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.
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
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: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, dolf, nonsense, orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra
posted by dolf at 20:15
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