Adopted ICSOM Bylaw change and Resolutions at the 2021 ICSOM Conference in Pittsburgh PA on August 14, 2021

ICSOM Bylaws Article III Section 2. (g) will now read:

Section 2. (g) The delegate(s) of any member orchestra whose dues are not current at the time of the Annual Conference, or any subsequent special meeting, unless having requested and been granted an extension or waiver by the Governing Board, and subsequently been approved by a majority of the voting delegates, shall be seated and allowed to speak but shall not be allowed to vote or to make any motions. Should any member orchestra’s dues be three years or more in arrears one day before the start of any Annual Conference, or should any member orchestra fail to have repaid an ERF loan according to the terms under which it was made (as of one day before the start of the Annual Conference), that orchestra shall be considered to have withdrawn from ICSOM, and no delegate from said orchestra shall be seated. Should that orchestra desire to rejoin ICSOM, it must apply as would a new applicant for membership.

Resolution adopted to resist extending Electronic Media Guarantee (EMG) carve outs
Submitted by the ICSOM Governing Board

Whereas, During the COVID-19 pandemic many orchestras renegotiated the terms of their agreement, some of which included carving out a portion of salary that increased an existing Electronic Media Guarantee (EMG) or created a new EMG; and

Whereas, This strategy, which was intended to keep our musicians working and connected to their audiences through the use of electronic media, succeeded and allowed many orchestras to continue receiving wages while unable to perform in person; and

Whereas, Some, but not all, agreements included sunset clauses that reverted these additional EMG portions back to salary; and

Whereas, Orchestras are planning to return to their normal schedule with live audiences, nevertheless many managers will undoubtedly attempt to preserve these media carve outs; and

Whereas, An EMG salary carve out essentially gives our media work away for free, which has been a priority proposal by the Employers’ Electronic Media Association (EMA) since the inception of the IMA; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Delegates and Officers of ICSOM encourage their ICSOM colleagues to resist extending the duration of these EMG carve outs, especially since the AFM will soon enter negotiations with the EMA to negotiate a successor agreement to the Integrated Media Agreement that expires June 30, 2022.

Resolution adopted to revise AFM Bylaws with regard to the AFM Strike Fund
Submitted by the ICSOM Governing Board

Whereas, Several ICSOM employers furloughed their musicians during the pandemic, invoked force majeure, or otherwise refused to honor their contractual obligations; and

Whereas, Musicians in those orchestras experienced severe financial hardship; and

Whereas, Many musicians have inquired as to whether the AFM Strike Fund could be used to provide financial relief to those musicians experiencing such hardship as a result of the actions of their employers; and

Whereas, AFM bylaws as currently written provide Strike Fund benefits only in the event of a lockout or strike; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Officers and Delegates to the 2021 ICSOM Conference urge ICSOM to pursue revisions to the AFM bylaws at the 2022 AFM Convention so as to permit Strike Fund benefits to be provided where an employer invokes force majeure, or refuses to honor its contractual obligations, such that the musicians are deprived of all wages under their local collective bargaining agreement.

Resolution adopted by unanimous consent to honor the passing of Chris Durham
Submitted by the ICSOM Governing Board and Betsy Sturdevant (Columbus Symphony Orchestra)

Whereas, Chris Durham was a gifted violinist who joined the Columbus Symphony Orchestra in 1979; and

Whereas, His musical career was eclipsed over time by his reputation as a “born union activist” who, during his tenure with the Columbus Symphony, served as orchestra committee chair and as Local 103’s youngest Vice President, during a time of tremendous upheaval and growth; and

Whereas, In 1984, he helped found the Regional Orchestra Players’ Association (ROPA), serving as Columbus’s first ROPA Delegate, and as a ROPA Member-at-Large; and

Whereas, Chris Durham joined the AFM’s Symphonic Services Division (SSD) as a negotiator in 1989, taking a brief break from 1991 to 1994 to serve as St. Louis Local 2-197’s Secretary-Treasurer, and rejoining SSD in 1994; and

Whereas, His dedication to improving the wages, working conditions and lives of working symphonic and theater musicians led him to serve as AFM-SSD Director from 2009 to 2011, and later as SSD’s Chief Field Negotiator until his untimely death in 2020; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Delegates and Officers to the 2021 ICSOM Conference express their profound sorrow on the passing of Chris Durham and offer their immense gratitude to his wife Lisa and son Jacob, for sharing this incredibly gifted musician and union activist with orchestras in the U.S. and Canada, as he inspired and taught future generations of orchestra leadership.

