Orchestra bends knee to Freemasons
OrchestrasThe desperate San Antonio Philharmonic has signed a deal to perform at the Scottish Rite Auditorium, a Masonic self-designated cathedral.
By way of welcome, music director Jeffrey Kahane and Executive Director Robert Trevino are planning a Freemason-themed concert:
Treviño said he hopes the space will be ready in time for a spring season performance of a specially-themed concert programmed by Kahane to honor Freemasonry, a fraternal organization with roots dating to Medieval times in which the Scottish Rite organization maintains membership.
Several well-known classic and modern composers were Masons, as members of the organization are known, including Mozart, Jean Sibelius, John Philip Sousa, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, Kahane said, and his program will include their music.
Couldn’t make it up.
Where’s the problem?
The problem is the building requires a $750,000 assessment JUST to find out what needs to be repaired (estimated $50M total), but the orchestra had to cancel this week’s shows due to “legal and financial” challenges
https://sanantonioreport.org/philharmonics-new-concert-home-in-historic-downtown-building-will-require-costly-updates/
Different estimate, lower by a factor of 5-10, in the article. Still might not be an easy lift!
Might be easier to raise funds for that than for paying musician salaries, however. Donors often prefer tangible projects to covering ongoing expenses.
The lower ($5-10M) number was just for safety/compliance. The place is sadly in very bad shape.
Totally meaningless publicity stunt.
SA Phil is in major financial trouble and has no money or even real intention of making this their home.
The recent drama regarding board members suing had something to do with the lack of financial transparency and requesting an audit.
They can’t even pay the musicians for a concert in October.
This marks the end of SA Phil, a great orchestra an evil union in AFM destroyed.
So, for those of us with a bit of distance from the action, could you explain just what those pulling off this alleged publicity stunt have to gain from doing so? Will they be showered in glory if it fails?
The groundwork for finger-pointing is already being laid, blaming concert cancellations on “disinformation campaign” (former board, current musicians who’ve gone public, and me and anyone else commenting on this site), blaming current venue for budget strain, and burdening an extremely green staff with selling out ~4k overpriced seats in the middle of a legal battle.
It’s also to stimulate donor giving by initiating a capital campaign– more bigger money, early.
Of course, anyone who has a modicum of familiarity with ~sustainable~ nonprofits knows that capital campaign is not something you initiate with little-to-no planning/feasibility study, as it requires (and spends) your community capital, and an unstable board/staff who couldn’t even fundraise to put on a show just a few weeks ago.
It’s also a good distraction from the myriads of lawsuits and controversies that the organization has recently endured.
They know this cause is unsustainable, which means taking donor money now and…???
You need to know just how dire the Phil’s financial position is in order to understand. They are trying to just prolong the inevitable. They are out of money, aren’t selling enough tickets to B9 and can’t afford the Majestic for rehearsals. By doing this, they get free storage (their storage lockers are advertised for auction in the Public Notice section of SALegal) and rehearsal space for as long as Treviño can BS them. I’m sure they hoped that the publicity would boost ticket sales but if you look at the ticket site, it looks pretty sad. Under 20%. People are afraid they won’t see a refund if it gets “postponed”. The press will be brutal when the SR deal fails but Treviño will have his excuses in place. He always does.
I should clarify that some of us received 75 bucks from SAPhil to play an outdoor gig at a bar over the weekend (instead of originally scheduled Gershwin concerts)…so maybe things aren’t so bad?
Nice job dude (or dudette as the case may be). You really got under Kahane’s short, thin skin. He ignored the cries of racism, bad business, union overreach, self dealing and incompetence, just so he could clarify that you didn’t actually play at a bar for $75, you played on the street outside of the bar for $75. Oh, and don’t forget, you got free food. What an a—hole he is.
Keep up the good work.
As Maestro announced to the orchestra at approximately 12:20pm, September 27th at First Baptist Church: “If this all falls apart, it will not be the fault of either Mr. Trevino or myself” (if my recollection serves me, it’s been a while since our last rehearsal). There was more, but it was quite the pre-concert pep talk.
One can shed a single tear for the musician-allied hero that was Sebastian Lang-Lessing
One would hope that the drinks were comped at least.
It is the exact same scenario they pulled when the organization went bankrupt. Finger pointing in every direction except at the actual problem – too many events to financially sustain, too may players to support, and total mismanagement of funds by management. Instead they blamed and villainized The Tobin Center and the Opera San Antonio for their problems. This campaign continues to this day. Instead of supporting the musicians and other arts for taking gigs with CMI (the financially secure arts organization who has made Tobin their home for 10 years) they picket and blacklist players for making the effort. SAPhil needs to grow up and figure it out. They are not the beginning and end of “the arts” in San Antonio. More than ever, folks are supporting those organizations that can actually produce events and stay solvent – and avoiding those that need to cause waves and problems instead of creating beautiful music.
San Antonio’s talent pool is just slightly too advanced to sustain a flourishing regional/part-time model. If it was any more advanced, the musicians would have easily jumped ship for better jobs long ago (many did, those who stayed to support their students/educational ties should be applauded). But remove a few elitist “artists” from the pool (who clearly control the union and gig economy here), and those remaining would have no trouble capture the community’s support without the financial onus of a “World-Class Orchestra”. The Phil’s only real advantage over CMI was that it was ostensibly comprised of local/legacy SAS musicians (the “Low Blow Oboe” article published earlier on SD was published just days after the initial Scottish Rite announcement and was probably someone trying to poke a hole in that perception of the Philharmonic).
