No News Isn’t Great News In Baltimore

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The ongoing work stoppage at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) doesn’t appear to be improving. Over the past few weeks, there has been little discussion and a recent meeting initiated by the Maryland General Assembly produced anything buy tangible results. On 8/21/2019, the BSO musicians issued a press statement stating that the employer rejected their request to be a part of ongoing strategic decision-making processes. Details about what that entails exactly, …

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Define That: Total Fiscal Transparency

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There’s a fascinating article by Charles T. Downey in the 8/12/19 edition of Washington Classical Review that examines the ongoing Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) lockout. Downey suggests that in order for the organization to maintain artistic integrity while addressing existing economic conditions, the BSO’s executive leadership must “establish total financial transparency.” That’s a superb suggestion and one that has certainly assisted with not only resolving pending labor disputes (Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) …

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Tim Smith Couldn’t Be More Right

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Veteran music critic and cultural reporter Tim Smith published an article at his personal blog on 7/29/2019 that examined the conspicuous silence from Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) music director Marin Alsop when it comes to the summer season squashing, gala gouging lockout. I think there’s one person who can cause a major shift in the BSO’s fate, the one person who stands to lose a heckuva lot (not just a hefty …

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The Best Part Of Shooting Yourself In The Foot Is It’s Tough To Miss

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While I wish we had brighter Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) news, that’s not in the cards. In fact, things seem to be moving toward a self-fulfilling prophecy stage. Last week, the BSO announced it was cancelling their season opening gala that would have featured Renee Fleming. While it’s definitely a good thing to offer patrons plenty of advance notice for cancellations, eight weeks is jumping the gun. Especially for one of …

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Is There A Way To “Win” Baltimore’s Labor Dispute?

Out of the gate, it’s fair to mention that in a labor dispute as contentious as the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s (BSO), there are no “winners,” only shades of loss. Events this week have demonstrated the executive leadership appear to be dug in for the long haul and the musicians have responded in kind. If nothing else, the post economic downturn era has provided some clear patterns on how things may develop. …

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