Adaptistration

Columbus' Smoking Gun

If the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is destined to die, then patrons and the local community at-large deserve to know why the fatality should be investigated as a homicide. To that end, it is time to go hunting for clues and as it turns out, there's a smoking gun at the crime scene…

It’s The Board, Stupid

The 5/10/2008 edition of the New York Times published an article by Dan Wakin which introduces some valuable clues behind what is really going on behind the veil of spin coming from the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) executive board. Among the quotes from CSO music director Junichi Hirokami, one in particular sheds light on the root of the organization's recent financial problems…

Columbus Board Prepares To Throw In The Towel

According to a Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) press statement dated 5/8/08, the board of directors has cancelled both of the organization's summer concert series, which have been a part of Columbus summers for more than 25 years. Furthermore, the statement asserts that "due to uncertainties surrounding the 2008-2009 season" the organization is deliberately not selling subscription or single tickets until after they reach an agreement with musicians on a new collective bargaining agreement. Does anyone else smell a self-fulfilling prophecy blowing in the wind…

Columbus Season To Continue Unabated

According to an April 28, 2008 press release issued by the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) board, the organization will not cut short any of the scheduled classical or pops concerts from now through May 31, 2008. This decision was reached during a board meeting following the unanimous decision by the musicians of the CSO to reject the board's last, best, and final negotiation offer and an individual donation from an unnamed board member. It is good to see that the board has taken the first of two necessary steps to avoid institutional collapse. The first was to move away from threats of canceling any of the current season and now all that remains is to enact step two: an independent review of the board's proposed financial plan...

Columbus Board Responds To Ratification Vote

On the heels of the unanimous decision by the musicians of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) to reject the board's last, best, and final negotiation offer Robert Trafford, Columbus Symphony Orchestra Board of Trustees Chair, issued a written response the following day…

Columbus Symphony Musicians Unanimously Reject Contract Offer

After several negotiation sessions, the musicians of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) issued a press release early this morning detailing yesterday's ratification meeting...

Some Belated Thoughts On Columbus

Now that the 2008 Take A Friend To Orchestra program is completed, I can take a moment to properly address something that happened in connection to the ongoing situation at the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO). In particular, the 4/9/2008 edition of the Columbus Dispatch published an article by Michael Grossberg which stands out as the most reprehensible contribution to date among a string of disappointing articles that have been masquerading as acceptable coverage of the CSO's current situation…

The Shreveport Times: How Coverage Should Unfold

The 3/27/2008 edition of the Shreveport Times published an article by Donecia Pea which provides a comprehensive look at the ongoing labor dispute between the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra (SSO) and the symphony musicians, the Orchestra Players United of Shreveport-Bossier (OPUS). After wading through the less than desirable coverage of the Columbus situation provided by the Columbus Dispatch, it is a welcome relief to see some evenhanded reporting...

A Tangled Web Indeed

If you haven't read it yet, Ron Spigelman posted an excellent article on 3/22/2008 at Sticks and Drones about some recent changes made to the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra (SSO) website. Although the ongoing situation in Columbus has had a great deal of attention, there is an equally significant series of events developing in Shreveport between the SSO and the symphony musicians, the Orchestra Players United of Shreveport-Bossier (OPUS). The particulars of that situation will be examined here in the near future but the issues which Ron brings to light are worth immediate attention…

As Negotiations Continue, Columbus Eyes Cash Flow

On Tuesday, 3/18/2008 the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) held their first official bargaining session with the musicians to discuss a new contract to replace the current agreement which expires on August 31, 2008. According to spokespersons from the CSO and the CSO musicians, the initial meeting was amicable and productive with both parties agreeing to a press blackout while talks are underway. There are several additional meetings scheduled through the end of April and CSO executive director, Tony Beadle said that he hopes they can agree on a new contract as soon as possible. In addition to the negotiations, the CSO's primary focus is managing cash flow…

Columbus Travels Around The Blogosphere

All of the recent Chicken Little oriented news reported in the Columbus Dispatch has prompted a considerable response throughout the cultural blogosphere. Some of it has been somewhat plaintive while other posts have been red-hot over how the situation is unfolding. In a related issue, although the Dispatch published an editorial in support of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) board's proposed financial plan, they have not pursued what is normal procedure for most newspapers by publishing an op-ed piece shortly thereafter although several have been submitted from official sources in opposition to the proposed financial plan. As such, here's a breakdown of who is writing what…

Dynamic Consequences Taking Shape In Columbus

The 3/12/2008 edition of the Columbus Dispatch published an article by Barbara Carmen that reports Franklin County, the county where the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is located, approved a $1.2 million matching grant for area arts groups and the CSO will receive a considerable share of those resources if they successfully raise the matching funds. Beyond the obvious fact that this is good news for the CSO, and all central Ohio arts groups, it is important to note that the article reports that Kate Matheny, grants coordinator for Franklin County, said "the goal [of the matching grant] isn't just to stabilize arts organizations, but to plan for their growth." Matheny's quote should serve as a warning shot to the CSO executive board…