Part of the problem is that while the Masons once might have been, at times and in certain places, a benevolent fraternal organization, they also have a cultish, elite, oligarchic side that is fundamentally anti-democratic.
If you ask on the street, the entire classical music is “fundamentally anti-democratic,” “cultish,” and “elite,” but Hamas is ok.
@No Comment : Well said.
Nonsense. In any case, Freemasonry is difficult to enter and very easy to leave, the exact opposite of a cult.
Self-designated cathedral? I’d assume all the Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox, whatever cathedrals out there are also self-designated. Or is there some official common cathedral designation body for all denominations?
Since they are not actually a religion, it seems very weird to call the place a cathedral.
I know a football stadium which is quite frequently referred to as cathedral.
BTW: Who defines whether something is “actually” a religion?
Freemasonry is not a religion, but a fraternity based around education and self-improvement. Its roots are, since London in 1717, Christian but its practices are compatible with all major religions. This notwithstanding, practising Muslims often conceal their membership from their coreligionists.
In all my 50 years near to the Masonic world I have never heard the word cathedral used to describe their buildings.
It’s more temples and workshops…
Greetings brother!
Ah, but they are a religion. They take oaths, they make curses, they have rituals and wear priest-like vestments.
Fantastic! Don’t forget all those goats they get through.
So does the Military, police, and Fireman? Does that make theme a religion?
Like the LSO!
The point may be that the rent at the fancy place (Tobin Center) is entirely too high for non-profit performing-arts groups.
It wouldn’t be the first time (or the second) that a non-profit performing-arts group in the U.S. was priced out of a venue ostensibly built FOR the non-profit performing arts.
Even the nation’s Kennedy Center, which is a trust, occupies itself largely with commercial, i.e. for-profit, Broadway product now, with its opera company given only a fraction of the dates in its “Opera House.”
Public infrastructure is being misused to enrich agents and Broadway heirs, and Board ignorance leaves “Wicked” and “Walküre” to “compete for entertainment dollars.”
As for San Antonio’s poor orchestra, what’s wrong with its using a Freemason venue?
The San Antonio Symphony was a resident company at the Tobin Center since it opened in 2014 until the SAS’s dissolution in 2021. The SAS enjoyed a significantly discounted rate in addition to having access to booking at the venue before any external organizations. There are currently 5 other resident companies at the Tobin: all non-profit performing arts groups, and all thriving.
It may have something to do with the fact that the union local picketed/threatened to picket other performances at the Tobin Center and their CEO’s residence that the Tobin wasn’t too keen on working with the philharmonic again. Restraining orders and complaints to NLRB were filed. Let’s please move beyond pretending the local isn’t the ones running the show in this ensemble.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with working with a Freemason venue. The problem is the fact that this organization, having shown little to no fiscal responsibility, is trying to fundraise $50-100M.
As others have pointed out, they could not afford to pay their musicians for concerts just this month, internal schism of the board, which is allegedly over an internal audit (again, financial clarity), and embroiled in legal troubles.
San Antonio’s “poor orchestra” is exactly that… poor. But it’s also mismanaged and union shackled once again. I have heard them play… they are an amazing group of musicians- it is unfortunate that they have built a board of idiots and self serving politicians. No one wants to donate or buy tickets because they have no idea if they will be around tomorrow. There is a publicity problem and an image that is forever tainted as irresponsible.
The Ballet and the Opera, as well as several other groups according yo their website, have managed to keep the Tobin Center as their home theater. I understand there is even a symphony orchestra that has sprung from one of them to replace the bankrupt SA Symphony. They all manage to pay rent – it is an expense like any other in an event… do you really think there is no expense in co owning the Scottish Rite building? How exactly do you expect a performing arts center to keep the lights on while providing free rent and not do anything else to create income (broadway, commercial artists, other shows)? I read that the Tobin Center even has to promote shows in other venues and other states just to make enough money so the arts organizations there can have reduced rent and other perks. Give it a google.
The building is not handicap accessible. At least, when I talked to someone in San Antonio a year ago that is what he told me.
It was the dream of the late Mark Richter, founder of the former San Antonio Opera, to renovate the Scottish Rite Temple as a performing arts center. The acoustics in the auditorium are excellent.
Jaw lying on the floor!
Regardless of whatever acoustical or strategic benefits this deal may bring, the way it’s being pushed to the media by SAPhil management is appalling. First Baptist Church has been our home for two years, during which time there was no trouble selling tickets or putting on school concerts. Now we frame them by innuendo as the source of “substantial rental fees” holding the orchestra back from success? Just say we’re tired of playing at a church, have alienated the Tobin permanently, and can’t afford to return to the Majestic due to abysmal (<50%) ticket sales so far this season.
"Having co-ownership in the building will help solve several issues for the philharmonic going forward, said Executive Director Roberto Treviño, mainly in avoiding substantial rental fees required to rehearse and perform in its other venues, relieving pressure on the orchestra’s bottom line."
https://sanantonioreport.org/philharmonics-new-concert-home-in-historic-downtown-building-will-require-costly-updates/
Trevino IS the pressure on the orchestra’s bottom line.
