I have been sent the following open letter from conductor Kurt Masur, by the Brazil Symphony Orchestra’s director of marketing and communications, Ricardo Levitsky.
1970 I started my first concert series with OSB.
For 40 yeas I followed the changing fate and ups and downs of this
Orchestra. Yet, there were always enough music lovers in the audience
to fill the concert houses. Most of the musicians, even until now, used
to take several other jobs in order to be able to feed their family.
Everybody has been dreaming of having better situations as an orchestra
musician.
And now we have been given sensational better situations!
Soon will be the cidade da musica reopened, and orchestra
musicians will be paid much better fee, as good as some professional
Orchestras in London or in good orchestras in USA!
And I am surprised that some members of orchestra are refusing new
auditions for bringing the artistically level to the necessary highest
standard as those well paid orchestras in the world!
I know the current music director, Maestro Roberto Minczuk as a great
and honest human being and he handsels everything honest and careful. I
trust him that he will be able to bring the orchestra then up to the
highest level of music making which gives great benefit to all music
lovers in Rio de janeiro.
His talent and his vision of the future is for me absolutely
convincing.
As a proof what I mean, you should read his letter and statement he
gave to the blog of Norman Lebrecht on March 8th. This letter of
Roberto Minczuk makes you think about the great chance of future music
life for all of you in Rio.
Every body of you has the responsibility about the future music life in
Rio. I recommend strongly to the members of OSB, if you are also in
concern of the future of music life in Rio, you should sit together and
talk your concerns.
Don?t miss this great opportunity and chance in the history of this
orchestra and I beg you all not to be uncontrolled emotions but act
wise and careful.
With Love
Kurt Masur