DOS Orchestra #54 - 05 April, 1996

News from the world of professional orchestras.
Copyright 1996, International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians

Topics

Akron Symphony: Chorus Director Fired

Akron Symphony chorus director Rebecca Reese Dawson has been fired, orchestra officials announced on February 23. Reese Dawson, who has directed the orchestra's chorus since September 1993, was told that her termination would be effective after the chorus's performance of Orff's ~Carmina Burana~ with the orchestra on May 4. At a chorus rehearsal on March 11, however, orchestra general manager Connie Linsler told Reese Dawson that she was relieved of her position immediately, and a security guard was posted outside the University of Akron classroom where the chorus rehearses.

Kellie Curtis-Malone, the chorus's director from 1982 to 1985, has been hired to prepare the chorus for the ~Carmina Burana~ performances. Curtis-Malone resigned from her position with the chorus after an accident in the summer of 1985 left her a quadriplegic.

Reese Dawson, who was hired by the University and the symphony in 1993, has told the Akron ~Beacon Journal~ that she believes that both her termination and its timing were related to sexual harassment charges she filed in 1994 against the University, where she is director of choruses. In a settlement reached with the university, Reese Dawson agreed to drop the sexual harassment charges in exchange for being retained as director of choruses through the 1995-96 academic year. The University had told her in 1994 that she would be terminated then.

Reese Dawson was fired by the orchestra one day after the university posted the announcement. Linsler denied that the termination was related to the sexual harassment charges, and told the ~Beacon Journal~ that the termination was for musical reasons. "We didn't feel that [her musicianship] was the level it needed to be to move the chorus to the next step... This was not the first she had heard of this. She had several meetings with [symphony music director] Alan Balter over the past 18 months... Whatever has happened at the University of Akron is totally separate from what happened with the symphony chorus."

The position of symphony chorus director has usually been filled by the director of choruses at the University, which pays for both positions. The University does not require the orchestra to hire the University's director of choruses, however.

Charlotte Symphony: Musicians Reject Management Proposal

Almost one month after agreeing to negotiate a new contract with their board by April 15, and three weeks after the orchestra's board promised to deliver its first proposal, the musicians of the Charlotte Symphony received the board's proposal. The musicians were happy with neither the message nor the messenger.

Musicians claimed that management's proposal, made under severe pressure from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Arts & Science Council, would cut their compensation by 18% while leaving untouched pay levels for the conducting staff and the unfilled executive director position. Musicians characterized the offer as "unfair and ill-advised," according to the Charlotte ~Observer~, and criticized management for not pursuing ways to increase revenue.

Musicians also expressed their dismay with management's negotiating team. "We're requesting that they pursue outside help," spokesperson and orchestra member Janice Nilsen told the paper. "The people negotiating with us now are not professionals in the field of orchestra management." The orchestra's board has hired Ralph Craviso, a Dallas-based labor consultant. The orchestra has been operating without senior staff leadership since last October when executive director Rick Lester abruptly resigned in what had all the earmarks of a termination by Figge.

Craviso, a former vice-president for personnel for Continental Airlines and vice-president for employee relations for American Airlines until his 1993 resignation, has been involved in several orchestra labor negotiations, including the most recent negotiations at the New York Philharmonic and the current negotiations in Atlanta. Interestingly, the musicians of the New York orchestra were not aware of Craviso's involvement in that contentious negotiation until the publication of an article in ~Forbes~ magazine some months after the negotiations concluded.

Fredric Figge, chairman of the orchestra's board and an executive at NationsBank, contested both the musicians' figures and their charges of unprofessionalism. "We believe we have a professional team and a well-thought-out position," he told the ~Observer~. "What we've tried to do is put on the table a variety of expense-saving opportunities using the musicians' salary and benefits as the last possible alternative. We are asking for a combination of work rule changes in order to make new revenue opportunities. We will share any net revenues gained, to reduce the pain from whatever other cuts are made." He also said that the board sent individual letters to each musician describing management's proposal.

