Ending The Week On A High Note

Not too long ago, you could accurately describe the Louisville Orchestra as beleaguered or embattled, but things are starting to look up in the wake of new three-year agreement.

Full terms have yet to be released but base musician salary will increase five percent in the first year and three percent during years two and three. Likewise, the orchestra will expand their season from 33 weeks to 34 starting in the second year.

Adaptistration People 147The organization plans to restore one musician to the salaried roster and by the final year of the agreement, base musician compensation is expected to reach $37,167.

Among details that have yet to be clarified are revised work rules related to outreach events.

Additional details are available in a report by Arts & Culture reporter Ashlie Stevens in the 7/24/2017 edition of wfpl.org as well as an article by Carolyn Tribble Greer in the 7/19/17 edition of Louisville Business First.

About Drew McManus

"I hear that every time you show up to work with an orchestra, people get fired." Those were the first words out of an executive's mouth after her board chair introduced us. That executive is now a dear colleague and friend but the day that consulting contract began with her orchestra, she was convinced I was a hatchet-man brought in by the board to clean house.

I understand where the trepidation comes from as a great deal of my consulting and technology provider work for arts organizations involves due diligence, separating fact from fiction, interpreting spin, as well as performance review and oversight. So yes, sometimes that work results in one or two individuals "aggressively embracing career change" but far more often than not, it reinforces and clarifies exactly what works and why.

In short, it doesn't matter if you know where all the bodies are buried if you can't keep your own clients out of the ground, and I'm fortunate enough to say that for more than 15 years, I've done exactly that for groups of all budget size from Qatar to Kathmandu.

For fun, I write a daily blog about the orchestra business, provide a platform for arts insiders to speak their mind, keep track of what people in this business get paid, help write a satirical cartoon about orchestra life, hack the arts, and love a good coffee drink.

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