It has been a great privilege to again serve as ICSOM President this year. My duties as described in the bylaws include “the supervision of the operation of the organization, subject to the directions of the chairperson, and for such other duties as directed by the Governing Board. As chief operations officer, he/she shall be responsible for the ICSOM-related activities of all member orchestras.” This report will outline some of my activities over the past season.
1. In January I organized the first of several negotiating orchestra conference calls with ICSOM orchestra committees and delegates. Participating orchestras included Detroit, Florida, Kansas City, Minnesota, Nashville, North Carolina, Saint Paul and San Antonio. These calls typically included committees and their chairs, SSD Director Laura Brownell and our own DILC (Distinguished ICSOM Legal Counsel-aka Lenny). Conference calls normally began a few weeks before negotiations started and continued as needed until negotiations were completed. Management proposals and strategies as well as musician counter-strategies were discussed in-depth. These calls provided an ideal forum for the comprehensive and confidential exchange of ideas of ICSOM colleagues in similar circumstances regarding the difficult negotiating environments many orchestras continue to encounter. I will organize another round of conference calls with those orchestras scheduled to negotiate later this summer and into the fall. The face-to-face negotiating orchestra caucus preceding the Conference will be the first step.
2. In early March I traveled to New York to represent the Governing Board during the “fence agreement” negotiations between the Federation and the New World Symphony (NWS). In addition to the regular issues I advocated for greatly increased ICSOM presence and involvement to coincide with the AFM site visits to Miami. Given the ever-increasing number of NWS alumni joining our ranks it makes sense to introduce NWS students to ICSOM on a regular basis before they become our colleagues.
3. From June 17-20 Chairperson Bruce Ridge, Member-at-Large Paul Gunther, DILC and I represented ICSOM at the 2007 AFM Convention in Las Vegas. The “call to action” campaign initiated by the Governing Board was particularly effective in defeating the financial packages proposed by the Revenue Committee and the International Executive Committee. Bruce, Laura Ross and I also met with the Revenue Committee in March to express ICSOM’s views on the proposed additional symphonic Federation work dues as well as the AFM’s use of symphonic work dues.
4. At the invitation of the Mellon Foundation, Chairperson Ridge, Secretary Ross and I traveled to Chicago in July to discuss a draft report prepared by Stanford University Professor Robert Flanagan. Mellon’s invitation was similarly issued to SSD Director Laura Brownell and ROPA President Tom Fetherston. The Governing Board discussed and ultimately accepted the invitation to attend with the understanding that ICSOM’s presence was solely to review and offer perspective on Professor Flanagan’s draft work and its implication to the field. In addition to the five union representatives, other attendees included Mellon staff, League Chair Lowell Noteboom, newly appointed League Vice-President Atul Kanagat, several managers and board members from Mellon Forum orchestras and ICSOM Delegate Henry Peryebrune of the Cleveland Orchestra-former Governing Board Member-at-Large. Bruce, Laura and I will discuss this further during the Conference.
5. The Conductor Evaluation Program was administered by ICSOM Treasurer Michael Moore. I am grateful to Michael for taking this on again this year. The CEP provides a valuable and yet under utilized opportunity to evaluate music directors and other conductors. The statistical analyses afforded through the data’s unique format have been used by musicians and managers alike for several decades to give the musicians’ voice a significant role in the selection and retention of conductors.
6. 2006-07 marked my fifth year on the ICSOM Media Committee. Chairperson Ridge, Secretary Ross and Member-at-Large Lester also served from the Governing Board. Several orchestras have used the new Symphony, Opera and Ballet Live Recording Agreement. The Media Committee dealt with many issues and continues to discuss the status of national agreements, the impact of local, national and satellite radio as well as the internet and other web based media such as digital downloads. The Media Committee continues to be capably led by Chairman William Foster of the National Symphony.
7. ICSOM continued its support of the Sphinx Organization, which held its annual Competition in February. Sphinx focuses on building diversity in classical music and arts education. ICSOM sponsorship helps to underwrite the finalist scholarship awards to the Sphinx Competition senior level winners.
8. ICSOM President Emeritus David Angus and I again served as the ICSOM Trustees of the AFM Symphony and Opera Strike Fund. Last summer the trustees agreed to move the Fund’s assets to a prime money market fund with Chase. This move has provided the Fund with a more stable fiscal and yet liquid investment policy. The effective annual yield was just over 5%. We will continue to monitor the market in order to make sound and safe investment decisions to preserve the ability to exert additional leverage needed during critical negotiations.
9. The Governing Board held its annual mid-winter meeting in Chicago. I also enjoyed answering many phone calls and email messages from ICSOM colleagues around the country as well as writing articles for Senza Sordino.
In addition to my duties as ICSOM President, I served as chair of both the Kansas City Symphony Musicians’ and Negotiating Committees. In June we concluded a lengthy negotiation process that resulted in a new four-year agreement providing for minimum annual raises of 5.5%, 5%, 5%, and 6.4% as well as many other benefits and working condition improvements. The success of our negotiations was due in great part to the terrific access to ICSOM and AFM resources and contacts. KCS Musicians continue to benefit greatly from being integrally involved with the network of ICSOM colleagues and their orchestras. It is a distinct advantage and privilege that we do not take for granted.
In closing I would like to acknowledge and thank the Governing Board Members and DILC for their tremendous dedication, expertise and warm friendship. I would like to particularly recognize Member-at-Large Stephen Lester who will step down after four years of terrific leadership and service. Steve’s vast knowledge and experience proved invaluable to the Governing Board and ICSOM. We will miss his unique perspective and voice of reason.
Respectfully submitted,
Brian Rood, July, 2007