In Columbus, The War Of The Rhetoric Begins

Updated 10:30 a.m. CT: The 3/14/2008 edition of the Columbus Dispatch published an article by Michael Grossberg which included some of the first volleys of traditional rhetoric usually reserved for contentious labor negotiations. In particular, the article reports that Tony Beadle, Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) Executive Director, accused the Columbus Symphony Orchestra Musicians' Association of "rebuffing" the CSO board's recent efforts to meet with the musicians thereby jeopardizing crucial fundraising efforts. However, the article fails to report that the musicians never received a formal notice to initiate negotiations from the CSO board until the beginning of the week of 3/9/2008. Furthermore, the musicians accepted the request and notified the CSO board on 3/13/2008 that they would be willing to meet with them with counsel for the initial bargaining session as early as today, 3/16/2008…

Even Marathons Have To End

Good news in Phoenix as the Arizona Opera Company and the Arizona Opera Orchestra Musicians' Association reached a tentative agreement on Sunday, 3/9/2008. The 12 month long negotiation reached a critical point last month when both sides approved a side letter to the agreement which guarantees the Arizona Opera Orchestra Musicians right of first refusal for all productions through the 2011/12 season. The first two years in the three year contract call for across the board freezes for wages, mileage, and per diem for the per service ensemble while the final year of the contract provides modest improvements in each of those categories.

In other news, Inside The Arts author John Rosenkrans recently published a comprehensive and engaging review of Alex Ross' hit book The Rest Is Noise at his music and culture book review column, Books On Culture. Here's a brief excerpt:

Perhaps one of his greatest gifts (as Emmanuel Ax points out on the dust jacket) is that "you want to hear to run and listen to every note he talks about," and for me that even included music that I already knew that I did not like at all.

John's review serves as an excellent precursor for those not yet familiar with Alex's book and for those who are, it is a wonderful way to complete an already satisfying reading experience.

A Marathon Negotiation In Phoenix

How appealing does a 12 month long collective bargaining agreement negotiation sound? Probably not that appealing but that is precisely where the Arizona Opera Company and the Arizona Opera Orchestra Musicians' Association are. The organization has been operating for the 2007/08 season without a contract and, until recently, was approaching a labor stoppage that threatened March performances of Mozart's The Magic Flute…

Tentative Agreement In Omaha

According to information released late Thursday afternoon, the Omaha Symphony Association (OSA) and the Omaha Symphony Musicians' Organization (OSMO) are close to reaching an agreement after performing the entire season on an expired contract. The OSMO conducted a ratification meeting late Thursday evening. If ratified by the musicians, details of the new agreement will be posted as soon as possible (so check back later today). In the meantime, you can read more about the prolonged negotiations by doing a search for "Omaha" via Adaptistration's new Google custom search feature n the right-hand navigation column (more on that later, but it's a fantastically efficient search tool, much better than its predecessor) as well as the OSMO webpage and the OSA webpage.

UPDATE 2/8/08: Further details were made availalbe in a press release issued by the OSA...

When An Academic Exercise Becomes Reality

During the beginning of November, 2006 I had the pleasure of conducting a mock negotiation exercise with the MBA students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Bolz Center for Arts Administration program. That exercise had the future arts administrator's playing the role of orchestra musicians who were presented with a bargaining proposal from management that called for a 35 percent reduction in expenditures. Although the details of that exercise are fascinating to explore, the real meat came in the form of how some of the students interpreted the scenario…

Onto The Business Of Fundraising In Jacksonville

The Jacksonville Symphony Association (JSA) and the Jacksonville Symphony Players' Association (JSPA) distributed a joint press release today announcing details for the Radiothon fundraising event scheduled this weekend…

BREAKING NEWS: Tentative Agreement in Jacksonville

The musicians of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra released the following press release at 2:19PM CT announcing a tentative agreement which provides for Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra concerts to resume this week.
(UPDATE: The Jacksonville Symphony Association distributed a press release about approximately 90 minutes after the musician release. It is included at the end of this post)...

We Value Your Option (unless it means changing our plans)

Robert Levine, president of the Milwaukee Musicians Association, International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) chairman emeritus, former editor of Senza Sordino (ICSOM's newsletter), and principal violist of the Milwaukee Symphony [Robert must have an industrial sized business card], posted an intriguing article at his blog about the Jacksonville Symphony negotiations. In his post, Robert compares current events in Jacksonville with his own experiences in Milwaukee when faced with a refusal to move from a pre-set final offer at the onset of negotiations…

Rhetoric On The Rise In Jacksonville

After a brief hiatus following the holiday season, the Jacksonville Symphony Association (JSA) and Jacksonville Symphony Players' Association (JSPA) have resumed their respective public relations campaigns via the nine week long lockout. First up, was an opinion piece published on 1/8/2008 by the Florida Times-Union written by JSA past board chair and current board member, Steven T. Halverson…

