Baltimore Symphony situation

[Heavy_Metal]

not looking good:

https://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainm ... story.html" target="_blank

[Three Valves]

“Despite the General Assembly’s action, Gov. Larry Hogan has refused to release the first year’s installment of $1.6 million, citing concerns that Maryland could soon face a $961 million deficit.”

Impossible. When we legalized casino gambling several years ago we were promised an embarrassment of riches!!

[paulver]

I really hate to hear about that sort of thing happening. The city of Baltimore itself, has apparently been severely mismanaged too. Just like the public schools in many areas of the country, when the money starts to dry up, the first thing that gets cut out of the budget is the music/arts program. The search for additional funds starts way too late in the game.
Two universities in our part of the state (Western Pennsylvania) have dropped the Music Degree programs in the last few years.

Very sad.

[Three Valves]

Legalizing medical marijuana didn’t make up the shortfall??

[hup_d_dup]

The blue-haired ladies are all now in nursing homes,

Are you sure those blue-haired ladies are not memories of people from a remote past?

Hup

[bort]

So one of the best music conservatories in the country may soon be in a city without an orchestra? That's gonna hurt...

I lived in Baltimore for about 30 years. My overall feeling was that people just don't care about the orchestra very much there. Some people do, but not nearly enough. It's not a big city, there is a good amount of poverty, and the orchestra Hall is not really in the best (but not the worst) part of the city. It's a city with issues, and the large population in the surrounding counties doesn't really want to deal with it or spend their nights and evenings in the city. The young people who live in the city largely don't care. It's a football and bars kind of city.

Maybe things were different in the last 10 years since I left... But the classic Baltimore lack of caring seems to have doomed it. As in, people would probably say they are glad the city has an orchestra, but couldn't be bothered to attend a concert. Especially not when they could spend 10x the $ on "their" Baltimore Ravens.

The Baltimore Opera folded about 10 years ago, and the Baltimore Municipal Band a while before that. Sad stuff, but again, not enough people care , or care enough.

I like Baltimore, there are a lot of great things, and the people really are great. Sad that the orchestra may be over, but might make more sense than propping it up for another year or two like Weekend at Bernie's.

Truly feel bad for the musicians.

[groth]

Sadly classical music in any form is just a niche in 2019. It's a wonderful but dying art form that will keep slowly dying as long as budgets are tight and the average age is <40 that goes downtown anymore. They are looking for microbrew houses and urban coffee joints where they can waste time on their devices, not sit still and watch a live performance.

[Dylan King]

I do have to agree with the bloke on this one. As one who grew up in Los Angeles, I don’t miss it one bit. I much prefer the North Carolina woods.

[Dylan King]

However, I am saddened by the situation in Baltimore. I love a great orchestra, and many of their recordings reflect that fact. It is sad, but inevitable that live music is slowly (some say quickly) dying out.

Putting on a good set of Bluetooth headphones and connecting to my iPhone gives me access to pretty much every recording. It’s not the same as hearing a great orchestra in a lovely hall, but I’m safer, more comfortable, and for the price of a night-out at the symphony, I can have every orchestra in my pocket for a year.

[tofu]

.

[thevillagetuba]

I suspect (??) there are similar issues in Baltimore, and - in addition - there's another full-time orchestra only an hour away from Baltimore - much like the Fort Worth/Dallas situation.

Given that I saw an article from the Bathesda Times earlier stating that the National Phil is ceasing operations, the next closest Full-Time orchestra that I know of (other than the Kennedy Center) would be Philadelphia.

[thevillagetuba]

I suspect (??) there are similar issues in Baltimore, and - in addition - there's another full-time orchestra only an hour away from Baltimore - much like the Fort Worth/Dallas situation.

Given that I saw an article from the Bathesda [sic] Times earlier stating that the National Phil is ceasing operations, the next closest Full-Time orchestra that I know of (other than the Kennedy Center) would be Philadelphia.

You just mentioned the Kennedy Center, so I'm puzzled.
As you mentioned the Kennedy Center, I assume you are not confusing the National Symphony Orchestra with the National Philharmonic Orchestra...

Downtown Baltimore to the Kennedy Center - again - is a 1-hour drive...Google tells me it's 58 minutes.

I might've as I've seen all three local orchestras (National Phil, National Symphony, and BSO) at Strathmore.

[Three Valves]

I might've as I've seen all three local orchestras (National Phil, National Symphony, and BSO) at Strathmore.

