The Risk Of Physical Injury Is Only Half Of The Equation

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Everyone is in for such a treat with tomorrow’s Shop Talk episode on the topic of what orchestras of all budget size should be considering when planning for post-COVID concert activity. This installment features a panel of musician stakeholders and one of them, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Principal Bassoon Catherine Chen, proposed one of the most thought-provoking considerations. Specifically, she was concerned not only about the very real physical risks but the …

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The Next Level For Arts Admin Jobs: Candidate Resumes

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UPDATE FRIDAY 3/19: the response to this news has been so strong I decided to leave the survey up as the top post for a second day in a row. There have been a number of excellent suggestions coming in with responses, thank you and keep them coming! Now that job postings are returning to pre-pandemic levels, I want to take Arts Admin Jobs to the next level and introduce a …

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There Are No Toxic Avengers

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The 3/15/2021 edition of the New York Times published an article by Julia Jacobs that reports on the beleaguered Metropolitan Opera’s efforts to wage labor war on multiple fronts. Spoiler: it’s no better than where it was a few months ago. Having said that, there was one piece of news that should draw attention. Over the past year, 10 of the orchestra’s 97 members have retired. At just a hair over …

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When “Repressed Joy” Is Your Brand

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There’s an absolutely fabulous video making the rounds at Instagram featuring comedian Kimberly Clark in a segment about orchestras…and Gustavo Dudamel. She has quite the fan-crush on Dudamel and while her set is pure gold, there’s more going on that should get your attention. Clark explains how much concerts move her and there’s real sincerity in her delivery. She really likes the way Dudamel’s hair bounces around too but just when …

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Colorado Springs Philharmonic Finds Itself On The AFM’s Unfair List

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On 3/11/21 the musicians of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic (CSPhil) issued a press statement announcing the orchestra has been placed on the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) International Unfair List. This decision is the latest waypoint following the employer’s decision to use force majeure to cancel the union contract. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this went over like a lead balloon and since then, tensions have systematically increased. Musicians have volunteered to waive an …

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