Eight musicians leave the Philadelphia Orchestra

Buried in a press release today we find that ‘retiring members James Barnes (stage personnel), Eric Carlson (trombone), Robert W. Earley (trumpet), Robert M. Grossman (principal librarian), John Hood (bass), Robert Kesselman (bass), and Booker Rowe (violin) were honored for their combined 200+ years of dedicated service.’

That’s quite a lot in one close-season.

‘The significance of these retirements is immense,’ said Orchestra President and CEO Matías Tarnopolsky. ‘Each retiree is a beloved member of our Orchestra family and represents a significant part of the Orchestra’s history and sound. We will miss them all greatly. As we look to the future, we will explore ways of ensuring that new, diverse talent can be found to fill the vacancies.’

Ah, so that’s it.

UPDATE: Among those reitirng is the orchestra’s first Black musician, Booker Rowe. There are three left in the ensemble.