DOS Orchestra #44 - 15 September, 95

News from the world of professional orchestras.
Copyright 1995, International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians
'Tis the season to be negotiating, and DOS Orchestra has returned from its summer break in time to report on the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Topics

Baltimore Symphony: Work and Talk

Officials from the Baltimore Symphony and the Musicians Association of Metropolitan Baltimore, Local 40-543 AFM, issued a joint update on September 15 regarding negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, which read as follows:

"Oboist Joseph Turner, chairman of the Players' Committee and John Gidwitz, BSO executive director, reported that discussions are proceeding cooperatively toward the settlement of a new contract. The Orchestra will rehearse and perform while negotiations continue by the current contract's expiration date of Saturday, September 16, 1995. An agreement exists between both parties not to discuss the negotiations publicly while they are in progress."

The negotiations are proceeding against the backdrop of a projected deficit for the 1994-95 season of $760,000 and a deficit of $650,000 for the 1993-94 season, figures that a financial study commissioned by the musicians blames in part on increased marketing expenses having not produced corresponding increases in revenues.

In July, the BSO laid off two department heads and replaced development director Patrick O' Neall. Gidwitz told the Baltimore ~Sun~ that "we just felt we needed someone who had more extensive fundraising experience." The head of public relations, Harold White, and the director of marketing, Pat Barry Casgar, also lost their jobs, and were replaced a few days later by Linda Moxley, who was named director of marketing and public relations. Moxley had been the orchestra's director of artistic and education programs, a position that was eliminated in the staff shuffle.

Boston Symphony: New Labor Agreement

Members of the Boston Symphony ratified a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with BSO management on August 24. The agreement provides for a 12% raise in the musicians' income over three years, from last season's annual minimum of $71,500 to $80,340 for the 1997-98 season. The agreement also provides for ten weeks of vacation (up from nine in the previous agreement), an increase in the annual pension from $27,000 to $43,500, and an increase in the rates for overtime. This increase addresses the musicians' frequent complaint that Seiji Ozawa, the BSO's music director, overuses overtime and rehearses inefficiently. There is also new language to address the question of rehearsing non-tour repertoire immediately before a tour, another of the musicians' complaints about Ozawa.

Buffalo Philharmonic: Musicians Approve Further Concessions

Members of the Buffalo Philharmonic voted on September 15 to approve a new one-year labor agreement to replace their current collective bargaining agreement, which had six months left to run before expiration. The new agreement provides for a cut in the orchestra's season from 37 weeks to 32 weeks with a base weekly salary of $720 per week, cut from the previous figure of $780. The agreement also provides for a "signing bonus" of $2,000 per musician. The concessions made by the musicians to management reduce their annual base salary from $28,879 to $23,008.

The management and the board of the orchestra demanded a list of concessions from the musicians before the first rehearsal of the season on September 13, including a reduction in the pension benefit level, the elimination of all paid vacation, and drastic changes in the current health insurance program for the orchestra and their families. This proposal from management, which was characterized by Mark Jones, president of the Musicians Association of Buffalo, as a "take it or leave it proposition accompanied by the threat of bankruptcy," was overwhelmingly rejected on September 12 by the musicians, who have seen their salaries fall since 1991 through a series of concessionary agreements and unilateral management action. The vote reflected the anger expressed by orchestra committee chair Doug Cone, who told the Buffalo ~News~ that the concessions demanded by management "were absolutely humiliating... after all the other money things are worked out, the musicians are the last to be considered -- almost like an afterthought."

Management's response was to send letters to each musician informing them that they were laid off. The Wednesday rehearsal was canceled and the Executive Board of the orchestra voted to suspend the season if the musicians didn't accept a new proposal - which was still being negotiated with the musicians - on September 15.

After the board meeting, William L. McHugh, board chairman, said that the board had been able to raise some additional funds to reduce the magnitude of cuts demanded by management, who were apparently motivated by the need to secure loans from banks in order to be able to start the season.

Chicago Symphony: New Members

from the management of the Chicago Symphony, August 17:

Seven new musicians join the roster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra this season, while long-time members violinists Adrian Da Prato and Barbara Fraser have announced their retirement, according to Music Director Daniel Barenboim. Ms. Fraser will retire at the end of the Ravinia Festival season this summer while Mr. Da Prato will continue with the Orchestra through December.

