Drew McManus on the Orchestra business | est. 2003

Culture Dinosaurs

Thu, Aug 8, 2010
I have to admit that the whole Golden Age vs. the Prophets of Doom nonsense put me in a bit of a cynical funk over the past week but it worked out for the best as that sarcastic energy was channeled into something creative. I’ve been updating the graphic designs at most of the Inside

Detroit; In Their Own Words

Wed, Aug 8, 2010
Chris Felcyn of Detroit’s WRCJ 90.9 FM recently sat down with representatives from Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s (DSO) management and musicians and allowed them to present statements about the current negotiations. Felcyn then presented those comments from DSO Cellist Haden McKay and DSO President and Executive Director Anne Parsons on his program, The Well-Tempered Wireless.  In an

The Negotiation Process: How It Works

Tue, Aug 8, 2010
Adaptistration People 018
The first step in understanding how your local orchestra functions as an organization is to understand the basic principles behind the document that deals with nearly every facet of its operations: the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Every major orchestra in America, regardless of union status, has some form of a contract that exists as a result of collective bargaining. This contract governs all issues related to musician compensation, benefits, work conditions, and the dismissal process.

What To Expect In Detroit

Mon, Aug 8, 2010
The 8/12/2010 edition of the Detroit Free Press published an article by Mark Stryker which reports the Detroit Symphony Orchestra  musicians have scheduled two self-produced concerts in September. Stryker correctly observes that this is an ominous sign regarding the potential for both sides to reach an agreement before the current contract expires on 8/29/2010 and

An Ugly War Of Words

Fri, Aug 8, 2010
No, this isn’t about any of the current labor disputes. Instead, this is about an online feud between Greg Sandow and Heather Mac Donald. If you aren’t aware of what’s going on here’s the 10 second synopsis: Mac Donald wrote an article titled Classical Music’s New Golden Age (meaning now) but Sandow didn’t like what
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