The Bavarian culture minister Ludwig Spaenle has announced that an architect will be chosen next year for the new hall and construction will commence in spring 2018.
There will be two auditoria – one with 1,800 seats, the other 600.
The site (pictured) is behind the Ostbahnhof. The cost is estimated at 300 million euros.
Unlike London, there is both political and public consensus behind the project.
This is the official joint statement, just posted, that ends the two-month strike. The terms of the deal are much as we described them earlier today.
PITTSBURGH— On November 18, 2016, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Inc. (PSI) and the American Federation of Musicians, Local 60-471 negotiating committee representing musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) agreed upon the terms of a new five-year contract. Today, the musicians of the PSO ratified the agreement, which had been ratified over the weekend by the PSO’s Board of Trustees. This agreement ends the work stoppage which began on September 30, 2016. The new contract runs through September 5, 2021.
PSI management and the musicians had disagreed over management’s proposals to reduce wages, transition the current defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan, and reduce the number of contracted players.
“The management and Board of Trustees of the Pittsburgh Symphony are unwavering in a collective commitment to our orchestra’s artistic mission and to its excellence—past, present, and future,” said Melia Tourangeau, President and CEO. “We asked the musicians to be a partner in the solution to the exceptionally difficult financial position we are working to correct and we are grateful for their sacrifice. They have, indeed, come together with us in a powerful way to help position the Pittsburgh Symphony’s future.”
“At the same time,” Tourangeau continued, “we recognize that there is a tremendous amount of work ahead for all of us—and we will be depending on the ongoing passion and generosity of the Pittsburgh community to help us as we continue to implement our five-year strategic plan to help ensure long-term stability for the Pittsburgh Symphony.”
The new contract calls for a 10.5% salary concession in the first year of the contract; however, a generous contribution from an anonymous donor provides for additional compensation that brings the actual wage cut to 7.5%. There is a salary freeze in the second year; a 3.3% increase in the third year; a 2.0% increase in the fourth year; and restoration to the 2016 base salary of approximately $107,000 in the fifth year of the contract. The musicians and management also agreed to transition the existing defined benefit pension plan to a defined contribution plan. Contributions from PSI, Inc. into that new plan will be at 8% per year, with some additional contributions to those musicians most adversely affected by the transition.
In addition, the musicians and management agreed to retain an orchestral complement of 99 musicians and two librarians. However, three currently vacant orchestral positions will remain unfilled for the life of the new contract.
“These were painful and substantial concessions,” said Micah Howard, chair of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Committee. “But we agreed to work with management to face our financial challenges head-on. Both parties came together in the spirit of true compromise, to ensure that we can resume performing at Heinz Hall.”
Previously, management had pledged to analyze internal expense controls, including prudently cutting expenses where necessary and aligning resources with its new strategic plan. As a result, more than $800,000 has been cut from the administrative budget—including the elimination of 10 staff positions and a reduction in compensation for the CEO—representing 15% of that total budget.
“Since beginning negotiations in February, it has been a long and challenging path to reach a contract agreement. There is no question that it is necessary for the management team and the musicians to embrace a significant amount of shared pain so that we can find a way forward,” said Board Chair Devin McGranahan. “We appreciate the support and dedication of the Board of Trustees, our patrons, our government, community and foundation partners—and all those who helped to facilitate this outcome and it is now time for our community to come together to support the future of this incredible institution.”
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director, Manfred Honeck, upon learning the news of the newly ratified contract, said, “I am just delighted that we will once again experience the unique artistic excellence of our world-class musicians and be able to welcome our loyal audiences back to Heinz Hall. It is a special Thanksgiving blessing that the Board of Trustees, management, and our musicians have reached this exceptionally important agreement. I cannot wait to return to Pittsburgh to be reunited with my Heinz Hall family.”
On December 2 and December 4, as a special “thank you” to the community and to celebrate the orchestra’s return to the Heinz Hall stage, Manfred Honeck will conduct the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in two unique programs. The concerts are free, though tickets must be reserved in advance by calling the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra box office at 412-392-4900. For general information regarding other upcoming concerts, ticket holders may call the box office. In addition, pittsburghsymphony.org will have updates for patrons as the concert season resumes.
La Repubblica reports that the American soprano Kristin Lewis collapsed on stage in the penultimate performance of Porgy and Bess, was treated by a doctor in full view of the audience and resumed the role after an eight-minute gap. Apparently, they couldn’t lower the curtain because she lay at the front, beneath the proscenium.