Hypothetical headline in a few weeks: “Freemasonry sues orchestra for breach of agreement. Philharmonic countersues for damages.”
“have alienated the Tobin permanently” and tried every thing they could to villainize it for the rest of the San Antonio community by causing unrest with baseless and untrue claims. (sued the Tobin, they picketed the Opera and Ballet, they disrupted performances in the building because their organization could not figure out their finances and the union could not be flexible to negotiations… facts – google them). They are destructive to themselves as well as all of the arts in San Antonio.
Don’t forget about the community arts/education conglomerate (not CMI) that was originally in negotiations with the Scottish Rite and has now been forced to withdraw…
What’s the problem? Two dying institutions working together. Freemasonry is fading away in the US just like other fraternal clubs like Elks, Lions and others have. Symphony orchestras in some areas are also on verge of fading away. Some masonic temple auditoriums have excellent acoustics; Szell’s Cleveland recordings were mostly done down the street from Severance Hall at the Masonic Temple there.
Masons are alive and well.
Ormandy’s Philadelphia recordings with RCA were done in a Scottish Rite “cathedral” fallen out of disuse (as most of them have) on North Broad street in the 70’s and beyond. The ballroom had good acoustics, the academy of music did not as far as recording was concerned. The recording control room was set up in what was the men’s bathroom of the ballroom, which itsalf was a two story balconied affair fit to record things with chorus and soloists like Rachmaninov’s Bells, and Prokofiev’s Nevsky.
It might be an “Audio-Engineering Urban Legend,” but, supposedly, the Academy of Music’s acoustic was specifically designed for the needs of Bel-Canto Opera. The chiefest of which is “Intelligibility” of Recitatives. So, the “hang time” of the sound was designed to be intentionally short. Because the longer reverb tails that let a Romantic symphony sound full and luscious would blur and smear the words in a recitative. A shorter reverb means that there is not much reverb from the previous syllable out in the hall space, when the next syllable sounds.
Maybe this could tempt more people to look into Freemasonry in SA.
Am I… missing something? What’s wrong with the Freemasons?
See New World Order conspiracy theory for details.
Exactly.
The SAP deserves every break it can get. I had no luck with the Scottish Rite Temple in Houston when looking for a rehearsal space for my youth orchestra several years ago. The fellow in charge said he wasn’t sure he would want “a bunch of kids traipsing through the facility on a Sunday afternoon.” This is the same organization that sponsors the Shriners Children’s Hospital. That building has since been demolished.
Ellington was a honorary mason, along with numerous honorary memberships. (An honorary Kentucky colonel, believe it or not.) Nothing indicates that he was an active member of the organization. Don’t know about Satchmo.
Duke was a Prince Hall Mason. Different group entirely made up by, of and for Black men because the Freemasons would not allow Blacks to join. It is absurd to associate a TX chapter of the Freemasons with Duke Ellington. Kahane needs to stick to the 88 things he knows about. Leave history to bigger people.
AMERICAN Freemasonry would not allow Black’s to join….along with school segregation, sports, army regiments. Etc… Land of the free unless you are non white
Bullshit.
Please explain to me what the Prince Hall Masons are, and how many current jurisdictions prohibit non- whites from joining.
Answer – zero.
Kindly remove your head from your anus.
Satchmo was a Knights of Pythias, a different fraternal order founded in 1864. He did claim to be a Mason from time to time.
In the jazz world, in addition to Ellington, Dizzie Gillespie, Eubie Blake, Nat King Cole, W. C. Handy, Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, Paul Robeson, Cab Calloway and Sun Ra were all members of Prince Hall, the Lodge at the time for African-American Masons. On Broadway, Irving Berlin, George Cohan were both Masons.
If the SR worked as a venue, they would have never built the Tobin.
And since when does a letter of intent earn a signing ceremony? Call me when some money changes hands.
Also, didn’t I read that Treviño couldn’t manage his tiny office and budget? Now he’s going to book, staff and cater events, maintain and rehab a historic building, fund raise for the Phil and for the SR restoration, put on and promote concerts with the Phil while selling no more than 15% of the tickets in any venue, and fight off a half dozen lawsuits. All with NO money in the bank and no staff to help.
I was at a gala a couple nights ago and the word there was unanimous “no more money for the philharmonic as long as Treviño is there.”
CMI hits their budget every year. They run clean and quiet. No picketing. No lawsuits. Qualified people in key positions. And they pay better than the CBA. They’ve won the support of the politicians, the corporate donors, the Tobin and local philanthropists. SA has chosen their orchestra for better or for worse. That’s just the way it is. I’m not saying it is a good thing but it is a fact. The Phil in desperation to stop people from asking questions or going and performing with CMI chooses to gaslight its membership and sue them if they don’t comply. Nobody wants to be connected with that type of group or behavior. Hence, no donors. It is over.
Local 23 knows all this, and that’s why they tried their hardest to stop anyone from working with them when Opera San Antonio opted to work with CMI in 2022.
