A statement by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife
mainThe management of the orchestra have issued the following statement:
Commenting on Tuesdays the 22nd and Wednesdays 23rd of May articles about the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife and our Principal Conductor Antonio Méndez, the Orchestra would like to make an official public statement on the misinformation and not contrasted anonymous sources appearing on Slipped disk.
The appointment of Antonio Méndez is the culmination of an almost three year process where musicians of the orchestra took part at several points. A process that begun much before the appointment of Mr. Parera as Technical Director of the orchestra and was held according to the internal agreements between management and musicians. Mr. Méndez was one of the 3 candidates the musicians proposed to the management the past October by the orchestra. The musicians gave a unanimous vote to these three candidates. According to proposal the board selected the Antonio Méndez. There is no doubt about Antonio Mendez’s artistic value and moral integrity. Therefore we reconfirm his appointment. We also have no doubt about the transparency of Mr. Parera’s designation in public competition one and a half year ago. His credentials were proved at the time and his references supported all the documents given by him.
The Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife would like to express their support to both Mr. Méndez and Mr. Parera. From now on we will not make any more comments on these defamations. We are looking forward to working and growing all together for our audience doing the best we know: music.
Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife,
Patronato Insular de Muísca del Cabildo de Tenerife
Cabildo de Tenerife
This is a statement NOT by the Orquesta Sinfonica de Tenerife, BUT by the governing body of the city of Santa Cruz and island of Tenerife.
Any orchestra is first and foremost its musicians – and they spoke out!
Of course these incompetent polititians will now do everything they can to tell us about the transparency with which they hired both the manager and the pronciple conductor. What else would you expect?
Perhaps Spain is still fighting a shadow of it’s recent past, the shadow of Franco dictatorship…Tenerife surely does.
Yes – this is the same dribble that was seen out of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra when Alondra de la Parra’s antiques became public.
However, in Alondra’s case, her orchestra approval rating on entry was shockingly low.
So low in fact that it has been kept hidden from the orchestra. Alondra would dream of getting 50% approval rating.
However, as Alondra has banned the orchestra from future votes, we will never know what the orchestra really thinks about her. Well we do…
This industry is dirty, and it is also starting to come out.
There needs to be some input from Harrison Parrott on this situation. If they were in talks with mgt. before Parera was there they should be held even more responsible.
How does Harrison Parrott justify imposing their client on an orchestra in a situation like this? Did they not do their homework?
Hey, Harrison Parrott, you know all those demure, sheepish orchestra musicians who are in the background while you are busy trying to cut deals with our mgts.? Well, we are watching you. We see how you work. Players in several other Spanish orchestras are comparing notes right now on social media, apparently having seen Harrison Parrott reps during rehearsals behaving very aggressively with management during visits with clients. Of course, they completely ignore the musicians.
Well guess what, Harrison Parrott, you can’t ignore us now.
Antonio Mendez is managed by Agencia Camera in Spain. They are responsible for this engagement, not Harrisson Parrott.
Er…they can ignore you, and they just did. And anyway, it wasn’t the agency who imposed the conductor on the orchestra, all they can do is suggest their client to the management (and guess what, that is their job).
Um not really. Doesn’t much matter if HP responds, the damage to their reputation is done. They advertise this guy as their client and this looks bad for them. They can’t make that go away.
I’m curious, not being familiar with management protocol, does HP get a kickback, a certain percentage of Mendez’ salary when he lands a position like this?
Where is AMPOS, the erstwhile Spanish musicians’ organization, when you need them?