The Arts & Science Council, which provides much of the orchestra's funding, has demanded that the orchestra negotiate a new labor agreement with its musicians by April 15 as part of a program to eliminate the orchestra's $500,000 operating deficit. Arts & Science Council president Michael Marsicano told the ~Observer~ that "we have said there needs to be a $500,000 bottom-line adjustment, the majority of which should be expense reduction. But there is no definition of what a majority is, and we specifically did not say it should come from any particular place." Council chair Bill Simms defended the group's actions at a board meeting on March 27, saying that the Council is "not taking steps to eliminate symphonic music in Charlotte. The commitment of this board is that there will be symphonic music in Charlotte in the fall of 1996." He added that the outcome of the negotiations between the musicians and the orchestra's board would determine whether or not the Charlotte Symphony would be providing the music. His comments were in response to a plea on behalf of the musicians from Jackie Cristiano, the mother of a student in the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra. Seven of the orchestras musicians, all dressed in black, also attended the meeting.

At the meeting, the Arts & Science Council announced that it had raised 7% more than its goal for the 1996 campaign. The group voted to increase basic operating grants to affiliates by 5%, to increase the group's administrative budget by 4%, and to start two new grant programs, one for individual artists and one to train groups in new technology.

Czech Philharmonic: New Permanent Guest Conductor

from CAROLINA, #197 (April 5, 1996):

British conductor Sir Charles Mackerras should receive the honored function of permanent guest conductor of the Czech Philharmonic (CF). However, he is not a candidate for the chief conductor's job, which has been unoccupied since Gerd Albrecht left January 30. Mackerras is well known for his sincere appreciation of Czech music. He prefers works of Bohuslav Martinu, Josef Suk and above all Leos Janacek, whose little-known version of Glagol's Mass (Glagolska mass) he studied with the CF and performed in Prague's Rudolfinum March 21-2. Vaclav Talich, head of the CF between the world wars, taught Mackerras a liking for Czech music during Mackerras' stay in Bohemia. His position is simplified by good knowledge of the Czech language.

According to information given to ~Carolina~ by Jitka Straubova of the CF's press department, Czech conductors Jiri Belohlavek and Libor Pesek will not take the philharmonic's permanent lead. Both have their own obligations. Pesek is committed to work in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Belohlavek will enter the National Theater as chief conductor.

Detroit Symphony: Team Selected to Develop Orchestra Place

DETROIT, March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall (DSOH) announced today a team headed by the Real Estate Development and Investment Company (REDICO) of Southfield will develop phase one of the historic Orchestra Place project. REDICO will head a team that includes Rosetti Associates as architects and the Perini Building Co. as general contractor.

The $32 million first phase will be located south of Orchestra Hall on land which now is the site of the former Winkelman's headquarters. It will include: -- a 175,000 square foot office building at the corner of Woodward and Parsons to the south of Orchestra Hall which will house the corporate headquarters for the Detroit Medical Center, administrative offices of DSOH, retail establishments, and a restaurant; and -- a 500-car parking deck that will be used by occupants of the office building during the day and by Orchestra Hall patrons at night and on weekends.

Demolition of the Winkelman's Building is scheduled for early summer, with completion of phase one expected by the end of 1997. DSOH Board Vice Chairman Peter D. Cummings, who is spearheading the development, said the team led by REDICO brings with it "well established credentials for successfully completing major projects. We believe they will enable us to realize the maximum potential from Orchestra Place as a catalyst in the continued rebuilding of Detroit." REDICO President Robert Sosnick said his team is "very excited" about their selection. "We have been looking for an opportunity to become involved in a project in the city to help in its revitalization," he said. "Orchestra Place, with its strategic location on Woodward and its historic alliance among the Symphony, the Detroit Public Schools, and the Detroit Medical Center, is clearly a major step forward in that revitalization."

The members of the development team all have been involved in a number of successful, high-profile projects in the Detroit area and elsewhere. A group of Detroit-based financial institutions will provide conventional financing for phase one of Orchestra Place. The office/retail building will be owned by a non-profit development offshoot of DSOH. The Medical Center will locate 500-600 employees in the building and occupy 125,000 square feet.

Later phases of the Orchestra Place development will include:

Florida Orchestra: Executive Director Honored

Kathryn Holm, executive director of the Florida Orchestra, was honored at the annual YWCA Tribute to Women and Corporations in Tampa Bay on March 28 for leading "efforts to raise more than $3 million and balance the orchestra's budget."

Eight other local business and non-profit leaders were also honored, as was USAA Property and Casualty Insurance for policies that "foster the success and advancement of women."

Holm came to the orchestra as its harpist and became acting executive director during a fiscal crisis several years ago. During the 1994-95 season, the orchestra raised $3 million (including a $1 million gift from New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner) and also received wage concessions from its musicians.