Here is a list of things Local 23 tried:
– Blacklist musicians who worked with CMI
– Distributing CMI’s roster in Local email chains
– Local members engaging in libel and intimidate CMI musicians on social media openly and through private messaging
– Threaten to picket an Opera San Antonio’s Pagliacci with CMI in the pit (the picketing was stopped through a temporary restraining order)
– Placing them on the AFM Unfair List with no due process, therefore enjoining any AFM musicians from working with them (again, lifted days later through a TRO)
– Suppressing any Local 23 musician from working with them after the Unfair List was lifted.
We can go on and on, and yes, there are receipts for everything.
Eventually, it completely backfired in their faces. It’s not a huge city/industry– musicians talk, donors talk, politicians talk…
Tobin Center’s CMI has set up The Orchestra San Antonio to work around the AFM and replace the San Antonio Philharmonic, it appears.
Fact-check time:
The Tobin Center and CMI are independent entities with zero overlap in ownership and board (think of the relationship of NY Phil and Lincoln Center). CMI is one of five resident companies of the Tobin Center, which means they have entered into a long-term agreement with the Tobin Center to present a majority of their concerts there, in exchange for a lower rental rate and advanced booking.
The Orchestra San Antonio operates within CMI, and they present orchestral concerts under this name. Think of it as a dba in corporate terms.
CMI has existed since 2013, long before dissolution of the SA Symphony in 2021. You can’t replace something that doesn’t exist yet.
There are other orchestras in the country who are not-AFM affiliated (Naples Philharmonic as a significant example).
There are multiple non-union orchestras* within driving distance of San Antonio that have been playing to packed audiences and doing educational concerts. The Philharmonic is trying to become the Dallas Symphony instead of adapting to it’s own community.
*I’ll preemptively address the objection that these orchestras don’t provide wages for full-time artistry by reminding everyone that the Philharmonic cancelled it’s only October concerts and instead held a signing ceremony for a historic building reservation – no living wages going on at present.
“it’s” — “it is” or “it has”
“its” — possessive
To be fair, many of the ‘it’s’ are probably unchecked autocorrections. My phone does it the whole time but occasionally I forget to re-read the post before sending. Very frustrating.
Thanks. It was my understanding that TOSA and the SA Phil were both launched in 2022 in the wake of the SA Symphony Orchestra collapse. Perhaps I should have written, “to work around the AFM and compete with the new” SA Phil.
I don’t buy the notion of CMI as a “resident company” in the normal sense of that term, but I realize it’s not the first presenter to be described as one. Donors should be aware that it’s easy to “hit budget every year” and “run clean and quiet” when all you are is an administration.
It’s also easy to pull a number out of thin air, say $4M, and call it a budget with no plan or hope to raise it or meet it.
The whole idea is crazy.
You don’t hobble through a $1M season; ignore your budget completely the next year by doubling the office space and hiring a Music Director you can’t afford; and then the next year announce you’re going to spend $100M to own half of a building. All paid for by canceling concerts I guess?
Fantasy budgets and unrealistic growth are kryptonite to donors as are lawsuits and financial malfeasance.
TOSA hasn’t actually launched yet. CMI currently works with the Opera/ballet at the Tobin, but the first mainstage show of The Orchestra San Antonio (with a $2M sponsorship from Frost Bank) is not scheduled until April 2025. So the “competition” hasn’t even performed publicly yet as a symphonic standalone.
The Philharmonic musicians have grounds to feel upset about being replaced, and the community generally was on their side until this latest bout of financial/legal/press crises brought on by management (and apparently AFM Local 23 also).
Little caveats to supplement your statement:
CMI has been producing orchestral concerts for a few years now. They did not clearly delineate their (more robust) chamber music offerings and orchestral concerts, and everything was offered under one concert series. That changed this season. Their collaboration with Opera/Ballet SA began in 2022 and has since produced a couple of standalone orchestral concerts since.
You are correct in that they will perform for the first time under the current name in April 2025 in the Tobin mainstage, though saying “‘the competition’ (must the arts be a zero-sum game?) hasn’t even publicly yet performed as a symphonic standalone” isn’t quite
accurate.
Local 23 had made it clear any of its members taking CMI contracts will face retribution in some… Stalin-istic emails.
“independent entities with zero overlap in ownership and board (think of the relationship of NY Phil and Lincoln Center)”
Oscar L. Tang is a member of the Lincoln Center board of directors and co-chairman of the board of the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York (aka the NYPhil). That was the second name I checked…not exactly zero overlap. Does he have undue influence at Lincoln Center? I couldn’t say, but I bet they at least listen to what he has to say.
Unless they can play baseball, basketball or figure out how to land commercial airplanes in it, the City will not be helping them. Too much else to pay for that people actually want.
Look – Tobin Center rent is nothing to sneeze at. However, this move when you don’t have money in the bank is mind-boggling management and donors will take notice. This project will never happen because the donors can’t trust current leadership with their money.
Get rid of Trevino and MAYBE there’s a fighting chance to save symphonic music in SA.
