Drunk Driver Convicted In Deaths Of Musicians Sentenced

Sharipoff
16 months after her car struck and killed Eugene Symphony musicians Kjersten Oquist and Angela Svendsen, convicted drunk driver Fivea Sharipoff was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison by Circuit Judge John McCormick. Earlier this month, Sharipoff was found guilty on two counts of manslaughter in the first degree for the deaths of Eugene Symphony principal second violinist Angela Svendsen and Eugene Symphony violist Kjersten Oquist, one count of assault in the second degree for injuries suffered by Eugene Symphony principal oboist Kelly Gronli, and one count of DUI for driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit. According to a report in the Eugene Register-Star, Sharipoff was "defiant and unrepentant" during the sentencing and only offered the following statement to Judge McCormick: "I do not accept any offer, nor will I give consent to go to jail, pay fees, fines or court costs."

About Drew McManus

"I hear that every time you show up to work with an orchestra, people get fired." Those were the first words out of an executive's mouth after her board chair introduced us. That executive is now a dear colleague and friend but the day that consulting contract began with her orchestra, she was convinced I was a hatchet-man brought in by the board to clean house.

I understand where the trepidation comes from as a great deal of my consulting and technology provider work for arts organizations involves due diligence, separating fact from fiction, interpreting spin, as well as performance review and oversight. So yes, sometimes that work results in one or two individuals "aggressively embracing career change" but far more often than not, it reinforces and clarifies exactly what works and why.

In short, it doesn't matter if you know where all the bodies are buried if you can't keep your own clients out of the ground, and I'm fortunate enough to say that for more than 15 years, I've done exactly that for groups of all budget size from Qatar to Kathmandu.

For fun, I write a daily blog about the orchestra business, provide a platform for arts insiders to speak their mind, keep track of what people in this business get paid, help write a satirical cartoon about orchestra life, hack the arts, and love a good coffee drink.

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