"The strike is o'er, the battle won" (sort of)

After three long months, the Fort Worth Symphony strike has ended. While a protracted "negotiation" resulted in nothing, as one party refused to meet (wonder who that was?), federal mediators managed to accomplish the impossible in two days. It didn't hurt that an anonymous donor came forward with $700,000 to help balance the books.

One has to wonder: where was this person hiding all this time? Why didn't orchestra development personnel identify him/her well in advance of this mess? Oh wait, for all intents and purposes the FWSO development office is non-existent--or at least headless, as there have been five (or is it six?) VPs of Development over the past five years.

From what has been released, here's what we know of the four-year contract:

• A wage freeze in years 1 and 2.
• 2% increase in year 3.
• 2-1/2% increase in year 4.
• Eliminate 7 vacation days.

Bass Hall, Fort Worth: $4100 per rehearsal/performance in rent.

The next performance of the FWSO will be on New Year's Eve and the remainder of the season will go forth as originally scheduled.

So, it's over but can it be called a victory for the players? Not really although this is a far cry from Amy Adkins's "last, best, and final offer" presented before the strike began. Still, the organization can take much from this mess:

• The statement announcing the end of the labor dispute, released last night, stated, This agreement was reached after two days of federal mediation and more than a year of good faith bargaining. Focus on the last three words. There was no good faith bargaining because management--time and time again--refused to meet.

• The FWSO pays something to the tune of $4100 in rent every time they open the doors of Bass Hall, whether for concerts or rehearsals. In Dallas? Meyerson Hall is had for $1 per year! Of course, the DSO helped to raise money to build the place while in Fort Worth, the bulk of the money came from the family of  the current Chair of the FWSO Board. Oh.....wait......

Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas (damn gorgeous!)
$1 rent for the whole year!

• As earlier stated, the Development Office is in a shambles. Right now, that is the most important task of the Board, CEO Adkins, and all of the stakeholders of the organization. The economy long ago recovered in Fort Worth. Any statements that "the money isn't there" are patently false. This needs to be fixed or heads need to roll.

And the silent Music Director has finally offered very non-committal platitudes:

"I’m thrilled the strike is resolved,” said FWSO Music Director Miguel Harth-Bedoya. “I can’t think of a more fitting way to celebrate the New Year than with the return of the Orchestra and its wonderful musicians. I will be proud to conduct its return concert on New Year’s Eve. I would like to take this opportunity to say to our community: This orchestra belongs to all of us; it raises our quality of life, it impacts our economy directly and indirectly. I’d like to ask the people of Fort Worth to help the orchestra come back not only strong but stronger than ever."

May it be so, at lease until the next "negotiation".

A lot of GOOD THINGS are happening in the arts world.

Scott Chamberlain in his blog, The Mask of the Flower Prince, pointed out a list supplied by ISCOM Chair Bruce Ridge enumerating the good news from member orchestras.

• The Atlanta Symphony announced that it ended the season with a surplus, and raised $13 million 
• The Arizona Opera exceeded its fundraising goals
• The Buffalo Philharmonic saw record season ticket sales and subscription revenues for the third consecutive year
• The Charlotte Symphony received a $2 million gift
• The Cincinnati Symphony raised over $26 million and signed a new contract that adds 15 new musicians over the next five years

Packing the seats in Cincinnati

• The Dallas Symphony achieved a balanced budget and received a $5 million gift
• The Detroit Symphony raised $1.4 million in one evening
• The Houston Grand Opera exceeded its fundraising goal, raising almost $173 million
• The Houston Symphony received a $5 million donation, the largest gift in nearly a decade
• The Indianapolis Symphony saw ticket sales increase 15%, and subscriptions rose 24%.
• The Memphis Symphony received a $1 million gift for education programs
• The Minnesota Orchestra received $6 million in special gifts and embarked on a historic tour to Cuba

• The Nashville Symphony set fundraising and ticket sales records
• The Omaha Symphony saw record attendance
• The Oregon Symphony set records for ticket sales and contributions, and its gala raised a record $700,000
• The Pacific Symphony’s gala raised a record $1.6 million
• The Richmond Symphony received a $1 million gift for outdoor concerts
• The Rochester Philharmonic reported a 19% increase in single ticket sales
• The St. Louis Symphony received a $10 million gift
• The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra saw its highest attendance in 20 years

In addition, I've previously reported substantive raises given by the Kansas City Symphony on a five-year contract settled a year early!