Strathmore is so convenient. + parking that isn’t $20 like the Kennedy Center.

Meyerhof isn’t dangerous its just a PITA to get to...

[pgym]

Sadly classical music in any form is just a niche in 2019.

News for ya: classical music in any form has ALWAYS been a niche.

[groth]

Sadly classical music in any form is just a niche in 2019.

News for ya: classical music in any form has ALWAYS been a niche.

Pre---Invention of Rock N' Roll it was (along with maybe jazz and vocals) basically one of two mainstream types of music that could be tuned in on the old radio devices especially pre-1950's or heard at the local concert hall or park. There was nothing else but instrumental music (classical if you will) before amplification and early rock n roll. The niche end of it started after all our grandparents died and then modern film soundtracks and composers like John Williams gave it a second wind to modern ears.

[bisontuba]

I personally wish nothing but success in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra musicians struggle and fight to get an 'industry standard' contract. It is disturbing to read comments from some folks who belittle symphonic artists in their quest to be renumerated at a proper level and to have management bargain in good faith. I don't know if some people are jealous, ignorant, naive, etc. but there is nothing wrong at all with an orchestral musician being paid at a level as their peers....

[mikebmiller]

FWIW, the orchestra in my town has gone from doing 5 concerts a year to 3. They also do some chamber concerts, but the main band will only be doing 3 this coming season.

[pgym]

Sadly classical music in any form is just a niche in 2019.

News for ya: classical music in any form has ALWAYS been a niche.

Pre---Invention of Rock N' Roll it was (along with maybe jazz and vocals) basically one of two mainstream types of music that could be tuned in on the old radio devices especially pre-1950's or heard at the local concert hall or park. There was nothing else but instrumental music (classical if you will) before amplification and early rock n roll. The niche end of it started after all our grandparents died and then modern film soundtracks and composers like John Williams gave it a second wind to modern ears.

So, evidently you belive that big band, blues, folk, dance, swing, R&B, Afro-Cuban, Afro-latin, to say nothing of the hundreds (if not thousands) of regional, ethnic, and religious music traditions, either don't count because they weren't on "old radio" (they were) or didn't exist prior to the invention of Rock 'N' Roll.

There was nothing else but instrumental music (classical if you will) before amplification and early rock n roll.

So I take it that you consider folk, ragtime, jazz, classic blues, swing, and big band, and singers like Mahalia Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald, Al Bowlly, Art Gillham, Bob Wills, Nat King Cole, Sinatra, Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin, to be "classical" music or "classical" musicians?

[groth]

So, evidently you belive that big band, blues, folk, dance, swing, R&B, Afro-Cuban, Afro-latin, to say nothing of the hundreds (if not thousands) of regional, ethnic, and religious music traditions, either don't count because they weren't on "old radio" (they were) or didn't exist prior to the invention of Rock 'N' Roll.

So I take it that you consider folk, ragtime, jazz, classic blues, swing, and big band, and singers like Mahalia Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald, Al Bowlly, Art Gillham, Bob Wills, Nat King Cole, Sinatra, Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin, to be "classical" music or "classical" musicians?

I did say that jazz along with classical are the two non-niche main stream styles of music pre-1950 didn’t I? You can't use examples of folk, blues, R&B, Afro-Cuban etc to make a point since all those weren't even being played anywhere til well after WW2. My point was, Classical/Orchestral/Symphonic music heard on the radio or live was not "niche" pre-1950ish. Once the Leo Fender world started music changed and classical slowly sunk. Even though your point is off-topic I will note that a lot of the jazz greats were in fact classically trained. Bottom line is, Classical music was not a niche style “in the old days” like it is in 2019.

[bisontuba]

I personally wish nothing but success in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra musicians struggle and fight to get an 'industry standard' contract. It is disturbing to read comments from some folks who belittle symphonic artists in their quest to be renumerated at a proper level and to have management bargain in good faith. I don't know if some people are jealous, ignorant, naive, etc. but there is nothing wrong at all with an orchestral musician being paid at a level as their peers....

Perhaps you should single those out and identify by name who you deem to be belittling others, and - once you've posted that information (feeling confident that your post will not put you in jeopardy for libel) - mail in a very generous check (or PayPal) to:
Baltimore Symphony Musicians
https://www.facebook.com/BaltimoreSymphonyMusicians/

I sent a contribution via check to them... Did you????