-by Margaret Bichteler
Carnegie Hall. As a young violinist growing up in Austin, Texas, I knew
it
was the place to get to, an arrival point in a performer's career, and the
destination of every dedicated musician. Some twenty five years and
thousands of hours of practice later, I am proud to be a member of the San
Francisco Symphony on tour in New York City. We're preparing to play in
Carnegie Hall, the first stop of our Fall '96 International Tour.
But wait -- I'm not backstage warming up for my concert -- I'm out in front
of Carnegie in the misting rain with several fellow musicians passing out
leaflets to concert-goers. We're all dressed in our formal black ready to
dash in before the 8:00 downbeat. Some members of Local 802, the NYC
musician's union, have kindly shown up to help us out.
Nothing in my years of schooling had quite prepared me for this.
Leafleting 101 was not offered in my Master's degree program.
"What's this all about?" asks one New York music lover.
"It's about supporting musicians and ensuring the outstanding quality
of
America's greatest orchestras," I answered. The Philadelphia Orchestra
and
the Atlanta Symphony have been on strike for over two months, the Cleveland
Orchestra is playing without a contract and we in the San Francisco
Symphony are currently looking at a November 23 contract expiration date
when we're in Vienna, towards the end of this tour. So far our management
has not come close to giving us an offer that we can accept. It is all a
conspiracy?
The Carnegie Hall staff approach us and politely ask that we not stand
under their awning. A few minutes later a policeman comes up to me, smiles,
and insists that I move two feet over into the rain. He explains that they
are prepared to deal with anti-fur demonstrators who tend to get violent.
Hey -- I'm just a violinist.
Nevertheless, I move into the rain, open my umbrella, and perfect a
technique of passing out the leaflets with my remaining free hand. Manual
dexterity, after all, is my forte.
By this time, it is pouring. I glance back at my two fellow colleagues just
in time to see some patrons offer an umbrella to each of them. Whover said
New Yorkers weren't friendly? I am generally warmed by the show of support
from our concert-goers. "Good luck," many of them say. "We're
looking
forward to the concert."
It is time to go inside, dry off and tune up. Many thanks to those Local
802 members who helped distribute right up until 8:00. "The San Francisco
Symphony is a great orchestra," they say. "We hope everything
turns out
OK."
Thanks. So do we.
[Margaret Bichteler is a violinist with the San Francisco Symphony]
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