The Detroit Symphony is revamping its recital hall, thanks to a $3.5 million gift. Detroit? Yes, that Detroit.

"The Cube" Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall

The Dallas Symphony, right next door to striking Fort Worth, has balanced its budget and is reaping a bounty of dollars in both its annual fund and long-term commitments.

Scott knows what he's talking about as he is a longtime resident of the Twin Cities, which went through its own well-publicized nightmare. There, an entrenched Board of Directors, aided and abetted by local media, allowed an inept CEO to hold the organization hostage. That the Minnesota Orchestra has so quickly rebounded, artistically and financially, is a testament to the spirit of its people and especially the vision of Osmo Vanska.

The story sounds all too familiar because that's what's happening in Fort Worth and Pittsburgh. The respective Boards just continue to cancel programs and refuse to negotiate at all. It's all in the "last, best, and final offer" mentality. There are certainly more and better solutions, but all sides have to at least sit and talk. No one really wants the music to stop for, if it's gone long enough, some might forget it was ever there.

THE MUSIC IS BACK ONSTAGE AT VERIZON HALL

A fairly large audience in 2500-seat Verizon Hall
Only 1000 showed up for the gala...

Just about as quickly as it began, albeit with less drama, the Philadelphia Orchestra strike has ended. Friday, September 30 was a black day throughout Pennsylvania as Pittsburgh hit the pickets in the morning and Philly walked out shortly before the gala concert, a program filled with the well-heeled. In fact, patrons were left sitting in a silent Verizon Hall for nearly 15 minutes after the starting time before CEO Allison Vulgamore came on stage to announce the concert's cancellation. Apparently, talks were still on-going right up to the appointed hour.

A last-minute backstage negotiating session ensued, but failed. The gala concert was scrapped; two other concerts, on Saturday and Sunday, were canceled. (Peter Dobin, arts reporter, Philly.Com) The entire article is found here.

Allison Vulgamore: Who, me?

The whole contract "negotiation" was merely an extension of the highly-charged and contentious Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings of 2011, only two years following Vulgamore's arrival in Philly. It's apparent that the whole mess was intended to eliminate the orchestra's obligation to its heavily underfunded pension. Meanwhile, Vulgamore herself was somehow able to negotiate a substantial contract extension, with benefits almost unheard of in the non-profit business sector. Mr. Dobrin reported on that development in March 2012:

The pact is similar to the one that is expiring. Vulgamore will be paid an annual base salary of $450,000 - but with a list of extras that sweeten the deal considerably:

A "performance-based compensation" cash bonus of between $50,000 and $150,000 per year, though the chair of the orchestra board has the discretion to increase the maximum bonus to $175,000 if warranted by Vulgamore's performance and a "significant" improvement in the orchestra's financial condition.(One has to wonder if she had to give this back.)

A retirement contribution of $125,000 per year, less applicable withholdings.

Up to $15,000 per year for supplemental disability insurance.

"Executive health benefits" of up to $10,000 per year for costs not covered under the group plan.

A car allowance of $5,000, free parking at the Kimmel Center, four weeks' vacation, and $2,000 a year to pay a financial planner.

In addition to compensation under the new contract, she will receive $50,000 by June 2012 as part of an earlier bonus program for which she had not yet received payment.

Vulgamore's next contract upped her ante to $733,242, significantly more than the music director (!) and near the upper end of orchestra CEOs, many of whom also manage the facilities in which their ensembles perform. The Philadelphia Orchestra doesn't even manage a facility it does own! (the Academy of Music)

And although the strike was a scant 48-hours, musicians are still feeling the pain of slashed salaries and benefits from the past. Two percent annual raises don't go far (especially when compared to the CEO).