New to the CSO are Katinka Kleijn, section cello; Daniel Armstrong, section bass; Yuan-Qing Yu, fixed third chair violin; Alex Klein, principal oboe; David Griffin, fourth horn; Heidi Turner, section second violin; and Kimberly Wright, assistant/utility horn. Ms. Turner and Ms. Wright will debut with the Orchestra on opening night; the other five played Orchestra concerts at Ravinia Festival during the summer hiatus from Orchestra Hall.

Barbara Fraser and Adrian Da Prato have both been long-standing and much valued members of the Orchestra. Fraser joined the Orchestra in 1975; Da Prato has been a member since 1946.

Katinka Kleijn (cello) hails from the Netherlands where she began studying the cello at the age of seven, giving her first recital, with her mother at the piano, five years later. She was admitted to the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and at the age of 14 performed twice on National Dutch Radio. She started her Bachelor's studies in 1986 at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam with the then principal of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and took the Grand Prize in the National Princess Christina Competition, resulting in an invitation to appear as a soloist with the Residentie Orchestra in The Hague in 1989. She continued her studies with Andy Lim in Cologne, German, and later with Lynn Harrell at the University of California and Laurence Lesser at the New England Conservatory. She officially became a member of the Chicago Symphony on June 19th.

Daniel Armstrong (double bass) comes to the Orchestra from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra where he was Assistant Principal Bass for the past twelve years. During that time he was also Principal Bass with the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra, solo bass with the contemporary music group Present Music, and Assistant Principal Bass with the Grand Teton Festival Orchestra. Before moving to Milwaukee, he spent eight years in Canada performing with the CBC Vancouver Chamber Orchestra, Victoria Orchestra and as a founding member of the Tafelmusik Baroque Ensemble of Toronto from 1975-79, and with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada, Manitoba from 1979-83. A graduate of the University of British Columbia, he received his Masters degree in Music from The Julliard School where he studied with Homer Mensch, and earned Fellowships from the Aspen Music School where he studied with Eugene Levinson in 1979 and 1980. He also joined the Orchestra on June 19.

Yuan-Qing Yu (violin) formerly first violinist of the Houston Symphony, is a native of Shanghai, China where she attended the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. She has appeared as a soloist with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, London City Orchestra and Orchestra Philharmonic de Radio France, and has had recitals at New York's Carnegie Hall, Tokyo's Casals Hall, Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, and Salle Pleyel in Paris. Her numerous awards include the Chinese Nationwide Violin Competition in 1989; first prize in the Southern Methodist University Concerto Competition three years in a row, 1990-92; and, in 1993, the Third Grand Prize in the 50th Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud International Violin Competition. She has released two recordings to date. Ms. Yu joined the Orchestra on July 31.

Alex Klein (Principal oboe) is originally from Brazil, where he made his solo orchestra debut at the age of ten and subsequently performed and recorded with that country's leading ensembles. He received his music degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where he studied with James Caldwell and has performed extensively in recital and as soloist with orchestras including The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. His numerous prizes and awards include first prize in the first New York International Oboe Competition, first prize in the Gillet International Oboe Competition, top prize in the International Oboe Competition of Tokyo and first prize in the International Competition for Musical Performers in Geneva, Switzerland, where he was the first oboist to be so honored since Heinz Holliger received the prize 29 years earlier. Formerly a member of the faculty at the University of Washington in Seattle, Klein will now join the faculty at the Northwestern University School of Music. He began with the Orchestra on July 31.

David Griffin (horn), grew up in Valparaiso, Indiana. As a high school student he studied with Chicago Symphony hornist Daniel Gingrich and performed with the Chicago Youth Orchestra. Later, as a student at Northwestern University, he studied with Orchestra members Dale Clevenger, Norman Schweikert, and recently-retired Richard Oldberg. As a member of the Civic Orchestra he also worked as an occasional substitute in the Chicago Symphony. He served as second horn in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra for five years before being appointed associate principal horn of the Orchestra Symphonique de Montreal, a position he held for over three years. While in Montreal, he frequently appeared with Les Chambristes de Montreal and the Allegra Chamber Players, and taught at McGill University. This past summer he served as associate principal horn of the Houston Symphony. Mr. Griffin became a member of the Orchestra on August 7.

