Just when you thought the drama involved with orchestra negotiations might be on sabbatical, a series of ugly events surrounding the Louisville Orchestra negotiations surfaced a month ago threatening to make the spats from last season look like play dates…
Labor Relations
Disposable Labor? Part 2
This installment will continue to examine some recent events involving the Cologne New Philharmonic’s hiring practices in order to determine whether or not an abundance of musician labor is being used as a force for positive change or toward more exploitative goals…
Disposable Labor?
Following yesterday’s introduction which foreshadowed some issues which will impact how some orchestras function, today’s article will examine how recent events in Europe may help U.S. orchestras avoid some potential problems…
Lower Ticket Prices = Jail Time
There was an interesting article in the 11/23/05 edition of the L.A. Times by AP writer, Rhea Wessel, about an event which recently transpired in France. Apparently, Volker Hartung, the Cologne New Philharmonic conductor and executive administrator, was put in jail for two days while being quested over the charge that he violated French labor law by underpaying his musicians. According to Hartung, that was necessary in order to charge lower than average ticket prices…
The Pittsburgh Ballet Should Watch Amadeus
The labor standoff in Pittsburgh regarding the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s decision to eliminate live music in favor of recorded music in the middle of contract negotiations with the ballet musicians is mostly unchanged…