ICSOM CHAIRMAN’S REPORT - 2007

This Symphony season, my first as chair of ICSOM, has been one of the most interesting years of my life, simultaneously invigorating and exhausting. It has been an honor to serve in this position, and a joy to work with such a talented and dedicated Governing Board.

Site Visits

When we met in Nashville at the Conference in 2006, one of the stated goals of the new ICSOM Governing Board was to elevate the profile of ICSOM within our member orchestras. We have taken several steps to accomplish that, but none more important than “site visits” to member orchestras. During these visits, I meet with the orchestra committees, union officials, board members, and management. I also try to schedule a meeting with the full orchestra, which has been rewarding and educational for me. It has been a great pleasure to hear these orchestras in rehearsal as well. I am continually impressed with the quality of our orchestras.

This year’s site visits have included:

Apart from these site visits, I have had the opportunity to hear concerts and visit backstage with The Nashville Symphony (April 15, June 21), the New York Philharmonic (January 4), and the Cleveland Orchestra (March 18).

AFM Convention

The AFM Convention was held in Las Vegas June 18-20. Many issues discussed there were of great concern to our orchestras, but the main issue of concern was the proposed increase on Symphonic Work Dues. Much of this is well documented in the May, 2007 edition of Senza Sordino. The Governing Board asked our members to rise up in the “Call to Action” campaign to protest the increase in symphonic dues. While many facts were presented to support our case, perhaps the most telling is that Symphonic musicians pay over 55% of work dues to the federation, yet there are only 6 employees in the Symphonic Services Division to serve all of the United States. The reaction from our ICSOM delegates and our member orchestras was tremendous! Letters and petitions were delivered to Local officers and convention delegates. Our Call to Action was successful! The proposal to raise Symphonic Work Dues was defeated. This effort should invigorate all of ICSOM, as there can be no doubt that more action of this nature will be needed to advocate for the Arts in America.

One of the most important efforts we will make over these next few years must be a drive to elect delegates to the AFM Convention from within our orchestras.

Players Conference Council

The heads of the Various AFM Players’ Conferences form the Players’ Conference Council (PCC). This group consists of the heads of the Regional Orchestra Players’ Association (ROPA), Organization of Canadian Symphony Musicians (OCSM), the Theater Musicians Association (TMA), and the Recording Musicians Association (RMA), as well as ICSOM. The PCC communicated frequently this year as we worked to submit resolutions for consideration to the AFM Convention. We met as a group in Chicago on January 14, and we held semi-regular conference calls throughout the year.

As we continue to build upon our relationships, I will also be attending the ROPA Conference in San Francisco (August 1-4), and the OCSM Conference in Quebec City (August 8-11).

ICSOM Website

Another important step in elevating the profile of ICSOM was in launching our re-designed website. Under the tremendous skill of our webmaster, Bruce Christensen (Nashville Symphony), the site launched in January and has received glowing reviews! The site is designed to evolve, and we are eager to hear your ideas about continually improving the site. We would also like to enhance the site visually, and we hope that our delegates might contribute pictures or any other information that might serve to make the site an even more attractive tool for our membership. If you’ve not had a chance to visit the site, please do, and please help promote it to your orchestra. There is a great deal of information available there in a very user-friendly format. The address is www.icsom.org

Health Care Data Base

With the ever growing concern about the cost of health care and the affect it can have on our negotiations, the Governing Board decided to create a more complete “Health Care Data Base” for our orchestras. We have asked our friend, Florence Nelson (former ICSOM officer and Secretary/Treasurer of the AFM) to assist us in this project. We are still collecting data from our delegates, but we know this will be a crucially important tool for us all. It will be updated regularly.

American Symphony Orchestra League (ASOL)

This June, the ASOL announced a name change. They will now be known as the League of American Orchestras (LAO). I engaged in a number of meetings and presentation with the League this season.

1. I was once again invited to lecture at the Orchestra Leadership Academy in New York in early January. I was joined by our distinguished council, Leonard Leibowitz, as well as Laura Brownell, director of the SSD. We addressed many young people entering the arts management field on a variety of issues.
2. In March, I was asked to serve on the faculty for the League’s Music Director Search Seminar. This was my third time serving on this faculty. Following my work as chair of the Music Director Search in North Carolina, many managers have reached out for advice. My message here is always the need for inclusiveness in such a search.
3. I was invited to appear at the League’s annual Conference in Nashville following the AFM Convention on June 21-22. I participated in a number of meetings with musicians and managers, as well as serving on the faculty for a session titled “Creating a Positive Environment in the Workplace” where I was joined by Laura Brownell, Tom Fetherston (president of ROPA), and Carla Johnson (executive director of the Virginia Symphony.) I was also asked to deliver a few remarks to the conference at their awards ceremony.
4. On December 18, Laura Brownell, Tom Fetherston and I met with the upper management of the League in New York to open a dialog on a variety of issues.