Kimberly Wright (assistant/utility horn) joins the Chicago Symphony Orchestra this season from San Francisco, where she played with the San Francisco Symphony for the past three years. An Arkansas native, Ms. Wright played with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra before leaving to pursue her studies at the University of North Texas. After receiving her Master's degree, she moved to Chicago to study with Dale Clevenger while attending Northwestern University. No stranger to Orchestra Hall, Ms. Wright also played with the Civic Orchestra and performed as an extra with the Chicago Symphony during that period. In 1988, Ms. Wright moved to Albuquerque to become third horn in the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra and a year later won the principal horn position with the orchestra -- a position she held for three years. During that time, she also played with the National Repertory Orchestra and the Santa Fe Opera, as well as appearing as a guest artist with he Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and the Keystone Brass Institute. She will officially join the Orchestra on September 11.

Heidi Turner (violin), a native of Salt Lake City, Utah, turned her attention from the piano to the violin at the age of four. She achieved early success by winning the Utah Symphony Young Artist Competition and appeared as soloist at the age of thirteen with the Utah Symphony Orchestra conducted by Joseph Silverstein. Ms. Turner studied at the New England Conservatory of Music, where she served as concertmaster and performed as soloist with the New England Conservatory Symphony Orchestra. While still a student, she served as concertmaster of the Boston Philharmonic, New England Chamber Orchestra, and as a substitute in the Boston Symphony Orchestra. At age twenty-one, Ms. Turner joined the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra as its youngest member and remained there for three seasons, performing as soloist with the orchestra as well as in recitals and chamber music. She also joins the Orchestra on September 11.

ICSOM Conference: Presenters Galore

The 1995 conference of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) was held in Vail, Colorado, from August 16-20. The conference featured a record number of presentations and workshops for the delegates from ICSOM's 45 member orchestras.

Wayne Horvitz, head of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service under President Carter, and ICSOM counsel Leonard Leibowitz gave a workshop on the process of mediation, while former ICSOM co-counsel Liza Hirsch Du Brulled a panel that included AFM counsel George Cohen, Milwaukee media consultant Barbara Haig, and the former executive director of the San Diego and Buffalo orchestras, Michael Tiknis, on the subject of negotiating in the 90's. Lastly, Richard Hackman, professor of Psychology at Harvard University, moderated a discussion of the possibilities and pitfalls of self-governing orchestras with Lee Yeingst of the Colorado Symphony, Frances Saunders of the London Symphony Orchestra, Jose Bergher of the Philharmonico National de Venezuela, Erin Lehmann of Harvard University, and ICSOM counsel Leonard Leibowitz.

Other speakers included Andrew Brandt, president of the Regional Orchestras Players Association, who spoke eloquently on the many threats to the existence of professional orchestras in the U.S. from various levels of government. Florence Nelson, the Director of the AFM Symphonic Services Division, spoke on her first full year in that position and the issue of musicians serving on orchestra boards and board committees, while Shin Moriya, head of the orchestra and choral section of the Musicians' Union of Japan and a working musician in Tokyo, spoke to the delegates about the situation of his country's orchestra musicians. The conference's keynote address was delivered by incoming AFM president Steve Young, who spoke on the challenges facing the Federation in the next two years.

In his report as ICSOM chairman, Buckley stated that while there remain problems and challenges in the field, there are also some real success stories, and cited both the Louisville Orchestra's struggle and the response of the other ICSOM orchestras to their appeals for assistance (ICSOM orchestras have donated over $30,000 to the Louisville musicians to help them). He also talked about the upcoming phonograph agreements, the problems of the AFM, and the need to deal with the question of the musicians' role in the governance of their institutions.

Guests at the conference included ICSOM chairperson emeritus Melanie Burrell and a large delegation from the AFM, including Young, AFM vice-president Tom Lee, Executive Board members Ray Hair, Bill Moriarty, and Tim Shea, and AFM general counsel George Cohen. Several local officers and Federation staff attended as well.

Elections were held for the positions of Governing Board member-at-large. The four incumbent office-holders, James Clute, Michael Moore, Mary Plaine, and Charles Schleuter, won reelection from field of six candidates, two of whom were nominated from the floor.

In addition to the normal business of an ICSOM conference, Buckley led a six-hour discussion of the upcoming negotiations for a new phonograph agreement, and the conference enacted the following resolutions:

condemning "all participation in the production and distribution" of bumper stickers that were purportedly distributed by Wayne Brown, executive director of the Louisville Orchestra, which said in large letters "I can't stand classical music"; and

endorsing "the inclusion of domestic partner benefits" in member orchestras' collective bargaining agreements.

