Last month was busy at Palm Beach Opera. Musicians are dealing with the change at the Kravis Center to eliminate free parking. If you are performing at the Kravis Center and are having to pay for parking, please reach out to the office as we are receiving mixed messages. Some musicians are telling us they are being provided with vouchers that provide free parking and others are telling us they are having to pay various different rates. Please let us know your experience so we can see if there is a theme and reach out where necessary that musicians are not “paying to play.”
Palm Beach Opera musicians have also elected audition and appeals committees. The Opera has auditions for violin, cello, and trumpet scheduled for June. The Appeals Committee is there to protect musicians should the Opera try to unjustly dismiss a musician. Musicians participate in both auditions and appeals because our union contract gives them that right. That contract expires in May, and the orchestra committee and Local officers have begun planning for the upcoming negotiation. We will be represented by AFM Symphonic Services negotiator Campbell MacDonald. Our first step was to survey musicians on their concerns and priorities. If you are a Palm Beach Opera musician, please be sure to give us your input, as it is invaluable during negotiations!