The first US orchestra to help out after Houston floods
mainThe Cleveland Orchestra, together with Oberlin Conservatory, CIM, Credo Music and the Northeast Ohio Red Cross, are playing a benefit concert next Friday to raise funds for Houston flood victims.
The conductor is James Feddeck, Cleveland’s former assistant conductor.
You wonder why other US orchestras have not responded sooner.
Likely it is because most orchestras are on vacation. The season has not yet begun and the members are widely dispersed. Help will be on its way, rest assured.
Because orchestras are not charities or relief organizations.
If people can’t give unless they get a free concert out of it, it’s not the job of your local professional and student musicians to provide the entertainment.
And who’s kidding whom? The Cleveland musicians are getting press, promotion and publicity out of this.
…or it may simply be that it takes time to mobilize such efforts; after all, the crisis is still ongoing here in Texas, and our other large cities are taking in refugees by the thousands. The Dallas Symphony sent this message out two days ago:
Dear Friend of the DSO:
Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by Hurricane Harvey. This storm was unprecedented, and we know that our fellow Texans will be rebuilding for years.
We want to share with our supporters that the City of Dallas has set up a website with information, volunteer opportunities and organizations accepting donations for those affected. To learn more about how you can help, please visit http://www.dallashelpforharvey.net.
Thank you for all you do for us in Dallas and throughout Texas.
Thanks for taking the most inappropriate opportunity possible to throw shade on US orchestras. You again demonstrate your lack of awareness of the basic operations of the industry. People in the orchestra world don’t wonder this at all, because we know a) it generally takes more than a week to put a benefit event together, b) now is precisely the time most orchestras are on vacation and not able to take quick action, and c) it is not necessarily appropriate to insert yourself into a disaster so quickly, although that can be debated.
Anyway, I will be sure to watch like a hawk and see how quickly each European orchestra announces a benefit concert after the next disaster/terrorist attack/etc there.
Norman: a due diligence perusal of the CO’s website would have shown that they are performing at their summer home – the Blossom Festival – during this time, including over our Labor Day weekend starting today. They are the ONLY major American orchestra in session at this time. All others are still on their annual summer break with musicians away – many not in the country. Therefore, your snarky comment is way off-base.
These things do take a bit of time to organize. Last year, along with 85 musicians, we put together a Mozart Requiem benefit concert for Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra musicians who lost their homes in the floods of 2016. Of the 28 musicians who lost their homes, 18 applied for this relief money which totalled close to $40,000 and of which our concert helped contribute around $10,000. Divided by so many people with such unfathomable losses, it seems like that was maybe not even enough help. I am hoping to organize a similar benefit this year for the victims in Texas, and I am currently searching for where best to direct those relief efforts. Please feel free to write to me immediately if you know of any organizations particularly with individual personal needs so that we can be assured that our efforts are going directly to help those most in need.
(I may be reached through the contact link on my website)
‘You wonder why other US orchestras have not responded sooner.’
Why? Is it compulsory?