Hollywood Bowl Orchestra: Mauceri Re-ups

John Mauceri, conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra since its founding in 1991, has extended his contract through the 1998 season, orchestra officials announced on March 27. The announcement was made at a press conference on the stage of the Hollywood Bowl held to announce the Bowl's 1996 season. Mauceri will also receive the title of principal conductor.

Kansas City Symphony: Fund Established to Honor Retiree

From the management of the Kansas City Symphony, April 3:

On the concert weekend of March 29, 1996, The Kansas City Symphony celebrated the retirement of Mortimer Alpert, the last charter member of The Kansas City Philharmonic - which was founded in 1933. As Assistant Concertmaster of The Philharmonic for almost fifty years -- and violinist with The Kansas City Symphony for fourteen years -- Mort Alpert is a living legacy in the history of symphonic music in Kansas City.

In honor and celebration of Mort Alpert's lifetime achievements and service to The Kansas City Philharmonic and The Kansas City Symphony, the Board of Trustees of The Kansas City Symphony has established The Mortimer Alpert Musicians Education Fund. This perpetual fund is intended to promote and enhance the professional development of orchestra members of The Kansas City Symphony. All contributions to this fund will be utilized to defray the costs associated with the advancement of musicians of The Kansas City Symphony to include, but not limited to: seminars, master classes, special educational initiatives, etc.

Los Angeles Philharmonic: Music Center Elects New Chair

LOS ANGELES, March 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The Music Center Board of Governors voted today to elect Andrea L. Van de Kamp as chairman, effective July 1, 1996. Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Sotheby's West Coast Operations, Andrea L. Van de Kamp emerged as a strong candidate with broad support for this volunteer post, according to Nominating Committee Chairman Richard M. Ferry, chairman of Korn/Ferry International. Current Board of Governors Chairman Robert B. Egelston will complete his three-year term on June 30, 1996. "The Music Center is at the heart of the cultural life in Los Angeles. It has been a privilege to serve as chairman of its Board of Governors," commented Mr. Egelston. "I'm proud of our accomplishments over these three years and believe that Andrea is an excellent choice to provide strong leadership into the future. Her arts background and fundraising skills will be a great help in positioning the Music Center for a new era of growth." Andrea L. Van de Kamp is Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Sotheby's West Coast operations where she oversees business development, as well as the day-to-day operations. Prior to joining Sotheby's, Ms. Van de Kamp administered annual fundraising campaigns for fifteen independent colleges as president and CEO of the Independent Colleges of Southern California from 1987 to 1989 and served as the Director of Development of the Museum of Contemporary Art from 1980 to 1981.

"The Music Center has been an important part of my life for more than 20 years. I am delighted to have an opportunity to continue to serve the Music Center as chairman of the Board of Governors," commented Ms. Van de Kamp. "Because I have worked with the Music Center Operating Company and am very familiar with each of the Music Center's resident companies, I feel well equipped for the position and I hope to play a role in strengthening the relationships of the various entities that make up the Music Center." As chairman, Ms. Van de Kamp will oversee the activities of The Music Center, Inc., its senior management, fundraising and educational staff members, and more than 35 volunteer groups. The chairman also plays an important role in planning and executing fundraising activities for the Center, including the Music Center's annual fundraising campaign, the Music Center Unified Fund.

La Scala: Company to Move During Renovation

La Scala will close for two years in December 1999 for renovation, Milan city officials announced on March 26. They said the La Scala opera company would move to a new $17.2 million theater to be built with private money in an industrial suburb of Milan. La Scala superintendent Carlo Fontana said that the new facility would help the city as well as the company. "There is nowhere in Milan at the moment for popular music, both lyric and rock. In future, we will also be able to use the new theater to satisfy demand for more popular operas."

Minnesota Orchestra: Play Ball

Minnesota Orchestra music director Eiji Oue threw out the first pitch at the opening day baseball game between the Minnesota Twins and the Detroit Tigers on April 1, while orchestra principal trumpet Manny Laureano played the National Anthem.

Prague State Opera: Financing Shift

from CAROLINA, #196 (April 3, 1996):

Prague State Opera Director Eva Randova, Culture Minister Pavel Tigrid and Prague Mayor Jan Koukal agreed March 25 that the State Opera, today supervised by the Ministry of Culture, will be financed by the city from 1998. The reconstruction of the Opera's building, to take another three years, will be taken care of by the state.

