Issue:
Issue: July 2009
It was just after noon on May 9, 2009, in Washington, D.C., and while it may have been a beautiful (or a stormy) day, the members of the AFM negotiating committee had no way of knowing. After a year and a half of tough negotiations, culminating in three long days (and nights) with the Managers’ Media Committee in a cramped Washington hotel meeting room, we were on the verge of concluding a … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
The economic conditions that have led us to a year of crisis for orchestras in America have also spawned a new phrase for the rhetoric about our field: “The New Economic Reality.” I have to confess that I don’t really have any idea what that means. I don’t mean to be obtuse—clearly I know what those who use that phrase are talking about. But we are in a recession, and I’m not sure what’s so new … [Read more...]
Issue: July 2009
This is the last year of our five-year, phased-in dues increase. Due to unfilled vacancies and other factors, however, the increase this year is $3,000 less than anticipated. The banking crisis and the Fed’s lowering of interest rates have definitely had an effect on ICSOM’s finances. We took a huge hit in interest income (down $9,500 compared to last year). Most of this slide came in the first … [Read more...]
Issue: July 2009
Henry Shaw was arguably the greatest editor of Senza Sordino. He held the post longer than anyone before or since. He put out six issues a year for ten years—sixty issues (plus one supplement), on deadline, in a pre-PC age when text editing, layout, production, and publication were much more difficult and time-consuming than they are today—while simultaneously serving as assistant principal second … [Read more...]
Issue: July 2009
As most of you already know, whether from keeping up with the turmoil in Phoenix for many years or from just reading and hearing about our recent issues, the Phoenix Symphony has once again struggled to make progress. We have seen this city grow to become the fifth largest in the nation, but our symphony is still fortieth on the ICSOM orchestra wage scale charts. Some Background Although this … [Read more...]
Issue: July 2009
After a spirited discussion on April 22, the members of the Chicago Symphony overwhelmingly approved a small package of contract modifications. The package includes a temporary 2.5% reduction in base scale (for 104 consecutive weeks), temporary changes in the hiring of subs, two additional free concerts in the next two years, postponing the filling of four vacancies, and one small change to tour … [Read more...]
