Ron Spigelman posted an excellent article over at Sticks and Drones on 3/17/2008 which examines the frustrating issue of heath care benefits. The article is particularly thought provoking in that Ron examines the issue of health care benefits from the long tail perspective by focusing on the mid to smaller budget professional ensembles. In particular, Ron recounts some discussions he had with musicians of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra while there recently as a guest conductor and that the conversation focused primarily on auditions and heath care coverage…
Month: March 2008
Columbus Travels Around The Blogosphere
All of the recent Chicken Little oriented news reported in the Columbus Dispatch has prompted a considerable response throughout the cultural blogosphere. Some of it has been somewhat plaintive while other posts have been red-hot over how the situation is unfolding. In a related issue, although the Dispatch published an editorial in support of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) board’s proposed financial plan, they have not pursued what is normal procedure for most newspapers by publishing an op-ed piece shortly thereafter although several have been submitted from official sources in opposition to the proposed financial plan. As such, here’s a breakdown of who is writing what…
Dynamic Consequences Taking Shape In Columbus
The 3/12/2008 edition of the Columbus Dispatch published an article by Barbara Carmen that reports Franklin County, the county where the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is located, approved a $1.2 million matching grant for area arts groups and the CSO will receive a considerable share of those resources if they successfully raise the matching funds. Beyond the obvious fact that this is good news for the CSO, and all central Ohio arts groups, it is important to note that the article reports that Kate Matheny, grants coordinator for Franklin County, said "the goal [of the matching grant] isn’t just to stabilize arts organizations, but to plan for their growth." Matheny’s quote should serve as a warning shot to the CSO executive board…
In Columbus, The War Of The Rhetoric Begins
Updated 10:30 a.m. CT: The 3/14/2008 edition of the Columbus Dispatch published an article by Michael Grossberg which included some of the first volleys of traditional rhetoric usually reserved for contentious labor negotiations. In particular, the article reports that Tony Beadle, Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) Executive Director, accused the Columbus Symphony Orchestra Musicians’ Association of "rebuffing" the CSO board’s recent efforts to meet with the musicians thereby jeopardizing crucial fundraising efforts. However, the article fails to report that the musicians never received a formal notice to initiate negotiations from the CSO board until the beginning of the week of 3/9/2008. Furthermore, the musicians accepted the request and notified the CSO board on 3/13/2008 that they would be willing to meet with them with counsel for the initial bargaining session as early as today, 3/16/2008…
A Viral Marketer, An Orchestra, And A Brewmaster Walk Into A Bar…
Thanks to the seemingly endless creativity among the folks who marketing beer, Victoria Bitter (a brand in the Fosters chain commonly referred to as VB) launched a viral ad campaign toward the end of 2007 that featured 95 musicians from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria performing solely on 451 VB bottles and 6 timpani. Composer Cezary Skubiszewski arranged the 40-year-old VB theme music and conducted the ensemble which recorded the video, featured to your right, at the Melbourne Concert Hall.