Drew McManus
Substitute Parity At ICSOM Orchestras 2019
Tue, Mar 3, 2019
by Drew McManus
In 2014, we took a deep dive into which International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) symphonic orchestras paid substitute musicians the same rate as core musicians and in the wake of a recent conversation with ICSOM chairperson Meredith Snow and ICSOM President Paul Austin, it’s time to update that list. My thanks to
Non Divisi Is Back!
Mon, Mar 3, 2019
by Drew McManus
I am all kinds of happy to see Frank Almond is back up and running with his non divisi blog. He published the first new post-hiatus article on March 21, 2019 and it touches on a topic that deserves as much attention as possible: improving the academic landscape for emerging musicians. Basics Be sure to
In Chicago, No News Is No News
Fri, Mar 3, 2019
by Drew McManus
At the end of week two, Chicago Symphony Orchestra is no closer to resolving the strike than they since it started. While both sides have engaged in bargaining and there appears to have been some progress, it was limited to non-showstopper level terms. Both sides continue to hammer away at their existing talking points. The
Conventional Wisdom Is Rarely Either: Discuss.
Thu, Mar 3, 2019
by Drew McManus
Do you know what a HiPPO is? I bet you’ve encountered one in a meeting whether you knew it or now. For those unfamiliar with the acronym, HiPPO stands for Highest Paid Person’s Opinion. HiPPo’s can be a real challenge to work with, especially if your goal is to create a data driven culture. To
So Is This A Remark That Sows, Or A Remark That Reaps?
Wed, Mar 3, 2019
by Drew McManus
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association held its second teleconference press conference on Monday, 3/18/19 and as luck would have it, I’ve been unable to attend both. Nonetheless, Chicago Tribune reporter Howard Reich authored an article for the paper’s 3/18/19 edition that includes his overview of the conversion. While most of the conversation seems unremarkable, one