The conference also voted to admit the Kansas City Symphony as soon as that orchestra met the requirements for membership under Article II of the ICSOM bylaws, as well as to forgive the 1994-95 ICSOM dues of the Hawaii Symphony and the Louisville Orchestra.

Indianapolis Symphony: New Labor Agreement

The members of the Indianapolis Symphony ratified a new four-year collective bargaining agreement on September 5. The agreement provides for a 16% raise in base salary over four years. The base weekly salary will go from the current $940 to $1,100 for the last half of the 1998-99 season, while the base annual salary for the 52-week season will go from $48,100 to $56,160.

There are also minor changes in benefits and working conditions in the new agreement, including new language that restricts the right of a music director to terminate the employment of musicians in the music director's first or final season, as well as a new dress code.

New West Symphony: Merger Agreement Negotiated

On Wednesday, September 13, AFM president Steve Young and New West Symphony president Lawrence Blonquist reached an interim agreement for the employment of musicians for a newly-formed orchestra, the New West Symphony (NWS), located in Ventura, California.

Last year, there were two orchestras in AFM Local 581, the Ventura Symphony and the Conejo Symphony. Each orchestra had a full complement of musicians, and the Ventura Symphony, as a result of a lengthy organizing campaign, had a one-year interim agreement with the Local, while the Conejo orchestra had no agreement. On March 23, the management of the Ventura orchestra notified the musicians that, at the end of the 94-95 season, they would cease operations. The management then took the position that, since neither the Ventura or Conejo Symphony no longer would exist, they had the right to form a new entity and hold auditions for an entirely new orchestra.

The AFM responded by placing them on the International Unfair List, which effectively prohibited them from having AFM members audition for the positions or advertising in the "International Musician."

The most contentious issue between the AFM and the NWS was the question of hiring the musicians of the Ventura and Conejo orchestras for the new orchestra. The NWS rejected hiring the musicians of the former orchestras without auditions, while the musicians rejected the concept of having to re-audition for what they viewed as their own jobs.

The solution finally negotiated by Young and Blonquist was that forty of the 68 musicians will be chosen from the core rosters of the two previous orchestras to have automatic entry as full members of the NWS. The remaining positions will first be attempted to be filled by closed auditions (behind a screen) of the musicians of the Ventura and Conejo orchestras before the auditions are open to other musicians. The audition committee will consist of three people, the Music Director and two other musicians chosen by the Union, all having one vote apiece.

"This accord is the result of good faith discussions between Blonquist and me", said International AFM President Steve Young. "We reached this compromise to break the deadlock that had occurred, in the effort to insure that as many members of the former Ventura and Conejo Symphonies will have jobs with this new orchestra and that all AFM musicians would have an opportunity to perform with the NWS. That is what this agreement does."

In addition, this memorandum of agreement includes a union recognition clause, a commitment by NWS to enter into negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement, a dismissal procedure with a final and binding decision of an independent review committee, an attendance requirement for achieving and maintaining full membership into the orchestra, and a 33% wage increase.

As part of the agreement, the New West Symphony will be removed from the Unfair List.

Symphony Orchestra Institute to Address Organizational Issues

from the Symphony Orchestra Institute, September 6:

A foundation to address the organizational issues within North American symphony orchestra organizations has been established by Paul R. Judy, former President of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and retired investment banking executive. Judy, who has observed organizational structures and processes for 30 years as a corporate manager and Board member, has intensively studied symphony orchestra organizations over the past five years and recently has interviewed about 100 persons connected with or observing these organizations.

"Despite great artistry and broad enthusiasm among musicians, staff, and volunteers involved in our wonderful North American symphony orchestra organizations, there are, in many communities, deep concerns about the future of these institutions," Mr. Judy said. "It is my goal, in establishing the Symphony Orchestra Institute, to help participants better understand the complex issues within these organizations, and over time, to bring about positive change in the way they operate."

The mission of the Institute is to improve the effectiveness of symphony orchestra organizations, to enhance the value they provide to their communities, and to help assure the preservation of such organizations as unique and valuable cultural institutions.

