A (pretty) good news summer: Contracts, Musical chairs.....

As opposed to the recent past (that included a rash of contract disputes), this spring/summer has generated more than a few surprises (both good and not so good):

Grand Rapids Symphony, DeVos Hall

     The Grand Rapids (MI) Symphony and its players ratified a five-year agreement in April. Local media reports that the agreement that will carry the Grand Rapids Symphony through its 90th anniversary season in 2019-20 maintains the present 40-week performance season, preserves the current complement of musicians, and makes no changes to the orchestra's health insurance. The contract negotiations took eleven (11) months to ratify the previous agreement which had expired August 31, 2015.

Raymond Harvey, MD of the Kalamazoo Symphony

     Meanwhile, down Highway 131 from Grand Rapids, members of the Kalamazoo Symphony filed an unfair labor practice charge against the orchestra with the National Labor Relations Board. KSO management is attempting to save a few dollars by doubling up rehearsals (similar to sports team's "two a days"). Al Jones writes, At the crux of the union's complaint are plans by orchestra management to schedule two rehearsal sessions on each of the two days preceding the shows in the KSO's symphonic concert series, rather than have one session per day for four days preceding a show. There may also be a rehearsal on the same day as a show.
     Management obviously doesn't know how these things work. Peter Gistelinck, CEO, said it creates more access and easier access for guest soloists and guest conductors to perform. They can visit Kalamazoo for two to three days, rather than four or five. "If you really want to bring in high level stars, they can't spend four to five days in the community," he said. 
     As one who knows the business, even middle-tier soloists are rarely in town for more than three days. Management also doesn't even try to accommodate schedules of musicians who don't work full-time at it (which would be practically all of them), or the serious possibility of injury from players overextending themselves. Keep an eye on this one.

   
     Better news comes from Kansas City as well. The orchestra reached a new agreement (in eight meeting with no attorneys) for four years that includes a 20%(!!) wage hike and a better benefit package. It helps that management and players are united in a common goal to halt the flow of fine players from KC to greener (and more lucrative) pastures. It also doesn't hurt to have an Executive Director, Frank Byrne, who trained as a professional musician. Honestly I don’t see how one could do my job without having that connection and that commitment to music,” Byrne said. “So when we talk about any number of issues, the musicians know that I am aware of what it takes to perform on a professional level, the sacrifices, the commitment, the pressure, everything that goes with it, and that they have someone who is respectful of the work that they do. That has been very beneficial in the many conversations that we’ve had.

ON THE CONDUCTING FRONT

The 5-million-dollar man

The highest-paid conductor in the U.S. is not Christoph Eschenbach! Rather, it's Jaap van Zweden (MD designate with the New York Phil), Conductor of the Dallas Symphony. Apparently, he was given a signing bonus of over $3 million, on top of a salary increase of 19% (over 280K) over the previous year. Total compensation: $5,110,538. This is obscene and uncalled-for.




Rounding out the top ten:

2. Riccardo Muti, Chicago Symphony: $2,309,837
3. Christoph Eshenbach, National Symphony: $2,274,151
4. Michael Tilson-Thomas, San Francisco Symphony: $2,105,920
5. Alan Gilbert, New York Philharmonic: $1,751,570
6. Gustavo Dudamel, Los Angeles Philharmonic: $1,661,493
7. David Robertson, St. Louis Symphony: $1,043,313
8. Franz Welser-Most, Cleveland Orchestra: $977,496
9. Marin Alsop, Baltimore Symphony: $914,747
10. Leonard Slatkin, Detroit Symphony: $800,957

Yannick: adored in Philly

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, has been named the new conductor (or whatever the title is) at the Metropolitan Opera. At 41, he has to fill the big shoes left by James Levine. Lest one is worried about his apparent youth, Levine was 32 when he began his 40-year run. Although his Philadelphia contract has been extended through 2026, perhaps Yannick wants a safety net. As arts critic Peter Dobrin reports, the cloud of Philadelphia's 2011 bankruptcy hasn't necessarily cleared. Turns out they're ignoring the younger donor base....Go figure.

One has to wonder what kind of contract Jaap will command in New York.

Edo de Waart finishes his tenure as Music Director of the Milwaukee Symphony at the close of the 2016-17 season. Leonard Slatkin of Detroit departs at the same time.

Gianandrea Noseda assumes the podium of the National Symphony in 2017-18.

A NEW 'TOP FIVE"

For years the prestige of various American orchestras was based upon their budgets; the "top five" included New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, and Cleveland. How things have changed. Here's the new list.

"The Dude" and his band are easily #1.
Frankly, it's all in the hair.

1 Los Angeles Philharmonic: $117,813,629. That's a lot of cash. Of course, the LA Phil makes a slew of it at their high-powered summer venue in the Hollywood Bowl.

2 Boston Symphony: $88,543,401

3 Chicago Symphony: $80,482,607

4 San Francisco Symphony: $74,566,128

5 New York Philharmonic: $73,256,773

Cleveland is sixth at $51,303,220 and Philadephia seventh with $45,366,875.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/music-news-reviews/classical-music-dance/article81373582.html#storylink=cpy