Issue: June 2018
Violins of Hope and Schindler’s List Too The Violins of Hope project, which brought approximately 25 violins, a viola, and a cello to Nashville from mid-March to June 2, was nearly 27 months in the making. The instruments, collected and restored by father and son Amnon and Avshi Weinstein and played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust, survived concentration camps, pogroms, and long journeys … [Read more...]
Issue: March 2018
ICSOM at the Grammys A number of ICSOM orchestras released recordings in 2017 that captured Grammy awards, announced at the 60th annual ceremony on January 28. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s recording of Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 and Barber Adagio for Strings won the awards for Best Orchestral Performance and Best Engineered Album, Classical. The performances were conducted by the … [Read more...]
Issue: December 2017
The Minnesota Orchestra’s tour to Cuba in 2015 took President Obama’s promise of a new relationship between our countries and shaped it into a reality for Cubans and Americans alike. Those five days in Havana were a revelation to the 165-member coalition of musicians, staff, audio engineers, board members, press, and patrons. Flying on the first nonstop charter flight from the Twin Cities to … [Read more...]
Issue: Chairperson's Reports
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is a critical part of funding for the non-profit arts sector. Despite the miniscule amount of Federal money allocated to the NEA (0.004% of the 2016 fiscal budget), NEA grants spur giving from private sources, foundations, corporations, and individual contributors. On average, each NEA dollar generates another nine dollars from state, local, and private … [Read more...]
Issue: October 2015
Each season, ICSOM maintains a list of positive news articles and studies that demonstrate the resiliency of our orchestras, and the sustainability of artistic organizations. This information can be used to demonstrate that success is occurring for many orchestras, and that success is achievable for organizations that are portrayed as being in a troubled position. The latest Giving USA study, … [Read more...]
Issue: May 2015
NYCO Honors Rudel NYCO Renaissance and the Rudel Family presented a musical tribute to Maestro Julius Rudel on March 9th at Rose Hall. Rudel passed away last June, and he made explicit that he did not want any memorial service. His last public appearance had been at NY City Center at the NYCO 70th Anniversary concert, presented by Local 802 in February 2014. Rudel had spent much of his career … [Read more...]
Issue: October 2013
More than 100 people met in Kansas City, Missouri from August 21 to 24 for the 51st ICSOM Conference. Participants included ICSOM delegates and officers, AFM and local union officers, SSD staff, player conference representatives, presenters, and other guests. The location, the Conference hotel (the Westin Kansas City at Crown Center), the weather, and the fabulous hospitality of the conference … [Read more...]
Issue: October 2013
Honoring Cathy Payne Submitted by the ICSOM Governing Board Whereas, Cathy Payne has been a dedicated and enthusiastic member of the San Francisco Symphony since 1996; and Whereas, She first represented her orchestra as ICSOM Delegate in 1998; and Whereas, Cathy proved to be an active and passionate representative for all ICSOM orchestras when she was elected as Member-at-Large in 2007; … [Read more...]
Issue: November 2012
Chicago Symphony Orchestra by Steve Lester, Members Committee Chairman The contentious and stalled negotiations between the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association and the musicians of the CSO, represented by the Chicago Federation of Musicians, Local 10-208, resulted in a brief strike that affected only one service, a concert on Saturday, September 22. A new contract was agreed to on Monday, … [Read more...]
Issue: November 2011
Today is Labor Day, and as a member of the Twin Cities Musicians’ Union and a member of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, it feels like a very good day to reflect on what that means. Last week I volunteered for our local at the AFL-CIO booth at the Minnesota State Fair. In spite of it being the hottest day of the week, it was a very enjoyable experience. There were representatives from a variety … [Read more...]
