The orchestras of Galicia and Castilla y Leon have posted performance video clips of Petur Eiriksson, their former bass trombone who died last week of cancer.
Petur, an Icelander who studied in Boston, leaves many friends around the world.
The former Chicago Symphony president has been hauled in to flesh out the Savannah Philharmonic season after the music director walked out in circumstances have have yet to be explained.
Fogel has recommended Cincinnati assistant conductor Keitaro Harada and Atlanta assistant Joseph Young to take over the April and May concerts, which include Mahler 2nd.
Like Brexit and the Trump election, the musicians’ strike at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra denotes a society where two halves have lost all faith in each other.
The players want a restoration of past prestige and security, perhaps illusory (Brexit). The board speaks of balancing the books and making other people pay (Trump).
It is a sad – yes, tragic – outcome in an organisation where dedicated people are found at every level and the desire to make the best music ever heard is universally shared.
In common with other current divisions, people on both sides of the line feel powerless.
The pickets will be out at eight a.m.
The 2019 recipient of the $30,000 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award is Yaniv Dinur, Associate Conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and music director of the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra.
He is required to spend the money on study, travel and growing his library of scores and books.
Dinur, 38, was raised in Jerusalem and studied with Mendi Rodan.
He has received three previous grants from the Solti foundation.
From the musicians:
Chicago – (March 10, 2019) – After nearly a year of negotiations for a new labor agreement, and with management still trying to reduce their pension benefits, the musicians of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra are on strike. After completing a Sunday afternoon concert and negotiating all evening, the musicians walked out and announced there would be no return until a contract agreement is reached.
“We have been clear from the beginning that we will not accept a contract that diminishes the wellbeing of members or the imperils the future of the orchestra,” says Steve Lester, bassist and Chair of the Musicians of the CSO negotiating committee. “As of today, the Musicians of the CSO are on-strike.” Lester adds: “Beginning at 8am on Monday morning, March 11, picket lines will stretch across all of the doors of Orchestra Hall through 8pm daily until a contract that is fair to the musicians is reached. It is requested that no orchestra, performer or patron cross the line.”
Cynthia Yeh, a percussionist and member of the Negotiating Committee, said that while Jeff Alexander, on behalf of the Helen Zell led Board of Trustees, has tried to convince members and the public that the Board of Trustees is offering a good contract – the truth is quite different. “The core difference between our plan and their proposal is that our plan keeps the guaranteed retirement benefit funded by the Association that has been the hallmark of the Orchestra’s benefits package (and those of other leading orchestras) for over 50 years,” says Yeh. “The Board of Trustees’ proposal strips the membership of that guaranteed benefit and shifts the investment risk to the individual member. The Board’s communique to Orchestra members and the press represents an unrealistic, snake oil, ‘rosy scenario’ sales job of their proposals,” adds Yeh.
From the organisation:
CHICAGO – Despite 11 months of negotiations, which included the services of federal mediators, expert third-party actuaries, and labor and benefit attorneys, Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) musicians — represented by the Chicago Federation of Musicians (CFM) — and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (CSOA) did not reach agreement on a new contract. The previous contract expired at 11:59 p.m. on March 10.
At the close of today’s negotiating meeting, the union indicated that the musicians have decided to go on strike.
“We are disappointed by the union’s choice to disrupt the CSO season now underway, and we are available to return to negotiations when they are ready,” said CSO Association President Jeff Alexander. “We have worked tirelessly to be responsive to the musicians’ many proposals during negotiations and have responded with a package that provides exceptional benefits, offers salary increases, improves working conditions and protects their retirement benefits.
“We value the musicians, and our commitment to the artistic quality of the Orchestra is unwavering,” he said, adding that other CSOA unionized employees and administrative staff have made concessions over the last several years to help ensure a long future of the CSO.”
The musicians are now engaging in a strike for terms that the Association and Board of Trustees believe are unreasonable and detrimental to a sustainable future for the CSO.
CSO musicians have one of the most lucrative salary and benefit contracts in the industry. In 2017/18 the minimum annual salary was $159,000, the average annual salary was $187,000 and the average total compensation, e.g. including media payments, was $209,000. Even though the Association has experienced annual operating deficits for several years, it offered increased wages, improved working conditions, and a generous retirement package.
UPDATE: A strike for our times
In Gdansk, for instance.
Our friend Fluter Scooter has been pondering how to get paid by public bodies that claim they have no cash.
Example:
We live in a time that undervalues the arts more than ever (I am speaking mostly about the USA). Arts programs are being cut, audiences are shrinking, jobs are diminishing. We all know this, and as much as we want to see things improve, we must make the best of what we have and start thinking differently.
There are many volunteer opportunities available in our communities, and offering your services to a cause or charity you believe in is always a great idea! However, when it is a university, concert venue, or any arena which pays artists to perform or teach, these are NOT ACCEPTABLE places to volunteer!
Your thoughts?
Read on here.
Sir Clifford Curzon was an unchallenged master of the Brahms concertos.
This recent upload appears to be the only video recording available of him playing with orchestra.
The orchestra is RAI Torino, the conductor Ettore Gracis, the date November 11, 1966.
Another world.
The veteran Peter Gülke has been given an extension to his contract as chief conductor of the Brandenburger Symphoniker.
It is only one year, though, taking him to mid-2020.
Gülke has previously been GMD in Weimar and Wuppertal.