The title of this article is deeply disturbing, especially one originating in the UK, where like the US, the Masons do so much for their communities as well as national charitable works. For instance, the Shriner’s hospital system started by a Masonic brother. The Scottish Rite is an offshoot of the blue lodges most of you are aware of, the Shriner’s are another offshoot. Masony started in the United States with the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in 1733. Paul Revere was the Grand Master of that Lodge. George Washington was a Mason, as well as signers of the Declaration of Independence; Benjamin Frankin, John Hancock, Richard Stockton, William Ellery, Joseph Hughes, William Hooper, Robert Treat Paine, George Walton and William Whipple. Norman, of interest to you, Moses Michael Hays from 1788-1791 was the Grand Master of Massachusetts, Jewish, Paul Revere was his deputy. Hays brought Masonry to the South establishing the first lodges in South Carolina (Charleston) and Georgia (Savannah). The Scottish Rite, actually originated in France as seperate entities which were compiled as a group, known today as The Scottish Rite in 1801 in the United States.
My point being, if The Scottish Rite is involved with the financially troubled San Antonio Symphony Orchestra, it is an act of mercy to keep them performing, not to end them, or demonstrate some sort of power over them. As Norman pointed out, Masonry has a long history of Music. The most important Masonic hymn was written by Fromental Halevy, yet another Jewish Masonic composer. In Britan, William Boyce, Thomas Arne, Sir Arthur Sullivan, Thomas Parry, even The Who’s John Entwhistle, all Masons.
End point, one of the most important characters of a Mason is charity and in this case, despite the misnomer of calling the Scottish Rite Temple there a Cathedral, it is not a church, nor is it a religious building per se. It is a large building and when not in use during the week for Masonic and Scottish Rite events, most rent out their rooms and halls for weddings and other events as long as they are not political. The one thing you will find in every Masonic Hall, or Lodge is an organ. Masons love their music. They are accepting of all brothers who believe in some sort of higher power, religion irrespective. Masons also do not discuss politics within their lodges and other Masonic buildings.
Excellent comment. What’s more, any discussion of religion or politics is forbidden in lodge and at the following Festive Board.
This orchestra will always be known to me as a group so hungry for a gig that they stood by in support while it sued one of their own. Shame on all of them. The paranhamonic.
I just heard that they have canceled the lease on Kahane’s office. This following the repossession on Kahane’s piano for nonpayment. I think Kahane will bail.
Anti-Mason much? Your ignorance is showing.
In London they have been strongly implicated in polic e corruption.
Years ago! The police have many more problems these days than Masonic infiltration.
Not that hackneyed old guff!
There were a few sensationalist stories in the 1980s largely coinciding with the release of Knight’s books. In reality Freemasonry is no more corrupt than a golf club or a brass band.
Oh, and many Masonic Halls host music events:
https://www.ugle.org.uk/freemasons-hall/events/organ-concert-katherine-dienes
Blaming an entire large organization on the acts of a few is problematic at best. If proven guilty of corruption, those Masons who participated will no longer be Masons. Anyone who wishes to become a Mason today, goes through an invasive background check. As an FYI, they gave $51.1 million pounds in charity throughout the UK in 2023.
That’s ancient history and also fomented by The Guardian. The UGLE now practises a policy of über-transparency. Visit Freemasons’ Hall and you’ll see.
Another anti American music tirade from Slipped Disc. Why don’t you harange British Freemasons? Aren’t there a lot those?
This story gets more and more bizarre by the week. It’s obvious to anyone that the SAP will not recover from its freefall until all leadership walk away and never return. But especially that vengeful and spiteful orchestra “manager” (but I repeat myself).
I read that Scottish Rite wants events there every week and it is the Phil’s responsibility to see that it happens.
Then I also read that the Phil had to cancel concerts in Oct because concerts three weeks apart were a drain on staff resources.
Something doesn’t add up.
Trevino has not brought in one dollar from any corporation. Not one. No HEB, no Valero, no Whataburger, no Frost Bank money. None. Meanwhile they all give to CMI, with Frost pledging $2M! Wake up people. Where do you think the money will come from? The Mayor detests Treviño. Google it. He even removed him from committees. Everyone running for Mayor hates him too. There is no path forward with Treviño at the helm. The Board knew this and was going to fire him so he fired them. Now he is being sued over it and the donors are not answering their phones. Kahane is the one that told them to raise their ticket prices so he’s clearly clueless too.
You need a subscription to read it so I’ve cute and pasted it for you
https://trellis.law/case/48029/2024ci22516/david-wood-et-al-vs-robert-c-trevino-et-al
VI.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
A. Plaintiff Ian Thompson, M.D., files this petition for declaratory relief in good faith furtherance of his support of the Phil, both in terms of time, devotion and money. Plaintiff Ian Thompson, M.D. has the singular goal for the success of the Phil to the benefit of the community and its musicians. In this regard, Ian Thompson, M.D. has contributed to the Phil in many ways, including but not limited to the following:
– Financial Donations / Contributions
– Season Ticket Holder / Regularly Attended Performances and Fundraisers
– Active participation as a Board Member
– Volunteering to serve during performance weekends
– Recruitment / Solicitation of donations and support for the SA Philharmonic
B. Plaintiff David Wood files this petition for declaratory relief in good faith furtherance of his support of the Phil, both in terms of time, devotion and money. Plaintiff David Wood has the singular goal for the success of the Phil to the benefit of the community and its musicians. David Wood served on the Board of Directors with a perfect attendance record.
In this regard, David Wood has contributed to the Phil in many ways, including but not
limited to the following:
1. Early and significant financial support.
2. Regular five figure donor as a member of the Board.
3. Provided bridge loans when needed. Some remain outstanding.
4. Supported the Phil through multiple season ticket purchases, including to bring numerous
potential donors and volunteers as his guest.