To assist in the development of the Institute's policies and programs, General and Research Advisory Boards are being formed. Members of the General Board will include Richard L. Thomas, former Chairman of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Ward Smith, President of the Cleveland Orchestra; Frederick Zenone, cellist with the National Symphony Orchestra and former President of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians; and Richard Hackman, Cahners-Rabb Professor of Social and Organizational Psychology, Harvard University. Professor Hackman will also chair the Research Advisory Committee, which will include Paul DiMaggio, Professor of Sociology, Princeton University; Stephen Stamas, Chairman of the New York Philharmonic; and William Moyer, retired Personnel Manager of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Other Board members will be added over coming months.

The Institute will initiate its research and publications programs next month.

The research program will focus on critical, generic issues within symphony orchestra organizations and intends to team academic researchers with practitioners. The Institute plans to have at least two research projects under way by year end.

A journal-type publication will be issued two to three times per year, with the first issue scheduled for early October. This publication will combine new writings about orchestral organizations with previously published material, and will include republished writings on general organizational topics. The first issue will include a survey of the literature written over the last 35 years about symphony orchestra organizations.

The Institute anticipates working cooperatively with the American Symphony Orchestra League and the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians, as well as other player conferences of the American Federation of Musicians, and other special organizations which have particular interests in the health and dynamics of symphony orchestra organizations. "I have long felt the need for a more detached and scholarly perspective on symphony orchestra organizations than can be provided by any existing group. I am hopeful the Institute, as an independent foundation, will fulfill this need."

Mr. Judy was President of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1977 -1980, and is a Life Trustee. After retiring from the investment banking business in 1981, he was a director of public and private companies until early 1994, when he ceased business activities in order to devote full time to evaluating issues within symphony orchestra organizations, and the prospect of a not-for-profit program to address them. The active formation of the Symphony Orchestra Institute commenced in May of 1995.

Deaths



Charles Bruck, director of the Pierre Monteux conducting school in Hancock, Maine, died on July 16. Neal Gittleman, resident conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony, posted the following appreciation of Bruck's life and work on the Internet mailing list ORCHESTRALIST, and he has kindly given DOS Orchestra permission to reprint it.

For those who never had the opportunity to work with him, please indulge me as I try to give a sense of how important Bruck was to the life of orchestras in the US and elsewhere.

Of course, there are his conducting students, who are all over place, each keeping the Monteux/Bruck flame burning in their own unique way: Hugh Wolff, Enrique Diemecke, Michael Jinbo, Michael Stern, Barbara Yahr, Jeff Rink, Michael Luxner, and many, many others (to whom I apologize for not mentioning them...), including at least 4 orhestralisters that I can think of (Kirk Smith, Michael Griffith, Linn Weeda, and yours truly).

Over his 27 years in Hancock, Bruck also worked with literally thousands of orchestral musicians. The Monteux school was always -- and will always be -- a school for conductors AND ORCHESTRAL MUSICIANS. The high artistic and intellectual standards that Bruck set have helped many of those players win their auditions, thanks to knowledge of the repertoire that they got at Monteux' Forest Studio.

Bruck was tough -- on conductors and players alike. He could (and did) scream with the best of them, and he could be a real son-of-a-bitch. But once you realized that you were still breathing, you also realized that you would never be intimidated by any situation in "the real world" after living through a Bruck baptism-by-fire!

On the podium (which was almost never at the school, since he believed his students should get the podium time), Bruck directed the Netherlands Opera (1950-54), Strasbourg Radio Orchestra (1955-65), and the ORTF (1965-70) and guest conducted all over the world. He was a champion of 20th century music, was a great advocate for Bartok, Kodaly, Dallapiccola, Xenakis, Jolivet, Penderecki, and countless others.

I was visiting Bruck -- and the Monteux school -- for the last week of his life, an can tell those of you who are curious about the future of the school that it is alive and well. Bruck's long-time assistant Michael Jinbo has been teaching in his absence, and has blossomed as a GREAT teacher who is keeping the heritage of Bruck and Monteux alive even as you read this posting.

As you may imagine, the students at the school this summer are devastated by the Maestro's death. Everyone here is craving as many Bruck stories as they can get. If any of you out there have good ones, please e-mail them directly to me (nealgitt@aol.com), and I'll pass them along to help the students temper their grief with laughter and lisping!

For those who want details, Bruck died at 8:45 AM EDT on July 16th. He is survived by his wife Gaby and family members in France, Hungary, and the US. He will be buried in Israel.

As always, "One is Down."
Copyright 1995, International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians

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