Drew McManus on the Orchestra business | est. 2003

Seattle Symphony

2010 Orchestra Website Review: Best & Worst Of

Fri, Oct 10, 2010
Wrapping up the US reviews for 2010 is the Best & Worst from this year’s review. The Best recognizes orchestras that made particularly large advancements in certain categories while the Worst examines organizations that could benefit from improving particularly damaging components and/or practices…

Tentative Seattle Agreement and Summit Live Blogging Day 2

Thu, Jan 1, 2010
The Seattle Symphony and their musicians have reached a tentative agreement. The new agreement, which has yet to be ratified by the musicians, will last 23 months over the course of three seasons and contains some very unique elements (although not entirely unprecedented for the Seattle Musicians). As I’m invovled with the American Orchestra Summit

Lest We Forget About Seattle

Fri, Jan 1, 2010
Amidst all of the excitement and attention focused on Cleveland Orchestra’s work stoppage, it was easy for folks to overlook important recent development in Seattle and I’m no exception. As a result, I have gone back and edited the article I posted at the beginning of the week right before the news of Cleveland strike

Updates In Seattle

Tue, Jan 1, 2010
It was an eventful weekend for stakeholders at the Seattle Symphony Orchestra (SSO) as the ensemble crossed the latest benchmark in their ongoing labor dispute. On Sunday 1/17/2010, the musicians unanimously rejected a contract proposal from management and although they have already passed a strike authorization, the musicians have stated that they do not plan

Cleveland And Seattle: With Bated Breath

Wed, Jan 1, 2010
As the orchestra business watches Cleveland and Seattle with bated breath, it is difficult to wonder if events at these two larger budget organizations will have any impact on the business as a whole. And it isn’t just insiders who are paying attention, music critics, cultural reporters, bloggers, and just about any other stakeholder with