Sacramento Symphony: County Asked to Forgive Loan

The Sacramento Symphony asked Sacramento County to forgive a 15-month old loan on March 26. The county's Board of Supervisors told the orchestra to come back in two weeks with more detailed information about the orchestra's financial picture.

The $100,000 loan was made in December 1994. Minutes from the September 1994 Board of Supervisors meeting say that the loan "may be forgiven" if the city of Sacramento matched the $100,000, the orchestra made quarterly financial reports, and the supervisors agreed that the orchestra had "made every conceivable effort to lower its budget to meet its expected income." The loan was made from hotel taxes.

In a letter to the board, orchestra executive director Lynn Osmond said the conditions had been met, while orchestra board chair John V. Diepenbrock said the orchestra expected to break even for the 1995-96 season. He also said that the board had begun a campaign to erase the orchestra's accumulate debt.

Supervisor Dave Cox questioned whether the orchestra's finances were improving, while County Executive Bob Thomas said he would prefer not to forgive the loan on the grounds that doing so would set a precedent for outstanding loans the County has with other organizations. Deipenbrock told the Board of Supervisors "I believe that precedent was set in September 1994 when this deal was struck. The precedent you should avoid is to welsh on a commitment you made."

St. Louis Symphony: Economic Impact Study

A new study by the Regional Commerce and Growth Association of St. Louis found that the total economic impact of 27 cultural organizations in the St. Louis area was over $1 billion, up 5% from a similar study done in 1993. The organizations included the St. Louis Symphony, the St. Louis Zoo, the Gateway Arch and the St. Louis Art Museum.

The study found that the cultural institutions drew 17.4 million patrons in 1995, more than twice as many as did the city's three major league sports teams.

$168 million of the $1 billion figure came from direct spending by the institutions, while another $281 million came from direct spending by out-of-town visitors. The remaining $556 million was calculated using a multiplier to estimate the effect of the direct spending being recirculated in the local economy. The study also found that the 27 institutions directly employed almost 3,000 people, while another 16,200 jobs were generated by the indirect economic activity created. The institutions studied had $12 million of construction projects in progress and another $43 million of construction in the planning process.

Other results were that the average resident of St. Louis made five visits to cultural institutions in 1995. Although the number of visits by residents was down 2.6% since 1992, the number of visits by out-of-town patrons rose 4.8% to 5.25 million.

San Diego Symphony: Missed Payroll

The San Diego Symphony missed its second payroll payment to its musicians on March 29 after restarting operations on March 15, although 10 staffpersons were paid, according to orchestra human resources director Elizabeth Lopez. Musicians had received 85% of the first payroll payment, which was due on March 15.

Musicians and union officials discounted the importance of the missed payroll. Richard Levine, a cellist with the orchestra and the musicians' spokesperson, told the San Diego ~Daily Transcript~ that "musicians remain optimistic that... fundraising efforts for both bridge and endowment funding will be successful and we are gold to hear that those efforts are continuing." Ed Arias, secretary-treasurer of AFM Local 325, which represents the orchestra's musicians, said "we entered into a rather intricate agreement and it was foreseeable, pursuant to that agreement, that the March payroll would not be made by the symphony management. The best efforts were made, but the best efforts did not produce the payroll. It's not a big surprise."

Elsie Weston, chair of the orchestra's board of directors, also downplayed the importance of the missed payroll. "I really do feel that we are on track and working very hard to keep things on target," she told the ~Daily Transcript~.

Deaths

Norbert Gingold, founder of the San Francisco Childrens' Opera, died at his home in San Francisco during the last week of March. He was 93.

Gingold was born in Vienna and studied composition and conducting at the State Academy of Music. He conducted the premiere of Kurt Weill's ~The Threepenny Opera~ and was music director of the Pathe newsreels until the Anschluss, when he fled to France, where he wrote nearly 30 childrens' operas with his first wife, Heddy.

They moved to San Francisco in 1952 and founded the Childrens' Opera. He accepted students without auditions or fees. He told the San Francisco ~Chronicle~ that "if they like to sing, act and dance, we take them... some start tone-deaf, and after a year or two they sing."

He is survived by his second wife, Venetia.
Enrique Jorda, music director of the San Francisco Symphony from 1954 to 1963, died on March 22 at his home in Brussels of hepatitis C caused by a blood transfusion. He was 84.

