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Now Canada loses an orchestra

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norman lebrecht

December 10, 2014

Hours after the confirmation that Denmark Radio is scrapping its chamber orchestra (pictured), Canadians learned that Orchestra London, founded in Ontario in 1937, will cease operations this month. Read here.

Comments

Doug says:

December 10, 2014 at 4:54 pm

Speaking as a musician….and a former orchestra manager…it seems to me so much emphasis is placed on cultivating and rewarding musicians of orchestras…as it should. But until the organizations begin to equally cultivate and reward managers, orchestras will continue to be more frequently mismanaged.

V.Lind says:

December 10, 2014 at 8:01 pm

Seems as if in the US anyway the well-rewarded managers were just as capable of mismanagement as any who may have been under-compensated.

But the point is valid. I recently saw a post advertised for an Orchestra I know quite well — a small one, probably with a similar budget to London’s. The duties were onerous and responsible; the emolument offered was less than a school leaver would anticipate for a service job. A number of small orchestras know have “interns” (volunteer and part-time) doing all their communications work and all their subscription and customer relations work. And know for a fact that it is being done badly, as they are often getting students, let alone school leavers, and their priorities are elsewhere. Of course the musicians are underpaid, too, but they get closer to market rate than administrators and other essential staff.