She announced to the audience, ‘I’m fine. The show must go on’.
The faint was caused by low blood-pressure, according to the report.
Among many who are mourning the death today of Claude Imbert, founder-editor of the French newspaper Le Point, are classical musicians whom he befriended and ardently followed.
Imbert, who was 87, played the violin all his life and collected musical autographs.
Just in from Bavarian State Opera.
The great bass-baritone, who retired from the stage four years ago with health concerns, has announced his return tour with a small ensemble of jazz friends.
Dates:
28 November 2016 – Tonhalle Zürich
12 December 2016 – Vienna Konzerthaus
20 December 2016 – Philharmonie Essen
Go, Tommy!
A classical guitarist whose name we’ll protect for reasons that will soon be apparent was practising his instrument quietly in a US airport while waiting for his plane.
Another passenger objected. The guitarist, who is a professor at a prominent US university, put a mute on his instrument and carried on practising. The departure lounge was crowded and noisy.
The other passenger continued to protest from ten metres away.
Finally, the guitarist asked if the objector was a Trump supporter.
The man confirmed that he was, adding ‘that in this new America there is no place for a person like me. To go back to my country (Cuba).’
Two things disturb us about this incident, which has been shared widely among musicians. First, the normalisation of xenophobic expression, previously unacceptable. Second, a decision by Facebook to take down the guitarist’s post – not once but several times – for allegedly violating its codes.
We are keeping this post name-neutral in order ensure wide dissemination.
The trial begins today in Manchester of a pianist who is charged with sexually assaulting a student in a practice room at the Royal Northern College of Music in 2014. The defendant denies the charges.
Details here.
The Bavarian State Philharmonic is upping its game with a nine-city US tour, rolling out from Carnegie Hall on February 8. That’s a huge investment by the Bavarian state and a high expectation of New York audience interest.
Christoph Eschenbach conducts the tour, which runs on to Miami, LA, Daytona and more.
The Swiss Radio and Television Corporation has withdrawn financial support from the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana, leading to its almost certain closure next year. The broadcaster contributes around two million Swiss francs to the orchestra’s eight million budget.
The musicians have received notice that their jobs are to be abolished. There has been no prior public discussion. The decision was unexpected.
UPDATE: Tomorrow, the orchestra will play with Lsa Batiashvili, next week with Evgeny Kissin. The musicians have been summoned to a meeting on November 30, where termination papers are expected to be issued.
Founded in Lugano in 1935, the OSI won a reputation far beyond the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland.
Its present chief conductor is Markus Poscher. Regular guests, at home and on international tours, include Vladimir Ashkenazy, Mikhail Pletnev and Marc Andreae. The orchestra has been a fixture in Lugano’s Martha Argerich Festival, which has also been discontinued.
This is a bleak day for Swiss music, and an ominous one for radio orchestras across Europe.
An agreement will be announced in Pittsburgh at 3pm local today, announcing a return to work by musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
Both sides will claim to have got what they wanted but the leaks that have come our way indicate that one side won.
The musicians have agree to a small pay cut – two-thirds less than the 15% the company demanded – and this small cut will be restored before the end of the present contract.
[UPDATE: In the final settlement the musicians agreed to a cut that was half as much as the PSO demanded but will soon recover to achieve their present wage.]
The musicians have, in other words, maintained their present wage – a wage the company called unsustainable.
We have not yet read the small print on pensions and health care, but the musicians are happy with the deal.
Neither side has yet spoken, but our sources have been accurate throughout.
What happened to end the dispute is that the PSO board and chief executive Melia Tourangeau cracked under pressure from the mayor of Pittsburgh, the public and some of the financial supporters. This was bad for the city, bad for business.
During the course of the dispute the PSO board were shown by an independent assessor to have miscalculated the size of the deficit. It was not $20 million, as claimed by the PSO, but more like $11m. Still a bad number, but no reason to hit the panic buttons and the bunkers, as Melia Tourangeau did in September.
She emerges from the dispute weakened.
This was a strike that should never have happened. Thank goodness it’s over.
You read it here first.
UPDATE (24 hours later): It’s official – the strike’s over.
The Queen Elisabeth Hall, which opens in Antwerp on Friday, was designed by Simpson Haugh and Partners from Manchester.
That’s another contract we would have stood to lose post-Brexit. Report here.
The hall will be the home of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic Orchestra.