Concert Cancellations And New Fundraising In Jacksonville

In an email message from 1/2/2008, Jacksonville Symphony Association (JSA) Executive Director, Alan Hopper, confirmed that the message appearing on the jsomusicians.org message board on 12/28/2007 was written by JSA executive board member Tom Beames (details of that letter are available here). Hopper also confirmed that personalized versions of the letter have been distributed to some individuals; however, there was no response to questions about whether or not Tom Beames plans to step down from the JSA board or if the board will ask him to resign…

Recent Developments in Jacksonville

The "Jacksonville Emails" debacle moved to a new phase over the weekend when a user identifying himself as "Henson Markham" posted what he identified as "Tom Beames letter to the JSA Board" at the jsomusicians.org guestbook. Conversely, the Jacksonville Symphony Association (JSA) has acknowledged that they will release any official response written by or on the behalf of JSA Executive Board member Tom Beames to his email message from 12/19/2007 as soon as it is available but to date, no such response has been issued. Nevertheless, the letter attributed to Mr. Beames posted late Friday evening, 12/28/2007 was apologetic for what it defined as "misunderstandings" of "typographical" and "missed context" nature. The letter closes with the author stating "For even a single member of this orchestra to see me as anything but an active, grateful, well-intended volunteer trying to make our community and its citizens all that is possible, is unacceptable. I implore you to accept the remorse of an impassioned but at times clumsy friend that is subject to mistakes and foils like anyone else". Three days after the letter allegedly written by Mr. Beames, the JSA Board of directors cancelled the musician's health care coverage…

Debunking Some Spin in Jacksonville

Among the attachments in the "Jacksonville Emails" is a copy of a Jacksonville Symphony Players' Association (JSPA) press release from December 15, 2007 which Jacksonville Symphony Association (JSA) Board Chair, Jim Van Vleck, took the time to add what he described as "'modifications' to their claims." Although only 158 words in length, the document provides an unfiltered look into how the JSA executive board leaders communicate with fellow board members about details surrounding the negotiations…

Jacksonville Musicians Respond To Board Member Email

Jacksonville Symphony Players' Association (JSPA) issued a press release late 12/26 demanding Tom Beames, Jacksonville Symphony Association (JSA) Executive Board member and Vice Chair of Artistic Affair, to leave the JSA executive board…

"kids at Christmas with no presents" In Jacksonville

Recently, an email message from Tom Beames, Jacksonville Symphony Association (JSA) Executive Board member and Vice Chair of Artistic Affairs, to his fellow JSA Board members generated a great deal of attention when the message (in part and in whole) began appearing at several online discussion boards, including the JSO Lockdown Facebook group. In that email message, Vice Chair Beames congratulates JSA Board Chair Jim Van Vleck and Executive Director Alan Hopper "on standing firm and showing strength" during the December 14 bargaining session. However, Vice Chair Beames also expresses belief that "the heartstrings of kids at Christmas with no presents certainly will have an impact" on the $60,000 in differences between the current offers from the JSA and the Jacksonville Symphony Players' Association (JSPA)...

Some Thoughts On Jacksonville

Following the latest round of negotiations on December 14, 2007 the Jacksonville Symphony Association (JSA) and the Jacksonville Symphony Players' Association (JSPA) were a mere four percent apart on financial issues (details here). That ground was covered due to significant concessions from the JSPA, who have been locked out since the middle of November. Nevertheless, even though both sides were able to cover so much ground, the JSA plans to follow through with plans to cancel the musician's health care coverage in less than one week. Frankly, there's simply no good reason for them to adopt this position…

Jacksonville: $1.25 Mil. In Concessions But Lockout Ensues

Although a 15 hour negotiating session on December 14, 2007 yielded $1.25 million in concessions from musicians, the Jacksonville Symphony Association (JSA) and the Jacksonville Symphony Players' Association (JSPA) were unable to craft a final agreement. As a result, the current lockout will continue well into the opening weeks of 2008. Furthermore, the JSA will carry out plans to cancel musician health care coverage at the end of December…

Tampa Settles While Jacksonville Remains Locked Out

On Sunday, 12/9/2007 the musicians of the Florida Orchestra (located in Tampa, FL) ratified a three year contract after having been engaged in play-and-talk since September. The three-year concessionary agreement averted what would have become the second work stoppage by a professional orchestra in the state of Florida…

Breaking News: JAX Government Weighs In On Lockout

After weeks of conspicuous silence, the local Jacksonville government has weighed in on the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra (JSO) lockout via an emergency resolution…

Nutcracker Refunds and More Cancellations In Jacksonville

Following the Jacksonville Symphony Association’s (JSA) decision to provide recorded music for all First Coast Nutcracker performances, the organization has confirmed that they are offering refunds to ticket holders who are displeased over the decision. However, the issue of whether or not the JSA will adjust their fee or if the First Coast Nutcracker will adjust ticket prices due to the lack of live music is, as of yet, unknown…