Philadelphia Orchestra still far from agreement
mainThe musicians’ contract expires tonight.
‘We’re not very close at the moment, but are going to allow some time to let both parties figure out how to get close, and we are optimistic we can be closer in a couple of weeks,’ said cellist John Koen, chairman of the members’ committee.
Peter Dobrin reports that the deadline has been pushed back indefinitely. The first concert is on September 21.
The Philadelphia Orchestra is one of the worst managed orchestra’s in the United States, with a very divisive CEO, who has neither the respect nor the competence to manage an orchestra like this and guide it steadily into the future. Even without Alison Vulgamore, The Philadelphia Orchestra faces a doubtful future, as its donor base and its audience are shrinking at an alarming rate, it is going to be overshadowed and sidelined more and more by what is happening in New York, as soon as high speed rail links between the two nearby cities are operational in the next years. Yannick Nezet-Seguin has done a good job, but he alone isn’t enough to bring in the audiences and keep the orchestra vital and relevant. They have not done nearly enough residencies in surrounding communities and they are not very innovative in technology, having not taken advantage of this medium to bring their orchestra to other cities and regions in the country.
The Philadelphia Orchestra has been on a precipitous downward slide ever since the disastrous Eschenbach years. Eschenbach contributed so much to the demise of the Orchestra, from a remarkable decline in orchestra playing, demoralizing both musicians and audiences to alienating donors and potential new audiences. Eschenbach left the Orchestra in a terrible state, both musically and morally. They have indeed come a long way from that depressing time under Nezet-Seguin, but they have lost time and it may be too late.
1. Plurals do not require apostrophes.
2. The Acela travels from NY’s Penn Station to Philly’s 30th St. Station in 1’10” and has done so for years. Normal train service takes 1’20”. The new trains promised for 2020 will go faster but the tracks remain the same.
3. Despite the horrible contract resulting from Philly’s faux bankruptcy in 2012, the Orchestra’s unique ensemble sound and playing remains, along with the Concertgebouw’s, as among the very best.
4. I agree with you about its board and management!
5. Now is the time for the Orchestra Committee to STAND UP and recommend a strike, if necessary, to regain the respect and place in the orchestra world it deserves.
6. Publish the damn Kaiser report!