Resolution adopted by unanimous consent to honor the passing of Paul Ganson
Submitted by the ICSOM Governing Board and Monica Fosnaugh (Detroit Symphony Orchestra)

Whereas, Paul Ganson was a gifted bassoonist who served as Detroit Symphony Orchestra Assistant Principal Bassoon from 1969 through 2004; and

Whereas, He is one of a handful who served as ICSOM Delegate for two different ICSOM Orchestras during his tenure—the Dallas Symphony in 1968, and the Detroit Symphony in 1970 and 1971; and

Whereas, In late 2002, he agreed—during a time of transition and change in ICSOM—to accept an appointment to serve as Member-at-Large, which was later extended by election through 2004; and

Whereas, Paul Ganson’s vast knowledge and love of history not only benefited ICSOM, but was especially helpful to his Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) colleagues, when he was involved in saving Detroit’s historic Orchestra Hall from the wrecking ball in the 1970s; and

Whereas, As an amazing wordsmith—with a gift for the turn of a phrase—his 45-year passion project documenting the history of the Detroit Symphony The Detroit Symphony Orchestra: Grace, Grit, and Glory, cowritten with Laurie Lanzen Harris, was published in 2016 and included how Paul Ganson’s leadership brought the DSO back to its cherished home; and

Whereas, Paul Ganson passed away on January 2, 2021, leaving his countless friends and colleagues bereft; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Officers and Delegates to the 2021 ICSOM Conference honor Paul Ganson and offer their sincere sorrow and immense thanks to his wife Astrid, for being his helpmate and partner, and for sharing such a wonderful, caring, and entertaining individual who brought intelligence and humor to every aspect of his life, and couldn’t help but make us smile.

Resolution adopted by unanimous consent to thank Micah Howard for his service as ICSOM Member at Large
Submitted by the ICSOM Governing Board

Whereas, Micah Howard joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) bass section at the age of 25 in 1996; and

Whereas, During his tenure with the PSO he has demonstrated keen leadership as a member and chairperson of the orchestra committee; and

Whereas, In 2017, Micah Howard took on a new leadership role as the PSO’s ICSOM Delegate, and two years later he was elected Member-at-Large; and

Whereas, He is also a dedicated teacher holding a position as Artist Lecturer in Double Bass at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, and being recognized as the 2010 Pennsylvania-Delaware String Teachers Association’s Outstanding String Teacher; and

Whereas, After two years of service as Member-at-Large, Micah Howard has announced his intention to step down following the conference that he and his orchestra are hosting after a year-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Officers and Delegates to the 2021 ICSOM Conference offer their respect and thanks to Micah Howard for his service to ICSOM and his passionate promotion of the Arts, and offer their best wishes in all his future endeavors.

Resolution adopted by unanimous consent to thank Greg Mulligan for his service as ICSOM Member at Large
Submitted by the ICSOM Governing Board

Whereas, Greg Mulligan has been a member of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) first violin section since 1980, with the exception of five years—from 1989 to 1994—when he served as Concertmaster of the San Antonio Symphony; and

Whereas, During his 36-year tenure with the BSO, he has served as Chair and Co-Chair of the BSO Players Committee; and

Whereas, Greg Mulligan was elected BSO ICSOM Delegate in 2011, and in 2017 as Member-at-Large; and

Whereas, He took on the additional daily responsibility of maintaining ICSOM’s Facebook page for the past four years; and

Whereas, Greg Mulligan has announced his intention to step down as Member-at-Large following this conference, having extended his term by an additional year due to the COVID-19 pandemic; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Officers and Delegates to the 2021 ICSOM Conference offer their gratitude and admiration to Greg Mulligan for his service to ICSOM and his enthusiastic promotion to keep ICSOM’s lines of communication open, and offer him continued success in all his future undertakings.

Resolution adopted by unanimous consent to honor and thank Michael Moore for his three decades of service on the ICSOM Governing Board
Submitted by the ICSOM Governing Board

Whereas, Michael Moore joined the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as Principal Tuba at age 18, and during his 53 years with the orchestra has been active as the Artistic Director of the Atlanta Symphony Brass Quintet and founder of the Atlanta Brass Society, Inc., and ABS Press; and

Whereas, He has filled nearly every position on the ASO orchestra committee, where he currently serves as treasurer, and has also served many terms as Local 148-462’s AFM Convention Delegate, and currently serves as the Local’s Vice President; and

Whereas, Michael Moore began his affiliation with ICSOM as the ASO’s ICSOM Delegate for 38 years from 1982 through 2019, achieving the status of ICSOM’s longest serving delegate; and

Whereas, He served ICSOM in a number of capacities—as host of the 1986 ICSOM conference, on the Nominating and Minority Committees, as Administrator of the ICSOM Conductor Evaluation Program, and from 1990 to 2002 as a Member-at-Large; and

Whereas, Michael Moore graciously agreed to serve as Treasurer when he was first appointed in 2002 and later elected, to what would become a 19-year tenure as ICSOM Treasurer, where he earned the moniker “IHAT” (ICSOM’s hard-ass treasurer); and
Whereas, After completing nearly 40 years of service to ICSOM, including more than 30 years as a member of the Governing Board, Michael Moore has decided to step away from service; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Officers and Delegates to the 2021 ICSOM Conference offer their thanks and tremendous appreciation for the extraordinary decades of service Michael Moore has provided to the entire membership of ICSOM, to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and to musicians around the world who have benefited from his work on their behalf; and, be it further

Resolved, That in recognition of his outstanding dedication and service to ICSOM the title of Treasurer Emeritus be extended to Michael Moore, and that the entire membership of ICSOM offer their appreciation and best wishes for every success in all of his future endeavors.