"Failure Begins At The Top"

Today’s headline is an excerpt from a piece by San Francisco Chronicle music critic, Joshua Kosman, in an article that was published on 6/19/2011. Kosman’s article is the latest in a growing chorus of voices within the extended field that are taking a much harder look at the root of problems among performing arts organizations since the economic downturn…

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The League: Then And Now

I had the opportunity to watch the opening segment of the League’s Red Alert! plenary session which consisted of a speech from League CEO Jesse Rosen. He read a list of current orchestra bankruptcies (Philadelphia, Syracuse, Honolulu, New Mexico, & Louisville) and defined them as “critical situations” that have “erupted” since 2008. He said they are not the result of cyclical economic cycles but are structural in nature, but that’s not what the League was saying several years ago…

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"Ending the Doctrine of Failure"

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Last Monday, I hinted at revealing more details related to the League of American Orchestra’s (League) decision to reject International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) chairman and North Carolina Symphony bassist Bruce Ridge’s offer to participate as an elected musician representative in the League’s “Red Alert!” plenary session at this year’s conference. So let’s jump in and start learning more about what’s going on…

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AFM Calls Out The League: Observations

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In case you missed it last Friday, I posted a copy of an article by Christopher Durham, American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Symphonic Services Division (SSD) Director and Assistant to the President, titled Quality Leadership Is Essential in Difficult Times. In that article, Durham essentially levies blame on much of the hardships throughout the field as the result of and in response to the practices and policies endorsed and implemented the …

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AFM Calls Out The League

The August, 2010 edition of International Musician published an article by Christopher Durham, American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Symphonic Services Division (SSD) Director and Assistant to the President, titled Quality Leadership Is Essential in Difficult Times. Don’t let the obvious nature of the title fool you, the article essentially levies blame on much of the hardships throughout the field as the result of and in response to the practices and policies endorsed and implemented the League of American Orchestras…

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