Reports: Settlement finally reached in Brazil orchestra standoff

Both the Rio and Sao Paolo newspapers are reporting a face-saving end to the eight-month standoff at the Brazil Symphony Orchestra, where 36 musicians were fired for refusing to reaudition for their jobs. It also mark the beginning of the end of the international boycott of the orchestra by leading soloists.

Slipped Disc has led the world in reporting this story throughout. Here’s a friend’s summary, which is hopefully the end of this sorry saga:

“An agreement reached on Friday(2 Sept) put an end to the eight-month crisis at the OSB(Brazilian Symphony Orch).

Twenty-six musicians who were sacked for not taking the re-evaluation exams were readmitted.They accepted to be part of another orchestra which will be administrated by the OSB Foundation(FOSB). Nine veteran musicians(65 and over) who had stopped playing to support their colleagues will return to their activities and can choose which orchestra in which they prefer to participate.
Five instrumentalists preferred NOT to return to the OSB and will receive termination fees with ALL the rights stipulated by Brazilian labor laws.
….The instrumentalists will return to the same jobs and will received salaries for the months they did not work.They however will not be granted the 50% pay increase of those remaining in the OSB(main orchestra) under Maestro Roberto Minzcuk.
Rio’s O Globo newspaper adds :”Another part of the agreement is the possible participation of the returning musicians in concerts of the current OSB .The invitation however could be refused during the first six months of the agreement and after this period,the refusal to perform with the big orchestra can only be justified when Maestro Minzcuk is the conductor.”
The agreement is valid until 31 August 2013.