"It's been a very emotional couple of days, but we're relieved that we're going to move forward and play our instruments again," principal harpist Elizabeth Hainen said.

Simon Rattle arrives this week to lead the orchestra in Mahler's Sixth Symphony.

THE BAD, THE WORST, AND THE UGLIEST

Recently I chronicled happenings in three American orchestras, noting that life was good in San Diego (with the best weather in the U.S., it would be hard to beat), rumblings were coming out of Pittsburgh, and the situation in Fort Worth? It hasn't gotten any better. Here's an update:

In Pittsburgh:

Life for symphony musicians in the City of Three Rivers (and big changes from the days of Big Steel) hasn't improved. The orchestra is stilled mired in million dollar + deficits and the orchestra's contract expired a week ago. Since then, things have seemed eerily quiet. Judging by recent history in the overall business (think Atlanta, Minnesota), this is definitely not a good sign.

Pittsburgh, where the Pirates are mired in 3rd place and the orchestra?
It is a gorgeous view, however.

In Philadelphia (what? again?)

The once-great ensemble (remember Stokowski and Ormandy) limped out of its 2011 bankruptcy proceedings with hope for the future. That hasn't happened. Peter Dobrin reports in the Inquirer, Musicians and management of the Philadelphia Orchestra Friday agreed to continue talking for an unspecified period of time beyond the end of the current labor deal, which had been set to expire at 12:01 a.m. Sept 12.

Management had offered no raise for two years and a mere one percent in each of the following three. As of now, no further negotiating sessions are scheduled, but the two sides seem amenable to a "play and talk" agreement for the immediate future. Personally, I trace the orchestra's financial problems to at least three areas:

Philadelphia's Academy of Music

• The orchestra formerly performed in the historic Academy of Music. Frowned on for less than favorable acoustics (although Stokowski and Ormandy seemed to make them work), the flashy, new Kimmel Center was built down the street. It's important to note that the orchestra, instead of being the landlord, is now a tenant. That cannot be financially prudent in difficult times.

• Management. The current CEO is Alison Vulgamore, she who left the Atlanta Symphony in shambles before skipping town. How does this continue to happen? Beats me.

• The fall-out from the Eschenbach years. The orchestra took a great slide in overall quality during the music directorship of Christoph Eschenbach. The infusion of exciting conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin hasn't been enough to reverse the trend and bring back the faithful.

Fort Worth: On Strike

The musicians called management's bluff of its "last, best offer" of continued cuts and went against the recommendation of its union and went on strike at 12:30 PM Thursday. While the players seemed willing to play and talk, management (that is, out-of-her-element CEO Amy Adkins) went ahead and canceled opening-weekend concerts.

Management is also attempting a war of words in the press: The orchestra employs 65 full-time musicians with an average salary of $62,000 and health benefits. The proposed contract that musicians rejected included a significant pay cut in the first year and then small, incremental pay raises in the following three years. By the fourth year, the pay increases would have resulted in principal players being paid more than $70,000 a year. (From the Post-Telegram)

Unfortunately, this isn't true. Base salary under a new agreement would be $54K. Mentioning principal player's salaries (which are normally negotiated separately) is an unprofessional way of ingratiating the public. We pay $70K a year! Isn't that a lot of money? One has to wonder what the CEO (the former Development Director) is paid some $167K, according to the organization's most recent IRS 990 form (2014).

The basic problem is a simple one. Fort Worth has burned through at least five development VPs since Adkins (herself in that role for 11 years) in the past six years. Leadership is needed in this all-important area; the buck does stop at the top.

Interestingly enough, the Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony (under that title) are performing next weekend with the local ballet. They have contracted themselves under the terms of the former contract with the orchestra. That little bit of goodwill should go a very long way.

Coming soon: the 2016-17 Quad City Wind Ensemble Season

CORRECTION: The local newspaper is the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/entertainment/arts-culture/article100625872.html#storylink=c