Comments

Holy cow, this is a sick, perverted idea that is creeping into society. Can't anyone tell that the use of electronic gadgets to replace a live orchestra cheapens any production by twentyfold? Anyone who knows anything about good movies recogizes this fact! One of the first things any of my friends mentions when they talk about a movie they really enjoyed, they mention the quality of the soundtrack. All the top-notch shows have well-written soundtracks and live orchestras.

Why then, does ANYONE think that they can get away with slipping a machine into a MUSICAL, for crying out loud? Once word gets out, ticket sales will drop. Is it worth the savings they made by refusing to employ humans? No.

I went to a production of the nutcracker here in town, and they had a CD for the music, which is understandable since it's a small town and difficult to find enough musicians to commit to the performaces. Well, several times during important ballet scenes, just when the main dancer would go for a pirouette, the CD skipped. It was about the tackiest thing I've seen. I'd take bad musicians any day over a skipping CD.

I don't believe in Unions, so I really don't care about that aspect. However, it is nice to hear a professional-sounding "live" group at these shows, but if they don't want to use them, that's their business. Say what you like about unions, but without them, orchestra musicians would be paid very little and rehearsals would go on and on for three hours and more. If you ever get a professional (or even semi-professional) orchestra job in the United States, chances are the contract that allows you to be paid a reasonable amount was negotiated by an AFM chapter. And the union is one of the few institutions that cares enough to speak out in an organized fashion about things like replacing musicians with machines! This sounds like the Walmartization of the music world. Low price at the expense of quality. Eventually it will backfire. If it doesn't, I can just see them doing this to "Curly"--having a machine sing it for him while he lip-syncs. I think "Poor Jud is Dead" would have brand new meaning if it were sung by a machine! UGH! In fact, they might as well dub American Idol . . . I've played in semi-pro orchestras for very little money. It wasn't a full time job and (in the least paying orchestra I was in) I got paid 30 bucks for a 2 hour rehearsal. Hell, that was 15 bucks an hour to sit on my butt and do what I love.

I think people need to realize how darn near impossible it is to get a full time orchestra gig, and relying on semi-pro gigs is extremely hard to do. That's why I opted for teaching (a steady job). I also think it's crazy that some orchestra's pay a minimum of $90,000 per year. Personally, I think that's too much money for the work. It's no wonder orchestras are folding. I know I'll catch hell for my opinion, but that's my feelings.

I agree that its the Walmartization of music using machines, but that's the way it goes. If people don't like it they won't go see it and the company will lose out...no big deal.

Robert, as a UK musician I'm happy to see the LA Phil paying their players $70k; here in Britain I understand a typical salary for a rank-and-file player in an equivalent orchestra would be around £24k. Wow! Another idiotic invention we don't need. I wish you a lot of success in your campaign against it - hopefully the audience will make a wise choice. Come to think of it, why don't they also invent a virtual audience and make all people superfluous?
:-( Juergen I just think the serious musician should honestly think before he or she decided to put all the time and energy into music. Just because you spent thousands of dollars on school doesn't mean you're qualified for a full time gig. It also doesn't entitle you to a 6-figure salary. A six-figure salary! No, the union does not come close to guaranteeing that. I live in a town abundant with work for musicians, with a strong union presence. I personally know no violinists making a six-figure salary in an orchestra. Most of the musicians I know make a very modest living, working many hours gigging, teaching, and quite often doing non-music day jobs.

Just to be clear!