5. Hosted a fundraising dinner for over 60 people in his home
6. Advocated and fund raised with our friends and connections
7. Attended numerous community outreach events as a representative of the Philharmonic
8. Spoke at local government public meetings on behalf of the Philharmonic
9. Promoted the Philharmonic in the press and other media, including magazine features
C. The San Antonio Philharmonic (“the Phil”) was formed to fill the void left by the dissolution of the San Antonio Symphony on January 26, 2022. The initial Board was made up of founding members Brian Petkovich, Peter Rubins, Karen Stiles, and Stephanie Westney.
D. Shortofresources,theBoardrecruitedDr.IanThompson,III,(“Thompson”)whoprovided some financial backing needed to facilitate the first concerts; Rev, Aaron Hufty of First Baptist Church, which provided the venue; and Roberto Trevino (“Defendant”), a former City Councilperson who provided guidance on the availability of City and County funding. These three joined the Board on May 10, 2022.
Board members Brian Petkovich and Peter Rubins negotiated the recovery of the assets of the former San Antonio Symphony from a bankruptcy sale in September 2022 and recruited David Wood (“Wood”) to finance the acquisition. This saved the assets of the former San Antonio Symphony from sale to another buyer and preserved these resources for the enjoyment of the music community of San Antonio. Wood joined the Board along with actor and friend of the Defendant Jesse Borrego on February 16, 2023.
Following a successful inaugural season, overworked and tired, the founding members sought an Executive Director to aid in the day-to-day operations of the growing organization. Short of money and willing candidates, the Board turned to Trevino who accepted the job in June 2023.
Gina Ortiz Jones joined the Board in September 2023.
THE SECOND SEASON
Problems with the performance of Trevino began in the second season. These include but are not limited to:
Staff complaints
Orchestra complaints
Donor complaints
Staff and volunteer resignations
Poor, late or no financial reporting to the Board Double booking of concert events
A decline in performance metrics
Failure to fill key positions
Late payments or no payments to vendors
Late payments to staff
Board member Gina Ortiz Jones resigned from the Board over Trevino’s lack of performance and unwillingness to correct it in December 2023.
In January 2024, Jeffrey Kahane was hired to lead the orchestra as Music Director for three years, beginning July 1, 2024. LaraAugustresignedfromtheBoardinMay2024afterbeingberatedataregularmeeting by Trevino. She had questioned Trevino about the high turnover rate and the lack of replacement among the staff.
As a result of growing dissatisfaction with management by the music community, donors, staff and the orchestra, a change in Board leadership and perhaps the Phil’s professional leadership was imperative.
THE 2024 ANNUAL MEETING
An Annual Meeting was held on June 20, 2024. The purpose of the meeting was the Election of Officers (Article IV of the By-Laws) and other nominations to the Board (Article II of the By-Laws).
In the first order of business, Chair Brian Petkovich, called for a vote for Chair. Thompson won the vote, and Petkovich acknowledged the will of the Board by graciously and appropriately turning the meeting over to Thompson, the new, duly elected, Board Chair. The nominations for Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer were uncontested and Peter Rubins, Stephanie Westney, and Karen Stiles were re-confirmed, and duly elected, to their respective Officer positions.
P. April Brahinsky was nominated and confirmed by the Board to be a Director. She had undergone the nominations process for Board election, as provided in Article 2 of the By- Laws. She was not present and had not yet attended a Regular Meeting.
Q. TrevinopresentedtheAnnualBudgettotheBoardforthefirsttimeattheAnnualMeeting. Not only had the Board no time to review this critical document, it was also printed on paper too small to read. Trevino asserted that it must be immediately approved because the Fiscal Year was beginning in just 10 days. The Board insisted on having time to review it and noted that Trevino should have presented it months earlier for review. Because of Trevino’s failure to provide critical information in a timely manner, the Board scheduled a Special Meeting for June 25, 2024, to provide Board Members with the opportunity to review it.
R. After the Annual Meeting, Trevino accused the Board of taking personal and retaliatory actions against him. The Board Chair assured him that that was not the case.
THE SPECIAL MEETING TO PRETEXTUALLY CONSIDER THE ANNUAL BUDGET
S. A meeting to consider the Annual Budget was held on June 25, 2024.
T. Jeffrey Kahane, Music Director Designate, attended the Special Meeting (at whose invitation Plaintiffs do not know) and spoke for an extensive time. His position as Music Director was believed to commence on July 1, 2024. Mr. Kahane’s lengthy and fiery monologue at the meeting was inappropriate for a Special Meeting to consider the Annual Budget. His speech was not about the Budget. The salient point of Mr. Kahane’s monologue was to chastise the Board for something that the Board had not done, namely, taken up a review of Trevino’s job performance. His lengthy diatribe was not related to the purpose of the meeting—the annual budget. Kahane said that going forward he will
not recognize any Chair other than Brian Petkovich.
U. After discussion, the Board approved the Budget, including the resources for an Audit.
THE COUP
V. Following the June 25, 2024, Special Meeting, Thompson attempted to contact Jeffrey Kahane and Trevino in an attempt to make plans for the upcoming season. Thompson’s emails went unanswered.
