Cleveland Symphony musicians join striking DSO players for support concert

[Hannah Bell]

Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, on strike since October 4, played before a sellout crowd of 700 at a support concert October 24 at Christ Church Cranbrook in the Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills. The concert featured 17 members of the Cleveland Symphony, who traveled to Detroit in a show of solidarity with DSO musicians.

The 84 musicians are taking a stand against draconian cuts they say would destroy the DSO as a leading US orchestra and set a precedent for further attacks on art and culture nationally and internationally.

DSO management forced the walkout by imposing its final contract terms, including a 33 percent pay cut, along with cuts in health care, pensions and drastic changes in work rules that would require musicians to perform all kinds of nonperformance related duties. New hires face a 42 percent pay reduction.

The musicians have offered their own pay cut of 22 percent in the first year, with a partial restoration in the third year. They say the steep cuts demanded by management would make it difficult to retain players or attract new talent, leading to a decline in the quality of the orchestra.

[bobbolink]

1. Good for them! The Colorado Symphony showed how it can work.

They reorganized after the Denver Symphony folded (with the encouragement and help of Barry Fey, rock promoter), and their union has the say on how the symphony is run.

It took several years, but they built the symphony into a world class organization.

Can you tell I'm very proud of them? :)



An important part of their ascendency was Marin Alsop, who I always enjoyed as she jumped up to her podium:



Marin with her mentor, Leonard Bernstein:
?w=450&h=277

Go, DSO! You can do this!

[Hardrada]

2. Hurrah for solidarity! I hope this becomes the fashion.

[Warren DeMontague]

3. I thought you were talking about the Dark Star Orchestra.

Oh, well.

[MilesColtrane]

4. I wonder if the DSO administrators agreed to 33% pay cuts,...

additional unpaid duties, cuts in health care, etc...

Ann Parsons, CEO makes more than twice what the concertmaster makes, according to the DSO tax returns for 2007.

Plus, the DSO pays her rent.

[TBF]

6. Those salaries are interesting - I'd like to see what the musicians

make by comparison. I donate to my local symphony and will make sure I get a copy of their annual report this year.

[Hannah Bell]

7. +100

[MedicalAdmin]

8. Yup - more overpaid and underperforming administrators.

I honestly believe that the MBA has been a detriment to this country. I was a degree that was started to bring professionalism to the business class. How do you think that has worked out so far?

[maryf]

5. Solidarity!!

works. K&R