Collaborative Data Project (CDP)

The League and ICSOM, as well as the AFM and ROPA, have been participating in a project to develop a comprehensive and consistent set of data and statistics about our field. The League has long collected data called Orchestra Statistical Reports (OSR). But, that information was not made available to musicians until the onset of the CDP. It is hoped that through the work of the CDP the field can have a set of statistics that we all can agree on. This is a huge project, and involves many details as you can imagine. The work continued this year with meetings in Chicago on January 15 and May 21, as well as through many conference calls. Former ICSOM GB member Henry Peyrebrune (Cleveland Orchestra), has diligently served on this project, but recently he has stepped away to spend more time with his growing family. ICSOM President Brian Rood, who in many ways deserves the credit for instigating this project, will now join me on the CDP.

Various letters

In another aspect of the effort to elevate the profile of ICSOM In the field, I have written countless letters this year to orchestra members, managers, union officials, and those who have reached out to us. Of most importance though has been the continuation of the “Rapid Response Team” on the GB that seeks out opportunities to write letters to the press in response to articles or to various elements of the community where an orchestra is in need. Examples of these letters this season have included:

• Support for the Atlanta ballet
• Support for the Orquesta Filarmonica of Santiago, Chile
• Responses to articles from San Antonio, Florida, and the New York Times

The ICSOM Governing Board

Your GB has been incredibly active this year and has communicated frequently and effectively. There have been monthly (and lengthy!) conference calls, as well as the annual mid-winter marathon meeting (this year in Chicago on January 28). ICSOM President Brian Rood has also led calls for negotiating orchestras, which has proven to be a tremendous asset for our members involved in negations. The recent positive settlements that we have seen have no doubt been helped by these calls. Thanks to all of the participants.

I have often said that I am never happier than when I am working with this Governing Board. They are an incredibly talented group of people who dedicate their time in absolutely amazing ways. They are an inspiration to me.

President Brian Rood returned to the GB this year, and his advice and friendship are invaluable to me. I simply could not do this job without him. The respect that he has from all aspects of our field is an enormous asset for ICSOM. And what can I say about ICSOM Secretary Laura Ross? She is incredible! She holds this organization together in every way. The sheer volume of work she produces is mind- boggling! I am constantly amazed at her knowledge, and whenever I need an answer, she is right there to provide it.

Treasurer Michael Moore is the perfect person for this position! Your GB works over time to spend your dues money efficiently and carefully. This is due to Michael’s enormous skills and integrity. Richard Levine has produced every edition of Senza Sordino with great dedication. Senza has been an invaluable tool for the elevation of our profile this year. I have never received so many cards and notes from musicians saying how thoroughly they are reading Senza! All of my articles owe Richard a great debt for his editing skills.

Our Members-at-Large all serve unique roles on the GB. Paul Gunther has served as a great friend and confidant to me this year, always willing to listen to my ideas and help me to develop them. In many ways, Meredith Snow is the personality of the GB! Her wit and wisdom always keep us looking to the future. James Nickel has been an incredibly effective communicator with his orchestra delegates, and has been a driving force behind the Health Care Data Base. And, as always, there is our distinguished ICSOM Legal Counsel, Lenny Leibowitz. I know that at anytime, day or night, I can call Lenny for advice, whether business or personal, and he always comes though, not just for me, but for musicians everywhere.

It has been a great team, and a joy to work with in every way!

One of our team will be stepping down from the GB this August. I must thank Steve Lester for his guidance and friendship. He has tremendous “gravitas” in our field, and he will be deeply missed. But, I know that he will continue to enlighten us with his ideas, and I look forward to our continuing friendship.

In writing a year-end report of this nature, it seems impossible to put everything in order, especially after such a whirlwind year! I feel that ICSOM has accomplished a great deal this season, but we must not be content. There are challenges ahead for which we must be prepared. But, I am without doubt that we can accomplish even greater things this coming year. Your Governing Board and I will be asking for your guidance and assistance.

Thank you for the honor of serving as your Chairman.

Respectfully submitted,

Bruce Ridge, July 13, 2007

12A Chairman Report - 2007