W. On July 2, 2024, without approval or request from the Board, Trevino notified the Board that he had retained legal counsel “on behalf of the Philharmonic” to “address [unspecified] Board Governance, conflicts of interest and procedural matters.” The Board was not provided with any rationale for Trevino’s sudden concern about Board governance; documentation of counsel’s qualifications, legal services contract or conflicts policy; or an explanation as to why Trevino had not contacted the Board Chair, the Governance Committee Chair or anyone else on the Governance Committee about his new found concerns.
X. On July 11, 2024, Jesse Borrego called Wood at home and asked to discuss “some issues that had come to light.” Borrego informed Wood that the Board, allegedly, was now only three people and that they must have a Special Meeting right away to “Figure out what we should do.” Borrego instructed Wood to not discuss the matter with anyone other than Jesse Borrego and April Brahinsky, who he, Borrego, asserted were now the “Board.” He also suggested Wood should resign “in writing” should he not wish to participate. Wood rejected his premise and declined to resign or to participate in a Special Meeting without the full Board, cooperation of Governance and seeing the opinion in writing. Wood
notified the Board in an email of the developing situation.
Y. On July 16, 2024, at the request of Jeffrey Kahane, Wood had a Zoom conference from Milan, Italy with Kahane. The conversation lasted about two hours. Kahane spoke of his affection for Trevino. Wood repeatedly reassured Kahane that the Board had never taken up action against Trevino, that the duly elected Board merely needed more oversight and accountability, and to Wood’s knowledge, there was no plan to remove Trevino as Executive Director. Wood, however, refused to agree to Kahane’s request that he combine with Borrego and Brahinsky to form a new Board.
Z. Within 15 minutes of the end of the Zoom call between Kahane and Wood, all Board members received an email from Attorney Kelli Cubeta. She asserted that she “represented” the Phil. She opined that the Board now consisted of only David Wood, Jesse Borrego and April Brahinsky. Ms. Cubeta cited no basis for her opinion, including the By-Laws, statutes or case law. No corrective action plan was suggested.
AA. Board members raised serious concerns about Ms. Cubeta’s opinion and emailed questions. No emails were satisfactorily answered and most received no response at all. Since mid-July, no email from Thompson, Wood, Vice-Chair Rubins, Secretary Westney or Rev. Hufty have been answered by Trevino, Petkovich, Cubeta, Kahane, or any person claiming to be on the Board. The duly elected Board of Directors of the San Antonio Philhamonic has been “ghosted.”
BB. On July 16, 2024, a Special Meeting was allegedly noticed by Directors Borrego and Brahinsky for the purpose of electing Lauren Eberhart to the Board. Wood objected on numerous grounds, including the lack of a quorum, Eberhart’s alleged conflicts and thatshe had not been through the nominations process as required by the By-Laws. Wood suggested that the obvious and proper action, if they really believed there to be a governance problem, was to re-elect the Board as it was constituted at the end of the last meeting.
CC. On July 19, 2024, Trevino locked out all duly elected Board members from their Phil email accounts and removed their names from the website.
DD. On July 23, 2024, a Special Meeting meeting was noticed by Brahinsky, Eberhart and Borrego for the purpose of electing three new directors to the Board. Wood objected to the meeting on numerous grounds, including the ineligibility of the nominees who had not been approved by the nominations committee as required by 2.6 (f) of the bylaws, which provides:
“Only nominees approved by the Nominating Committee through the nominations process shall be eligible for election.”
Wood also objected that one proposed Director had already been rejected by the Board. EE.On August 7, 2024, an alleged Special Meeting was held for the purpose of electing Officers to the Board. Wood objected as there are already duly elected officers on the Board who have not resigned or been removed. After the meeting adjourned, another
Special Meeting was noticed for the purpose of removing Wood from the Board.
FF. In or about August 2024, another special meeting was allegedly held for the specificpurpose of removing Wood from the Board of the Phil.
GG. Trevino, having failed to succeed in his performance as Executive Director and fearing for his job, took illegal steps to reconstitute a new Board more to his liking. Trevino has “ghosted” the duly elected Board made up of founders, donors and long-time supporters of the arts in San Antonio. Trevino’s new Board is operating contrary to the
By-Laws and the laws of Texas.
It appears that a number of those commenting here are gleefully awaiting the news of the death of the San Antonio Philharmonic. At least, they certainly seem to be taking great pleasure in bashing us and predicting our imminent demise. Go ahead, folks, knock yourselves out. After the performances of Beethoven 9 next month at the Majestic, which so many folks claim aren’t going to happen, this thread will make for entertaining reading. You will all then have lots of chances to make further gleeful and wrong-headed predictions about the cancellation of the Folklorico Nutcracker, the Selena Tribute, and the rest of the season.
