Detroit Goes Public
Tue, Aug 8, 2010
by Drew McManus
After months of closed door and blackout negotiations, the musicians and management of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) went public last week to present their bargaining positions. On 7/30/2010, the DSO musicians leafleted a Meadow Brook Music Festival performance (copy, courtesy of the Detroit News) and both sides have presented their positions via an article
An Insider’s Look Into Shop Talk
Mon, Aug 8, 2010
Ever since this blog launched in 2003, readers have always been more inclined to share thoughts via private email. Even though those exchanges regularly contain insightful content, their very nature prohibits public consumption. Nonetheless, guest blogger Chris Blair and I ended up having a fascinating exchange in the process of determining whether or not Chris
Educating for the Orchestra of the Future
Fri, Jul 7, 2010
by Mark Clague
Anyone attending the League of American Orchestra’s recent conference in Atlanta was surely struck by the industry’s determination to adapt and change. At the opening “Orchestra R/Evolution” session, attendees were polled and not a single vote supported the status quo. Russell Willis Taylor general session keynote the next day, “There Are No Crises, Only Tough
Changes In The Model…Do We Need Revolution Or Evolution?
Wed, Jul 7, 2010
by curtlong
Sunday’s Charleston Post and Courier quotes a former board member of the Charleston Symphony as saying “The current business model has proven over 10 years not to be viable.” The recent travails and controversy at the Pasadena Symphony provoked a considerable amount of national discussion, including Terry Teachout asking, in The Wall Street Journal, “What,
Does “The Model” Still Apply?
Tue, Jul 7, 2010
by curtlong
Yesterday I took a stab at describing the traditional concept of the “model” orchestra and today I ask whether this model still has validity in 2010; in doing so, I am going to make some sweeping generalizations. Please remember that, to a large extent, all orchestras are local—your orchestra is affected by and responds to
Is “The Model” Dead?
Mon, Jul 7, 2010
by curtlong
Recently it has felt like there are plenty of people out there suggesting that “the model” for how orchestras operate should be taken off life support and declared dead. This is followed by a call for orchestras to reinvent themselves as radically different (and often radically smaller) organizations. I don’t know that that this is
It’s Not A One Size Fits All
Fri, Jul 7, 2010
by Nathan Kahn
Throughout my almost 23 years as a negotiator for the American Federation of Musicians Symphonic Services Division, I have listened to accusations by symphony managements and others that what we engage in is pattern bargaining. That is, if Orchestra A achieves something new in their contract, then B through Z orchestras must do likewise. Not
Guests Authors, Top Secret Files, and Mountains
Thu, Jul 7, 2010
by Drew McManus
I’m heading out to the Grand Teton Music Festival (web) this week and I’m pleased to announce that we have a fantastic lineup of guest bloggers on deck to fill in the gaps while I’m away. We’ve got a diverse cross section of individuals throughout the field and each one is tackling a heavy-duty topic,
Remember Shreveport?
Wed, Jul 7, 2010
by Drew McManus
It has been nearly one year since we last checked in on the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra (SSO) and their work stoppage but good news is the reward for patience as both sides announced an agreement on 7/19/2010. The new two year agreement produces a 2010/11 season that tentatively begins in November. Terms include retaining the
Join The Flood Of Support
Tue, Jul 7, 2010
by Drew McManus
Marc van Bree over at The Dutch Perspective started a campaign to assist the Nashville Symphony Orchestra in recovering from their flood damage in May. He’s calling it “Flood of Support” and his goal is to leverage social networking to raise $1,000 by Aug 1, 2010. You can make a donation here and read more
