Issue: Counsel's Columns
By Kevin Case The 2022 “bargaining season” is coming to a close. Most orchestras with expired CBAs have settled, though there are a few exceptions. I personally handled 10 negotiations, and I have some thoughts on how things went. This round of bargaining was not focused as squarely on pandemic-related issues as in 2021, though of course COVID-19 always lurks in the background. Some … [Read more...]
Issue: November 2022
By Helen Reich, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra In April 2022, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra performed our first “sensory friendly” concert, a long-term goal of Education Director Rebecca Whitney. Several years ago, she started to think about presenting sensory friendly concerts, but as our home was a multi-purpose, county-owned facility, we would not have been able to make the necessary … [Read more...]
Issue: November 2022
Resolution adopted remembering former ICSOM Secretary Nancy Page Griffin Submitted by the ICSOM Governing Board Whereas, Nancy Page Griffin, who faithfully served ICSOM as its Secretary from 1980 to 1988 when, following the September 1988 decertification of the Seattle Symphony from the AFM, she was forced to resign from that position; and Whereas, Her contributions as Secretary and … [Read more...]
Issue: July 2022
As ICSOM Chairperson Meredith Snow stated in her April 2022 Senza Sordino report, “Building Inclusion into our New Normal,” American symphony orchestra musicians have long been champions of our nation’s highest aspirations for supporting peace, equal rights, and efforts against discrimination. The historical racism in the orchestra world at the formation of our industry in the early 20th … [Read more...]
Issue: July 2022
Listen-Respect-Collaborate. Using these three core values as guides, the Minnesota Orchestra has taken a multifaceted approach to DEI work since 2015. What started as an ad hoc diversity committee of musicians and staff members quickly expanded to include board members and staff conductor Roderick Cox. But where are my manners? Before I go any further, please let me introduce you to AMELIA. … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
As of this writing, almost half of the 24 negotiating ICSOM orchestras have settled. It is never easy to hammer out a settlement and this time around is no exception. Lingering COVID, low interest rates, and high inflation make for a difficult bargaining environment. The resulting settlements are mixed, but so far there are more good outcomes than bad. Even though many orchestras have cash … [Read more...]
Issue: July 2022
The gatherings and work of ICSOM’s DEI Committee have reached a new level of vibrancy and activity in recent months. On June 1st, ICSOM launched a new monthly video series called Musician Profiles: Celebrating Racial Diversity, which I am proud to host. These one-on-one interviews focus on hearing and lifting the words of ICSOM Musicians of Color, their experiences, and how they view the need … [Read more...]
Issue: July 2022
The murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020 made many of the musicians in the Milwaukee Symphony realize that racism was a problem that could no longer be ignored by our orchestra. As a result, a number of orchestra musicians decided to form an EDI committee, which would help us share ideas and resources with the ultimate goal of determining what kind of change we might be able to effect … [Read more...]
Issue: July 2022
Many ICSOM orchestras are aspiring to increase diversity throughout titled and section positions. Analyzing a hiring process and its outcomes through an ethical lens can help elucidate what role, if any, the audition procedure itself has in influencing the results of auditions. If orchestras find that full disclosure of their audition process leads to undesired outcomes, they may choose to amend … [Read more...]
Issue: July 2022
Dedicated to creating a more inclusive and equitable work environment for musicians of color, the Black Orchestral Network (BON) launched in May by founding members Jennifer Arnold (Oregon Symphony, former), Alexander Liang (Phoenix Symphony), David A. Norville (Sound Garden Wind Quintet), Shea Scruggs (Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Opera Orchestra, all … [Read more...]
