Symphonic Shorts
Palm Beach Opera Contract Update
Palm Beach Opera musicians are in the final stages of negotiating a collective bargaining agreement. A year ago, who would have thought that this would be happening?
How did they get there? It took a year of hard work on the part of the committee and the Local, educating members on what could be achieved if they stood together. And the primary object of the musicians was not to squeeze every penny out of the Opera, but to earn respect and be treated fairly. The orchestra contributes a great deal to the Opera, and the musicians deserve to be recognized for their work.
Everyone benefits from this contract. The Opera musicians get security and reasonable working conditions, and the Opera itself gets stability. A long-term commitment will attract grant money (who wants to donate money to something with an unsure future?) and better musicians (when the pay is the same, I think most of us would choose the job with a contract and Pension benefits!).
And the rest of us benefit, too. Better conditions for one group can be used as a bargaining tool for other groups, and this success shows employers that the Local will do what it takes to stand behind its members...
PR for the FPO
At the request of the Florida Philharmonic musicians, the Local has engaged consultant William Thompson, who helped the Louisville Orchestra’s musicians beat back a board proposal that would have cut 40 percent of the orchestra’s musicians. He will assist the Florida Philharmonic musicians in the year-long preparation leading to the next contract negotiation.
In Louisville, Thompson’s unique approach involved comparative studies of the Louisville Orchestra’s financial performance as compared to other orchestras across the country. By fixing problems rather than hiding them, Thompson was able to communicate to the community how the orchestra’s management could increase income and lower expenses, with the savings being passed on to the musicians. He hopes his involvement with the FPO will result in the same positive results.
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WHO: William Thompson, Communication Consultants
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CURRENT JOB: Professor of Public Relations, University of Louisville
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EXPERIENCE: past Associate Director, Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri (duties included marketing, fund raising, media relations).
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RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENT: Helped lead the members of the Louisville Orchestra to a 3-year contract giving them a 21% salary increase (and during negotiations saw that almost 100 stories on TV, radio, and in the press in Louisville and across the country were generated).
New CEO for BPO
Edward Cordick, Jr. has been engaged as Executive Director of the Boca Pops Orchestra. His previous experience includes serving as executive director of the Greensboro Symphony, the Tri-Cities Opera, and the Binghamton (NY) Symphony Orchestra.
BPO Appointment
The following musicians has been appointed to one-year positions in the Boca Pops Orchestra:
Claudio Osorio, Principal Trumpet
Miami-Dade Grants
- Florida Philharmonic: $42,602
- Florida Grand Opera: $80,402
- Concert Assn. Of Florida: $35,742
- New World Symphony: $90,000
News & Announcements
Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs won the largest NEA award in the "education and access" category. The $50,000 will be used to promote live arts performances...recent New World Symphony members Tad Calcara, Aaron LaVere, Paloma Griffin, and Christopher Marshall and Harid Conservatory student Krystof Pipal have all won positions in major professional orchestras.
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