More US orchestras demand musicians accept pay, job cuts

[Hannah Bell]

Musicians are facing escalating threats of layoffs and pay cuts as orchestras across the United States report sharp falls in donations and soaring deficits, placing the survival of high quality classical music in major urban centers in question.

Some orchestras are already seeking to follow the example of Detroit, where musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra are completing their seventh week on strike, opposing demands for a 33 percent pay cut and other drastic concessions.

Earlier this week management of the Louisville Orchestra in Kentucky told player representatives that this week’s paycheck would be their last unless they agreed to the elimination of 16 positions and a 20 percent pay reduction. The players’ current five-year contract does not expire until June 2011.

Members of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra inTexas voted by a narrow margin to accept a reduction in the number of weeks they are compensated during the year, resulting in steep cuts in pay.

Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra is reporting a $2.3 million deficit for fiscal 2010. The shortfall was due in large part to a 20 percent drop in donations. The orchestra cut some non-musician staff earlier this year.

Earlier this year the Philadelphia Orchestra threatened bankruptcy and the New York Philharmonic is carrying over a $4.5 million deficit from 2009 and expects a similar shortfall this year.

The attack on art and culture in the United States as reflected in the funding crisis of major orchestras is attracting international attention. In a November 19 comment in the British Guardian, correspondent Ed Pilkington said the situation in Detroit places in question “the very survival of America’s big-city ensembles. It is feared where Detroit goes first, other cash strapped cities may follow.”

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/nov2010/symp-n20.shtml

[laconicsax]

1. This is what happens when art is devalued.

If we had a culture that appreciated art, this wouldn't be such a problem. The current economy doesn't help things, but this has been going on for over a decade.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

2. Art and music are considered frills, not basic education.

Once upon a time, at the Metropolitan Opera, you could have an all star cast that was all-American. A lot of these people grew up in New York and made it big, like Beverly Sills, Richard Tucker, Maria Callas, Robert Merrill.

I grew up in a school district with excellent music programs. I was in orchestra and I believe I literally kept my sanity as a teenager playing in an orchestra. I did not care about anything but classical music. We were playing major symphonic repertoire, and playing it well. We had kids in the brass section who were first chairs in All State Band. Texas is a pretty big state, so that meant they were damn good.

This makes me so sad. I guess piano lessons are no longer considered part of a lot of peoples' basic education.

:cry:

[laconicsax]

3. Try being a private music teacher.

Some of the shit I have to put up with from parents is beyond the pale.

"Oh, we can't drive little Billy 20 minutes to his lessons...could you come to our house and teach here while we watch TV in the next room?"

"Sorry we forgot your check this week; we'll have it next week." Repeat ad infinitum.

"Does little Suzie really need new reeds? It's such a hassle to drive 10 minutes to the local music store. Really? you can buy them online? I don't know if we have the time to do that."

"Can you teach little Billy something different? I don't enjoy listening to him practice those exercises."

The list goes on...

[hayu_lol]

4. Most of the civilized industrialized countries subsidize the arts...

at a very high level. It shows.

Music, at the professional level,is one of the most difficult professions to achieve...both in terms of effort and expense. In many cases, at the top of the profession, it is more expensive to train a musician than it is to produce a brain surgeon.

Other countries note that both are necessary to society...and both are subsidized.

(poster is a retired symphony/opera musician)

[Nuclear Unicorn]

5. OK butt only if the homeless get free concert tickets.

[WinkyDink]

6. Let's face it: Culture is over. I'm 61, and I no longer attend classical anything.

Traditional church pews are emptying, aliong with hymns. What young person goes to the opera or art museum?

I mean, come on; kids can't even write in cursive or have any attention-span longer than in tskes to Tweet 140 charachters while text-messaging.

Books? Oh, right; there's "kindle". I'm sure the canon is being down-loaded as I type.