Drew McManus on the Orchestra business | est. 2003

Drew McManus

No Confidence Vs. Full Confidence

Thu, Nov 11, 2012
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On 11/27/2012, the musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra issued a notice that they had unanimously voted No Confidence in Minnesota Orchestral Association (MOA) President and CEO, Michael Henson. Although the measure requires no contractually obligated action on part of the MOA board, it does escalate the tone of an already bitter dispute. Although the musicians

Let There Be Transparency: The Minnesota 990s

Wed, Nov 11, 2012
Maybe it’s the approach of the holiday gift giving season, but I felt compelled to crack open my consulting document vault (which is usually closed to all but paying clients) and put together all of the Minnesota Orchestra Association (MOA) IRS Form 990s I have on file into a single downloadable file. Given the recent

In Minnesota, The Game Is Afoot

Tue, Nov 11, 2012
The Minneapolis Star Tribune published an article on 11/26/2012 by Graydon Royce that may very well be one of the most influential examinations of the ongoing labor dispute between the Minnesota Orchestra Association (MOA) and their musicians. Of particular note, Royce reports that the MOA intentionally obfuscated financial troubles in 2009 and 2010 with the

What We Need Is Another Abraham Lincoln

Mon, Nov 11, 2012
Back in 2005, I published a post titled What We Need Is Another Henry Ford that suggested stagnant management techniques and outdated operating models were pushing the orchestra field toward trouble. Although a popular post for its time, reader email was dismissive and in some cases, outright hostile in response to what might as well

What’s Your Group Doing For Black Friday?

Fri, Nov 11, 2012
Out of all the orchestra mailing lists I subscribe (over 100 so far) it never ceases to surprise me how few offer any sort of thanksgiving holiday shopping promotion. In fact, so far this season, the only one I’ve received is from the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Granted, not every group is going to have offerings
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