Jorda was born in San Sebastian, Spain, in 1911 and studied in Madrid and Paris. He was music director of the Madrid Symphony from 1940-45 and the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra from 1948-54, leaving the latter because of his opposition to apartheid, according to his widow Audrey. "He was very outspoken and insisted everyone be allowed to attend his concerts," she told the ~Associated Press~.

He was hired for the San Francisco position after his debut with the orchestra in November 1952, succeeding Pierre Monteux. His tenure with the orchestra was a controversial one. He introduced much new repertoire to the orchestra and led a number of world premieres, including Rodrigo's "Fantasia para un Gentilhomme" with guitarist Andres Segovia. He also conducted the orchestra in a widely-acclaimed recording of de Falla's "Nights in the Gardens of Spain" with Artur Rubinstein. A number of local critics, as well as San Francisco ~Chronicle~ columnist Herb Caen, vociferously criticized Jorda, claiming that he let the orchestra deteriorate musically and financially. In 1961, the orchestra's board unanimously passed a resolution of support for Jorda, but, with two years remaining on his contract, he resigned in 1962. In his resignation letter he said that "a small opposition is steadily undermining the structure and morale of the Symphony... the situation is not a good one and can only deteriorate."

He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
from Bernard J. Dobroski, Dean of the School of Music at Northwestern University:

Robert Marcellus died at 4:00 a.m. March 31, in Sister Bay, Wisconsin, following a long illness.

The music world at large mourns the passing of one of its legendary clarinet virtuosos, principal with the Cleveland Orchestra, treasured performer in major international chamber music festivals, soloist on numerous recordings, and music director and conductor of several important orchestras. We grieve for a cherished teacher whose students perform in the orchestras of the world, a conductor who made major improvements in our own symphony orchestra, and a courageous human being who throughout his time with us did not let his serious illness interfere with his concern for imparting knowledge and transmitting a distinguished performance tradition.

Born June 1, 1928, Prof. Marcellus's talent was made evident early. At 17, he was named the youngest member of the National Symphony Orchestra. For 20 years, beginning in 1954, he was principal clarinetist of the Cleveland Orchestra. As everyone who attended his master classes and lessons knew, this close experience with George Szell was a major formative influence. By 1959 he was playing with Pablo Casals at his Festival in Puerto Rico. His performing career and reputation as a teacher grew. His recording of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto with Szell and the Cleveland is still in print.

Robert joined us as a conductor as well as teacher in 1974, when his health precluded orchestral performance. In addition to the NU Symphony Orchestra, he directed the Peninsula Music Festival Orchestra in Door County, Wisconsin, the Interlochen (Michigan) Arts Academy Orchestra and the Scotia Chamber Players at the Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1984, he lost his sight completely but remained on the faculty as a teacher until recently.

Private funeral services will be held in Sister Bay. The University is planning a major memorial and invitational concert next fall.
Vaclac Nelhybel, composer-in-residence at the University of Scranton, died on March 22 in Scranton. He was 76.

Nelhybel was born in Polanka, Czechoslovakia and studied at Prague University, the University of Fribourg and the Prague Conservatory. He conducted at the City Theater of Prague and Radio Prague before World War II. After the war he was named conductor and composer in residence at Radio Suisse and a lecturer at the University of Fribourg. He also served as musical director for Radio Free Europe from 1950 to 1957 and guest-conducted a number of European orchestras.

He is survived by his wife Dorothea, a daughter, and two sons.
Joseph Reines, a bassoonist who played with the National Symphony and the U.S. Navy Band, died in Silver Spring (MD) on March 26 of cancer. He was 77.

Reines was a native of New York City. He came from a family of professional bassoonists: his father, grandfather and uncles had played with the New York Philharmonic, Cincinnati Symphony, St. Louis Symphony and the NBC Symphony. He studied at the Manhattan School of Music and the Juilliard School before joining the Navy Band in 1941. He retired from the Navy with the rank of chief petty officer in 1963 and joined the National Symphony, playing third and contra-bassoon until his retirement 10 years later. He then moved to Florida and played with the Boca Raton Pops Orchestra until 1992, when he returned to the Washington area. On his return, he tutored several junior high school bands and organized concerts at a retirement community in Silver Spring.

He is survived by his wife Rose, two children, two sisters, two stepdaughters, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Copyright 1996, International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians

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