Monday, August 03, 2009

How Are We Going To Pay For It?

It's a question that is on everybody's mind. One that we hear over and over in a variety of contexts: health care, the two wars, our defense budget... I heard the other day that California is the wealthiest state, (in fact, if it were considered a separate country, it would have the seventh largest economy in the world) yet it can't pay its own government workers.

Naturally it doesn't stop at the door of the music world. Our orchestras are making panic grabs at keeping above water. St. Paul is taking a 12% cut, Phoenix staff/musicians/director is taking a 17% cut. In Minnesota, they are cutting back on their renovation plan and the staff is taking cuts and layoffs.

Detroit's music director says the musicians don't need to paid in the summer.

Regardless of what the Baltimore Sun says I happen to know that the Baltimore Symphony musicians started to bail out first with a million-dollar concession package, followed by 2 furlough weeks this year, and another million-dollar-plus package of concessions next year (which is at least a 17% drop from what they were planning on with the contract in place). Administration jobs at the BSO have been cut, and the remaining administrative employees are taking a similar cut to the musicians.

The Cleveland Orchestra is doing things the opposite way. The CEO and music director led the bailout with an 15% and 20% cut respectively. It still remains to be seen what the musicians will have to take, but in the meantime the fundraisers in Cleveland are suggesting that all of their regular contributors give 100% more than usual. If that isn't possible, they can give 50% more.

Cleveland's fundraising letter is accompanied by a laundry list of items where they are cutting expenses to get through the hard economic times.

Similarly, Baltimore is cutting its overall budget by 13%. I'm guessing this will include cutting some recordings (One has to wonder what the plan is with their choices in recordings anyway... How well can another Dvorak or another Rite of Spring CD sell these days?) and flashy bits from pops shows... maybe negotiating lower visiting-artists' performance fees (like Cleveland), and lower rent at their Bethesda home.

The traditionally wealthy Philadelphia Orchestra has already cut 20% of its administrative staff. Even though they recently celebrated surpassing the goal of its $125 million endowment drive, remaining staff members are taking at least a 10% cut in salary. Amazingly, the musicians will get a paltry raise.

So, to answer my question: Sometimes the administration is paying for it, sometimes the musicians are paying for it - in rare cases (like Cleveland) even the management will pay for it... but in all cases the smart orchestras are stepping down their expenditures and stepping up their fundraising campaigns.

related articles:
Houston
indystar.com
charlotteobserver.com
Minnesota Orchestra
Milwaukee Symphony
Dayton Philharmonic


Labels: , , , ,

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Orchestra Listings, January 3 - 6

If all their Handel has offended, think but this, and all is mended, You were too busy watching football and pigging out to go to the orchestra anyway.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (1/4-5)

Kingston Trio 50th Anniversary
Jason Howland, conductor
Kingston Trio

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Not Playing -

Boston Symphony Orchestra (1/3-5)

STRAUSS - Don Juan
STRAUSS - Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks
MUSSORGSKY - Pictures at an Exhibition

Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, conductor

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- Not Playing -

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
- Not Playing -

Cleveland Orchestra
- Not Playing -

Dallas Symphony Orchestra
- Not Playing -

Detroit Symphony Orchestra (1/4-6)

SCHUMANN - Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
MENDELSSOHN - "Wedding March" from Four Pieces from "A Midsummer's Night's Dream"
MENDELSSOHN - Scherzo from Four Pieces from "A Midsummer's Night's Dream"
MENDELSSOHN - Intermezzo from the Incidental Music to" A Midsummer's Night's Dream"
MENDELSSOHN - Nocturne from Four Pieces from "A Midsummer's Night's Dream"
MENDELSSOHN - Overture to "A Midsummer's Night's Dream"
BACH - Violin Concerto in A minor

Dmitry Sitkovetsky, conductor
Dmitry Sitkovetsky, violin
Bella Davidovich, piano

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
(1/4-5)

LISZT - Piano Concerto No. 1
GERSHWIN - Piano Concerto in F
TCHAIKOVSKY - Piano Concerto No. 1

Thomas Wilkins, conductor
Jon Kimura Parker, piano
Stephen Beus, piano
Spencer Myer, piano

Los Angeles Philharmonic (1/4-6)

COPLAND - The City (with film)
ZAPPA - Dupree’s Paradise (1/5-6 Only)
CRUMB - A Haunted Landscape
VARESE - Amériques

David Robertson, conductor

Minnesota Orchestra
- Not Playing -

National Symphony Orchestra
- Not Playing -

New York Philharmonic (1/3-5)

MENDELSSOHN - A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture
MENDELSSOHN - Violin Concerto
MOZART - Horn Concerto No. 2
ELGAR - Enigma Variations

Lorin Maazel, conductor
Viviane Hagner, violin
Philip Myers, horn

Philadelphia Orchestra
- Not Playing -

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
- Not Playing -

Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
- Not Playing -

San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
- Not Playing -

Labels: ,

Powered by ANALOG arts