Much of what is being written here is wildly distorted or downright false. To take only one example – someone who signs themselves “SAP Musician” writes that “some of us just got paid $75 to play at an outdoor gig at a bar.” First, “SAP Musician” obviously didn’t play at or attend the event this past Saturday night, and moreover clearly doesn’t care whether what they write is even remotely true or not. Whatever the case may be, I’d like to hope that anyone who reads that comment will perhaps question the credibility of that individual after reading the following. No SA Phil musician played at a bar that night. The orchestra was invited by the Luminaria Arts Festival – an event that attracts thousands of people every year and celebrates all of the arts – to do a flashmob of excerpts from the finale of Beethoven 9. (https://luminariasa.org/ )
We were joined for this by members of three other venerable musical organizations: the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, the San Antonio Mastersingers, and the San Antonio Chamber Choir. We’re looking forward to posting video of this joyous occasion later this week. The rate the Philharmonic musicians were paid is exactly the same rate that they are always paid for a community outreach event, which is what this was. They were however, invited to a party I threw for them at a restaurant/bar after the event. So the musicians were indeed enjoying good food and good cheer at a bar that night, just not the one SAP Musician was at, or perhaps hallucinated that they were at.
I am not henceforth going to dignify the kind of rubbish that is being posted here, however, I would like to correct at least one other impression. One reader suspects as a result of our current challenges that I am going to “bail.“ As a matter of fact, my wife and I are actively looking for a condo and are looking forward to having a second home in San Antonio, a city we have grown to love very much, sometime in the months ahead. I would hope that would put to rest any doubt with respect to my commitment to this orchestra and this community, or with my respect to my conviction that the orchestra is going to prevail both in the near and long term , and not merely to survive but ultimately to thrive. Depending on one’s point of view, it seems that will come to the readership here as either a delightful surprise or a grave disappointment. When I say that I am in this for the long-haul, I mean it, and I have no reason whatsoever to doubt that I’m doing the right thing on behalf of the musicians and the community. Regarding the wisdom or foolishness of the acquisition of the Scottish Rite building, you’ll just have to wait and see. I know where I am placing my bet.
Mr. Lebrecht – your website states that you founded this site “with the aim of providing swift and reliable inside information on classical music and related arts.”
You have unquestionably been eminently successful at the “swift” part. I wonder if a little less swiftness might benefit your readership with a little more reliability. If “SAP Musician” is your idea of “reliable inside information,” I can only encourage you to be a little more skeptical of some of the claims being made here.
As the old Arabic proverb goes, “Dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.”
Respectfully,
Jeffrey Kahane
Maestro, thank you for taking the time to corroborate our anonymous story (pardon the inaccuracies, maybe we were distracted by the Classics III concerts that did not happen this week). Best of luck on the purchase of your second home.
The video will probably appear here, for now everyone can check out the SA Phil lucha libre fight (also the same night as cancelled Classics III):
https://www.facebook.com/SAPhilharmonic
Maestro, I have a lot of respect for you having worked with you as a musician of the SA Phil. We are grateful to have you here and I believe that you genuinely want to turn this orchestra around.
I urge you to be careful of people like Petkovich and Trevino. They are not people with integrity. They will lie to your face. Brian, especially, has never had the orchestra’s best interest in his heart over the years. Time and time again, he crushed opportunities for SAS. He destroyed MOSAS activities when young musicians in SAS were building up a huge following in the community. At every negotiation, he has prioritized preserving the union rather than the orchestra. This list goes on and on.
If you want to seek the truth, please request an audit of the SA Phil. See how the finances really are.
October concerts have been cancelled because of the lack of resources. What other evidence do you need to know that something is wrong? Is this type of practice normal for other orchestras?
Oh boy, someone clearly had their nerves touched. This word salad comes across as defensive and not helping your cause.
“Chicanery” monologue, anyone?
Of all the scathing things claimed by alleged SAS/SAP musicians, the best defense conjurable was “we didn’t play AT the bar for $75, we played for Community Outreach Rate and then went TO a bar”. No comment on lawsuits, Trevino’s mismanagement, lack of funding, union bullying, etc.?
….
SAP Musician needs to be careful, I hear they like to sue their players (or worse yet, might send one of their pro wrestlers to beat you up)
I looked at the ticket sales for Beethoven. 18%. Pretty sad and the matinee is even worse. Why don’t you just take the audience to a cozy little bar somewhere? Have the orchestra play in the street for $75, sorry, I mean for the “Community Outreach Rate”. Think of the money you’ll save! Maybe you’ll have enough to even get through one more concert series.
older French proverb:
les chiens aboient, la caravane comes to a standstill as the bullets fly
What an idiotic report….Masonic self-designated cathedral, oh goodness, if the journalist has no clue about masonry he should not torment the reader with such rubbish, typical fake news of the worst kind.
WTF?! Free food?! Tone deafness is usually considered a short coming in the conducting world.
I’m sure all of us will take great comfort in knowing that Kahane is buying a second home while we struggle to pay for the one we have. This guy. I want my head back.
Bends the knee?
What utter crap.
And please remind me, what was the Magic Flute’s main influence?
Perhaps George Washington isn’t someone you respect either.
Signed,
A Second Tenor Freemason
Wow that didn’t come off as slanted at all, on this doll please show as were the Masons hurt you?
One violin. One cello. That’s it. The concert is three weeks away. If you do fill the roster and don’t cancel, nobody will know who anybody is. This is not an orchestra. It’s an excuse to ask people for money. Money that we won’t ever see.
I’ve been pouring over the various dockets. Here’s my prediction. By the time all lawsuits and counterclaims are filed, every board member as well as Kahane and Petkovich will be named defendants. The lawyer fees alone will grind this thing to a disasterous halt. The ones with the deepest pockets will win. What I’m not sure. Bragging rights I guess.