Indianapolis Symphony May Become a Part-Time Ensemble
The Indianapolis Symphony, one of only 17 full-time orchestras in the nation, is proposing a shift to part-time status as part of a plan to address its serious financial problems, according to Fox News. Management is negotiating with the musicians union in an attempt to work out the changes. Orchestra management would like to reduce the ensemble’s schedule from 52 to 36 weeks a year and reduce the musicians’ pay by almost half, said Richard Graef, chairman of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Negotiation Committee.
Since the recession has reduced the orchestra’s endowment from $120 million to approximately $80 million, and a campaign to raise $100 million over the past few years was not successful, the cuts have been deemed necessary to provide the group with financial stability.
www.fox59.com/news/wxin-ailing-symphony-proposes-shift-to-parttime-status-20120828,0,4979496.column
New All-Star Orchestra Will Be Seen on PBS
Maestro Gerard Schwarz has put together an orchestra made up of the most prominent players, many of them principals, from symphony orchestras across the country, reports the New York Times. Under his direction, they will play concerts of both well-known works and brand-new ones for New York City’s Public Broadcasting System station WNET. The ensemble will include players from the Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Houston Symphony, National Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Tulsa Symphony, and Cincinnati Symphony as well as from the Metropolitan Opera, New York Philharmonic, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Orpheus, and the New York City Opera.
The first program will probably be broadcast in New York during January 2013. After that it will be distributed to other public broadcasting stations around the country. Schwarz says the series is a natural outgrowth of his Seattle educational concerts. There will be eight programs, each of which will feature several pieces, demonstrations, and commentary. Multimedia versions, available online and on DVD, will allow viewers to get historical information, analytical commentary, and interviews with individual players.
www.nytimes.com/2012/09/01/arts/music/all-star-orchestra-records-series-for-wnet.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
The ‘New York Times’ Reassigns Music Critic to More General Beat
In his blog called The Rest Is Noise, Alex Ross writes that the widely respected classical music critic Allan Kozinn has been relieved of his usual duties at the New York Times and reassigned to what the paper calls “general cultural reporting.”
Musicians, singers, and music lovers are baffled by this move, and more than 1,500 of them have signed a petition to have him reinstated. That will at least show both the Times and Kozinn how much his past work has been appreciated. Perhaps the newspaper will begin to realize their loss.
www.therestisnoise.com/2012/09/long-and-winding-road.html
www.musicalamerica.com/news/newsstory.cfm?archived=0&storyID=28051&categoryID=2
New Orchestra for Jackson Heights
Violinist and retired music educator Patricia Glunt, a long-time resident of the Jackson Heights area of New York City, has formed the Jackson Heights Orchestra, reports the New York Daily News. As of now the orchestra is composed of a mere 24 local musicians, but its membership is expected to eventually grow to some 50 volunteer players. “The vision is one to explore not only the classics, but also reflect the diversity of the community,” said Glunt, a retired assistant principal from Long Island City High School and president of New York City’s Music Educators Association. In a later e-mail, she wrote that she hopes to feature local talent and play the music of local composers.
The Jackson Heights Beautification Group gave Glunt $500 in seed money to get the orchestra up and running. “We just thought it was a terrific idea. It is another building block in establishing a world-class neighborhood,” said Edwin Westley, president of the group.
www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/retired-music-educator-launches-jackson-heights-orchestra-article-1.1147236?localLinksEnabled=false
Salzburg Festival Reports Record-Breaking Attendance
The 2012 Salzburg Festival had just under 300,000 visitors, the largest number in its 92-year history, according to Musical America. The previous record number was slightly more than 265,000 during the Mozart year of 2006. More tickets were available for sale in 2012 because fewer complimentary passes were given out. Total receipts exceeded €28 million.
During the 2012 season, 256 performances were seen at 16 venues. There were 44 performances of staged opera, four opera concerts, and 95 other concerts. Performances also included plays, children’s performances, and readings. Attendees came from 78 countries, 41 of them outside of Europe. There were also 41 open-air broadcasts throughout the festival, attracting about 70,000 people to screenings on a large, daylight-compatible LED wall.
www.musicalamerica.com/news/newsstory.cfm?storyid=28018&categoryid=1&archived=0
Errata
On p. 60 of the September issue, the picture and quote are of Timothy Schmidt, not Scott Ramsay as the caption reads.
