Monday Morning Violin Gossip, Op. 2, No. 5

By Darcy Lewis

T’is the season—for labor-related musical news, or so it seems. And little of said news is good, at least not yet.

San Francisco Symphony

Members of the San Franciso Symphony are locked in contract negotiations with management. The labor dispute centers around the issues of pensions and seniority pay, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. “The contract is not competitive with the rest of the industry in these areas,” said violist David Gaudry, the players' negotiating committee chairman.

The paper adds: "Under the most recent contract terms, a player with at least 25 years with the orchestra earns a minimum of $110,760 annually. According to the musicians, the latest management offer would bump that to $114,140 in the first year," while the musicians are asking for $117,104. According to the musicians, the latest management offer would rank the Symphony last among the nation's top seven orchestras; their request would put them squarely in the middle. As for pensions, musicians say management is offering $60,000 for each year of the three-year contract, up from $53,000 in the expired contract.”

Last Friday, San Francisco Classical Voice reported that, “after 72 hours of intense negotiations between the San Francisco Symphony administration and S.F. Musicians Union Local No. 6, the parties agreed Friday morning to continue preparations for the orchestra's tour of China next week. The agreement to continue with the tour is a powerful signal that a looming strike could be averted, and that a contract agreement may still be possible.”

The two sides have announced "an agreement to perform the orchestra’s historic tour of China as scheduled." Just a week before departure, the decision to cooperate avoids a threatened cancellation. The Feb. 9-13 tour includes opening of Hong Kong Arts Festival on Feb. 11, and the Symphony's first-ever visit to mainland China, with an appearance in Shanghai.

Louisville Symphony Orchestra

No such positive signs currently appear on the horizon for the Louisville Symphony Orchestra. On 1/21, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported that management announced the group may not finish its season and may file for bankruptcy. “The orchestra projects a $500,000 deficit for this fiscal year, no longer has any lines of credit and is not paying many of its bills. The orchestra's board planned a $3.5 million fund drive this year, but said that depended on reaching a contract deal by Dec. 31 with the 71 full-time players. The current contract expires Aug. 31. Negotiations began in late November ... Earlier this week, orchestra executive director Scott Provancher notified the musicians' representatives that, because the sides were still about $2 million apart, management was withdrawing its offer and going public with its concerns."

The paper also reports that the orchestra board has hired a bankruptcy lawyer to "explore options" and notes that the orchestra almost filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy before the 2003 contract was signed. Adler notes: "Provancher said he and the orchestra board concluded that 'we need to secure a contract with the musicians for the next few years before we start a campaign, or at least know the negotiations are going well and that we're going to get an agreement we think we can all live with.'

"Tim Zavadil, a clarinetist and chairman of the musicians' committee, remarks: "Our question is: 'How does signing a September document solve a cash-flow problem now, in January?"

On 1/23, the paper reported that the musicians say they'll continue to play for the city's opera and ballet companies through the rest of this season even if the orchestra itself goes out of business.

On 1/24, the Courier-Journal ran an op-ed by Joseph Pusateri, president of the Louisville Orchestra. Pusateri writes that "The Orchestra has had a persistent 'structural deficit' of approximately $800,000-$1 million per year for more than 15 years. It has been masked by bequests, excessive draws on our endowment and emergency stopgap funding ... Apparently, in the past, concessions in work rules, additional benefits, etc., have been added to the contract to supplement pay increases. The cumulative effect of these additions has resulted in a contract that is destroying the Orchestra." Pusateri cites as problems vacation time and health care costs, and writes that the musician's counteroffer "would raise our structural deficit to almost $2 million in year three." He concludes: "Because of the severity of our situation, we think the community should be aware of what has transpired. I believe Louisville deserves an Orchestra that is artistically superior and financially sound. It doesn't deserve one that lurches from one crisis to another."

On 1/27, the paper ran a response to this letter. Daniel Conway, a fund-raising consultant, wrote: "I can't imagine what would cause the Louisville Orchestra's management to think that a bankruptcy threat would be an appropriate way to prepare for a major fund-raising campaign. The Greater Louisville community expects its world-class orchestra to be committed to both artistic excellence and sound fiscal management. The damage done to the reputation and fiscal credibility of the Louisville Orchestra is enormous. Would you contribute your hard-earned dollars to an organization whose leaders attempt to resolve their differences on the front page of The Courier-Journal?"

Midori & Friends

1/21/06 – The New York Times has reported labor strife at the New York-based Midori & Friends foundation. "Music teachers who carry out the work of the foundation established by the violinist Midori went on strike on Thursday, denouncing what they said were a lack of raises, unfair pay and attempts to limit pensions." Teachers in the program are paid $40 an hour, but say they are given only a few hours of work per week and are asked to travel for hours between classes. "The foundation countered that the teachers were making unreasonable demands on an organization created to do good."

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

1/19/06 – Finally, some good labor news: Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has reached an agreement with its 47 musicians to restore some live music to its performances for the 2006-07 season, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. PBT laid off its orchestra last summer and has been using recorded music this season - the musicians filed an unfair labor practices complaint in retaliation. "PBT leaders have promised to hire the musicians for two of the company's five productions during its 2006-07 season, which will be announced in two weeks."

Musician News

Conductor Alfred Savia has renewed his contract as music director of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra through the 2009-10 season.

Kara Grizzell Whittington, a violinist with a degree in music industry studies, has joined the Santa Rosa Symphony as box office manager, according to the ASOL. She was formerly in marketing and public relations at the Los Angeles Opera.

1/20/06 - Jennifer Curtis has been awarded the inaugural Milka/Astral Violin Prize by Astral Artistic Services, reports the ASOL. “Designated for a violinist who won a place on Astral's roster at the recent national auditions, a portion of the $5,000 prize is to be used by the winner in one or more international competitions, with the remainder for professional development.” The 27-year-old holds a master's degree from Juilliard and founded the J Quartet and the Tres Americas Project.

1/20/06 - Violinist Richard DiAdamo will retire from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on August 31, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Five other musicians will retire at the same time, including violist Richard Holland and bass player James Krummenacher. DiAdamo remarks: "I will miss my friends and the music-making of a great orchestra. I've been doing it for 38 years, [but] I'm ready to move on."

1/20/06 –Violinist Scott St. John is joining Canada’s St. Lawrence String Quartet. The personnel change will take effect in September 2006, when departing violinist Barry Shiffman begins his new position as Director of Music Programs at Canada’s Banff Centre.

Link to previous columns