Issue: December 2011
When it was realized years ago that a $2.5 million to $3 million deficit for the St. Louis Symphony wasn’t going away by itself, a decision was made to embrace it in a most creative and energizing way. A donor was found who would make up the difference for the next few years, but, on the books and in PR, the deficit still showed. The rational, gradual timeline for eliminating this deficit, by … [Read more...]
Issue: December 2011
This has been a time of significant change for the Utah Symphony. After a three-year international search, Thierry Fischer was engaged as our music director. The Swiss-born conductor has inspired the orchestra and reignited enthusiasm for the Utah Symphony throughout the community. He is an energetic and dynamic leader with vision. It has also been a transitional time for us, as there has been … [Read more...]
Issue: December 2011
San Francisco Symphony’s negotiating committee recently probed the financial arithmetic behind defined contribution pensions. According to Dave Gaudry, negotiating committee chair, management wanted future pension improvements to come from a 403(b) plan while the musicians wished to increase the SFS defined benefit plan. The negotiating committee challenged the assumption that defined contribution … [Read more...]
Issue: December 2011
Lew Waldeck was a tuba player with the New York City Opera Orchestra who had a pivotal role in the formation of the AFM Symphony Department (now the Symphonic Services Division) and served as its first director. After Lew died in 2004, Live Music Awareness, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with ties to the Musicians’ Association of Hawaii, Local 677, established the Lew Waldeck Fund to promote … [Read more...]
Issue: November 2011
Two years ago, Detroit Symphony delegate Dave Everson, on behalf of DSO musicians and Local 5, proposed Detroit as the location for the 2011 ICSOM Conference. The proposal was met with great enthusiasm by the 2009 ICSOM Conference delegates. As happy as they were to travel to the home of one of our esteemed orchestras, they were also glad that Dave’s invitation gave credibility to the recent … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
When the complete archive of Senza Sordino was posted on the ICSOM website, I spent hours reading through issue after issue. It is clear just from that source that no person had a greater influence over the gains of orchestral musicians during the past fifty years than Leonard Leibowitz. I found a 1974 entry from my own orchestra, long before I joined, which said, “We feel the sense of … [Read more...]
Issue: November 2011
Resolution 1: Frederick Zenone Conference Dedication WHEREAS, Frederick Zenone was known as a visionary and a transformative leader in the orchestra industry; and WHEREAS, As a cellist and representative from the National Symphony Orchestra, Fred served ICSOM for four years as Eastern area vice-chairman, followed by two years as ICSOM vice-chairman, and finally for six years as ICSOM’s fifth … [Read more...]
Issue: Counsel's Columns
During the “Delegate Duel” at the Detroit ICSOM Conference, delegates were challenged to address a number of hot topics in the legal arena. One of these topics involved the use of social media. In the future I hope to address other issues that may affect your day-to-day handling of grievances, negotiations, and enforcement of the collective bargaining agreement. Not surprisingly, the explosion … [Read more...]
Issue: November 2011
Issue: November 2011
When the San Francisco Symphony celebrates its centennial this year, it will be a season to remember. An ambitious eleven months of concerts, programs, and events, as well as expanded education programs and media initiatives, will invite the entire region to join in on the festivities. The season will also accentuate the vibrant role of the American orchestra in our communities, in part by … [Read more...]
