Issue: Chairperson's Reports
Recently, Michael Steele was asked to name his favorite book, and he answered War and Peace. He then went on to quote from the book, saying “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” Aside from not knowing the difference between Tolstoy and Dickens, I thought his reference was appropriate, as it is the best of times, and it is the worst of times. The notion that anything about these … [Read more...]
Issue: March 2011
Whatever happened to treating people with at least a modicum of respect or civility and to elevated discussion and behavior? I wonder, too, what has happened to bargaining in good faith or negotiating at all? I have become more and more disturbed by the behavior of orchestra boards and managers in the past few years as they use threats and strong-arm techniques to coerce musicians to accept … [Read more...]
Issue: March 2011
At the 2007 ICSOM Conference in Minneapolis, delegates passed a resolution asking the American Federation of Musicians and Employers Pension Fund (AFM-EPF) to develop and provide a transactional website. Since that time the AFM-EPF has offered additional services beyond simply providing copies of forms and documents for download. By 2008, the Fund began providing a password protected area that … [Read more...]
Issue: March 2011
We might not have been able to call ourselves by name because of our management’s attorney’s allegation that use of the name “Louisville Orchestra Musicians’ Association” is a violation of our contract. Instead, we answered to code names such as “Major orchestra across the Ohio River from Jeffersonville, Indiana” and “Musicians from our Nation’s Capital Orchestra.” But something amazing happened … [Read more...]
Issue: March 2011
The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is in the midst of its 75th season. In celebration of this milestone, Buffalo Heritage Unlimited, in cooperation with the BPO, has published The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra: The BPO Celebrates the First 75 Years. This highly informative volume outlines the history of the orchestra from its inception to the present with a wealth of photographs and text. In … [Read more...]
Issue: March 2011
The economy was in the tank, and we were at a very, very low point in terms of financial stability due to our previous administration. Six positions remained unfilled by mutual agreement to avoid financial catastrophe. It was not a pretty picture. As in every negotiation, our negotiating committee began by taking a survey. The results of that survey were disheartening to several of us, but we … [Read more...]
Issue: March 2011
On February 22, 2011, Governor Neil Abercrombie publicly announced that a new group of prominent community leaders had formed the “Symphony Exploratory Committee” (SEC) to examine the possibility of having a new professional orchestra in Hawaii. The SEC has begun to assemble an impressive team. Steven Monder, former long-time executive director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has been … [Read more...]
Issue: December 2010
Fred Zenone was ICSOM’s fifth chairman, serving from 1980 to 1986. Before becoming chairman, he served four years as Eastern area vice-chairman and two years as ICSOM vice-chairman. Some of the most notable accomplishments in ICSOM’s history were made during Fred’s time in office. Under his leadership ICSOM built coalitions and expanded liaisons with the AFM, the Major Orchestra Managers … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
One of the most jarring juxtapositions in American film comes from The Deer Hunter, where lifelong friends spend one final night of celebration in a Pennsylvania mining town before they are sent to Vietnam. Arriving drunk and exhausted in their local hang-out, Chopin’s Nocturne No. 6 in G minor is played on an out-of-tune barroom piano, momentarily entrancing the friends just before an immediate … [Read more...]
Issue: December 2010
As we’re all aware, the orchestra industry is under attack in a number of cities due in part to the economy, and in part to irresponsible management. The economy has affected fundraising and ticket sales, but in many places, responsible managers are helping their orchestras weather the storm and, in some cases, thrive. Other managers have proposed such punitive measures that some, like the Detroit … [Read more...]
