Last Month at the Local
As you may have heard, South Florida Symphony is behind again in paying musicians.
Musicians are owed wages as far back as last December. We had many conversations with several of the unpaid musicians last month, looking for ways to put pressure on the orchestra to pay its musicians. If you are asked to play for South Florida Symphony, we strongly recommend that you decline the work until all past due wages are paid. If you are owed money, please reach out to us and let us know. Together perhaps we can finally put a stop to the orchestra financing its operations on the backs of musicians.
Last month we supervised the Palm Beach Opera auditions for their principal bassoon opening. One of the advantages of a union contract is that politics is taken out of the hiring policy. The music director and a committee of musicians decide who will be hired based on that person's playing, and not who they are. The auditions take place behind a screen and no one knows who is playing until the winner is chosen. The best candidate for the position is more likely to be selected during a blind audition than when personalities and politics are allowed to enter the equation. Congratulations to audition winner Mark Timmerman.
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