Drew McManus on the orchestra business.
The New York Times’ headline says it all: Met Opera Seeks Pay Cuts in Exchange for Pandemic Paychecks, The Met is offering many employees their first paycheck in months if their unions agree to long-term cuts. If you dig into the 11/20/2020 article by Julia Jacobs you’ll find out more about what’s going on, but it really is that simple. The Metropolitan Opera has offered to start paying many employees who …
In a week where giving thanks is on the mind, I am remarkably grateful these two dynamic and candid guests agreed to join the pod and talk about equity. Ruby Lopez Harper, Americans for the Arts Senior Director of Local Arts Advancement, and Dr. Brea M. Heidelberg, Associate Professor & the Director of the Entertainment & Arts Management program at Drexel University are going to do far more than drop some …
The initial responses to last week’s survey asking orchestra managers who lost their position over pandemic shutdowns to provide an update on their employment status has been both sobering and revealing. So far, the vast majority of respondents have yet to find a replacement position and a few respondents have been kind enough to provide useful details about their situation. For example, one manager indicated that while they were initial laid …
Newly minted League of American Orchestras President and CEO, Simon Woods, published a commentary piece at Medium that spells out his thoughts on issues the field should be prioritizing. By and large, it’s a good read. He hits several strong topics squarely on the nose that a few years ago, were actively avoided such as racial equality and elitism. The only items missing from his list that ranks alongside racial equality …
The 11/17/2020 edition of NPR broadcast an interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci where he talked about impending coronavirus vaccines and timelines. While he was quite clear that plans can change at any moment, the general population rollout will occur at some point toward the end of April or later. “By the time you get to, let’s say, the end of April, the beginning of May, June, July, as we get into …