, it would bring bad luck for her to … [Read more...]
Issue: December 2022
The Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra has enjoyed a longstanding and fulfilling relationship with our neighbors at Miriam’s Kitchen (https://www.miriamskitchen.org), an organization whose mission is to end chronic homelessness. The Miriam’s Kitchen team engages their guests with healthy, made-from-scratch meals and helps connect them with personalized social services that can help them rebuild … [Read more...]
Issue: April 2022
Over the course of the past two years, there have been countless examples of ICSOM orchestras facing tremendous adversity. While the effects of the pandemic still remain for a large number of our members, the recovery has begun in earnest for quite a few orchestras. In this article, five delegates from across the country share some positive news about their organizations. Colorado … [Read more...]
Issue: October 2019
Reaching Completion in Washington It was an eventful September at the Kennedy Center, beginning with the conclusion of the National Symphony Orchestra negotiations. The four-year agreement, ratified by musicians on September 11, includes an overall increase in base wages of 8.5% as well as implementing a new employer contribution of 1.5% to their 403(b) retirement plan. The NSO negotiations … [Read more...]
Issue: March 2019
In January, the Washington National Opera (WNO) held its eighth annual festival of contemporary opera, the American Opera Initiative (AOI). Conceived by WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello and former WNO Director of Artistic Operations Christina Scheppelmann as a way to nurture and grow the production of new opera, the program itself has grown, with some of the created works continuing as … [Read more...]
Issue: October 2018
New Leadership in Fort Worth The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (FWSO) announced the appointment of Keith Cerny as President and CEO. Dr. Cerny will begin his tenure on January 11, 2019. He comes to the FWSO with an impressive educational background, having studied conducting at London’s Guildhall School of Music and holding graduate degrees from Harvard Business School and the U.K.’s Open … [Read more...]
Issue: October 2017
A Twenty-first Century Tradition Lyric Opera of Chicago presented its 17th annual Stars of Lyric Opera concert on September 8. The free concert, conducted by Lyric Opera Music Director Sir Andrew Davis, featured artists from Lyric’s upcoming 63rd season, along with the Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus, performing highlights from several of the season’s featured operas. The tradition began in … [Read more...]
Issue: June 2017
Executive Changes In March, the New York Philharmonic announced that Deborah Borda, longtime President of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, would be replacing Matthew VanBesien as President and CEO, in September. The move represents a return for Borda, who previously served as the Executive Director of the New York orchestra from 1991 to 1999. In Los Angeles she oversaw the construction of the Walt … [Read more...]
Issue: December 2016
Indianapolis Builds Momentum The Musicians of the Indianapolis Symphony have ratified a new three-year contract. The new agreement, reached over a year in advance of the current deal’s expiration, runs through the 2019-2020 season. After suffering through a lock out in 2012 and two recent concessionary contracts, the musicians will see their annual salary increase 9.3% over the three years, … [Read more...]
Issue: March 2016
After years of asking to include the music librarians of the Washington National Opera and the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra in the musicians’ bargaining units, the D.C. Federation of Musicians, Local 161-710, and the Orchestra Committee have succeeded: in December the librarians voted in self-determination elections to join the orchestra bargaining units and are now represented by the … [Read more...]
