Posted on 02/20/2011 12:14:42 PM PST by HIDEK6
The management of the debt-burdened Detroit Symphony Orchestra canceled the rest of its season on Saturday, after executives and the players failed to resolve a strike that has lasted four and a half months. The players had voted to reject what orchestra executives had said was their final contract offer, calling it unacceptable. The players pointed to large increases in health care costs, a requirement that musicians pay some travel costs, a one-member reduction of the orchestra roster and greater authority by management in determining community and educational concerts. The proposal also included large pay cuts. The musicians had said they were open to lesser pay cuts. Negotiations went on last week and included mediation by Senator Carl Levin of Michigan and Dan Gilbert, the owner of Quicken Loans. In a press release posted on its Web site, the orchestra’s management said it had “reluctantly released artists and conductors from their contracts and suspended all remaining orchestral concerts through June.” But executives left open the possibility that some concerts could be rescheduled and that the summer season could go forward “pending a settlement.” The orchestra said patrons could request refunds, donate their tickets, ask for vouchers for future concerts or exchange tickets for other musical events at its Max M. Fisher Music Center.
(Excerpt) Read more at artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com ...
Undoubtedly, the largesse of GM, Chrysler and Ford promoted the orchestra. I wonder if the (putative) fact they had corporate donors with deep pockets that are no longer there put them into a institutional wage structure that was way out of line. No doubt, fewer and fewer people driving in from Grosse Pointe.
If there is a large oriental community around Detroit, a great number of the musicians will be well compensated giving private lessons.
Events of these days sound so “Atlas Shruggian” don’t they?
LOL! You have to be kidding me? Detroit still has a symphony? These people are delusional. Does Camden, NJ or Fallujah have a symphony? Liberalism destroy Detroit. Mozart, Handel, Haydn et al are wasted on these union goons and the savages of Detroit.
Detroit has no business wasting money on a symphony when they are still bulldozing blocks of vacant houses and abandoning the land. The best thing to do is shut it down and try again some other time with people who are more interested in music.
Thanks for the link! I scrolled down to the bottom of the page to an audio link--a union "fight song"! Outstanding! Almost as good as the old "Look for the Union Label" commercial and song. You can't make this stuff up!
Constituent services for 'rat voters and greedy union bosses and local politicians.
Literally took the words out of my mouth !
LOL! So true. I wonder if the irony is lost on these idiots. They are union goons and union leftists have supported the gutter/ghetto lifestyle that has moved us (rapidly) away from a civilized society capable of appreciating classical music.
Put more bluntly - most of Detroit could care less about music made by some old dead white european guys. “They were probably racists anyway.”
Symphony Orchestras are dying and I for one am very sad about it. I love symphony orchestras deeply. They are beautiful and exciting (as long as they stay away from most of the ugly “modern” music.)
The problem is that their audience doesn’t support them anymore and, if not *very* well managed they go into debt. That sounds like what happened to Detroit. How can Detroit afford an expensive artistic luxury like a symphony?
The Detroit Symphony is a fine orchestra but needs a deep pockets sponsor. Or they need to move out of Detroit. Kinda like a football team, I suppose.
Maybe some other city will build them a concert hall and lure them away...
If Detroit hadn’t chased off all the rich and all the industrialists, perhaps someone could serve as a patron to the arts. But ever since Coleman Young decided that white=Satan, you can forget any Andrew Carnegies or Leland Stanfords sticking around. And even if you allow taxpayer subsidy of the arts, in the tough times, you pay for the essentials. In a city like Detroit, at a time like this, symphonies are a luxury, not a necessity. And I love classical music.
From personal, though second-hand, experience, classical training is still a golden key to college admission.
Complicating matters: all are arteeeestes, and far too educated for their own good. Getting bargaining units like this to see reality and accept less than the grand deal they are convinced is their birthright is almost impossible. And very few actually live in Detroit; many do not even live in Michigan. They could care less what their strike does to an already decimated city. It's all about them.
During the late 60s they were highly regarded.
See the wiki page on the DSO. It is (was) a world-class orchestra and widely recorded by major record labels. Have seen them many times.
Bear in mind the the DSO has been supported by the masses in the burbs, not the dregs in the ghetto in the city.
In the meantime, hope these unionists get a dose of reality and go through painful economic times, maybe then they might appreciate those $135K jobs.
Apparently they were losing money. But then, union types shouldn’t have to WORRY about little things like that!!!
The scenario you state is mostly true but a major symphony like Detroit is a major gig and is basically a full time job (although it is not 40 hours a week, it is several days a week.) They likely live in Detroit, at least during the winter concert season, and probably all year. They have recording sessions and other concerts to give, not to mention college teaching positions and private students.
Obviously, you need a college degree. Go to U of Kentucky and get a masters degree in bluegrass. Then you can charge a healthy fee.
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