Philly

[bisontuba]

FYI-
mark

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/16/arts/ ... ml?_r=1&hp" target="_blank

[bort]

Wait... and Syracuse is GONE gone now?!

[SousaSaver]

What's the news on Detroit?

I had dinner with the French Horn section of the Kansas City Symphony a few weeks ago, and the 4th horn player (who formally played in the Detroit Symphony) told me that the Detroit Symphony was in dire straits. Anyone in the know on this?

Bad economic times are bad times for the arts. No doubt about it.

[Tom]

Lots to read online about all of these situations, but in short, Detroit Symphony musicians have returned to work.

[bisontuba]

FYI-mark

Syracuse Symphony:

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/ ... ra_as.html" target="_blank

Detroit Symphony:

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/08/135246688 ... t-symphony" target="_blank

[JTJ]

I read that piece in the Times today. It is so sad.

Given the astonishing sums of money (multi-billion$) sloshing about among the Galtian titans of finance and industry, one would think they could find a way, individually or (shudder) collectively, to create an arts funding organization. At least then we could read about America's great orchestras performing -- rather than, as in today's Times, ironically reading about the St. Petersburg Orchestra performing in Carnegie Hall vs. Philadelphia possibly going chapter 11.

Philly expects, according to the Times, to have a deficit of $5M. Pocket change for many, and a rounding error in the national budget.

This is a cultural shame.

[sloan]

I read that piece in the Times today. It is so sad.

Given the astonishing sums of money (multi-billion$) sloshing about among the Galtian titans of finance and industry, one would think they could find a way, individually or (shudder) collectively, to create an arts funding organization. At least then we could read about America's great orchestras performing -- rather than, as in today's Times, ironically reading about the St. Petersburg Orchestra performing in Carnegie Hall vs. Philadelphia possibly going chapter 11.

Philly expects, according to the Times, to have a deficit of $5M. Pocket change for many, and a rounding error in the national budget.

This is a cultural shame.

Philly is declaring bankruptcy - NOT going out of business.

IMHO this is what happens when organizations do not plan for lean times (or do not quickly change the way they operate when lean times hit).

When marginal organizations go under, it may be because they aren't viable - but when an organization like Philly goes bankrupt it generally means that high level management was (willfully?) incompetent.

[bisontuba]

Hi-
FYI--the BOD actually voted today to go BK Ch. 11--yuck...mark

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110416 ... -11-filing" target="_blank

[Brown Mule]

During a recession, the arts are always the 1st to suffer----------a shame---------BUT-------I saw in our morning paper this AM that Caterpillar Corp CEO, Doug Oberhelman's annual pay was quadrupled. I think this country needs to get its priorities in order.

[TexTuba]

During a recession, the arts are always the 1st to suffer----------a shame---------BUT-------I saw in our morning paper this AM that Caterpillar Corp CEO, Doug Oberhelman's annual pay was quadrupled. I think this country needs to get its priorities in order.

Not to get off topic, but that is a bad comparison. Caterpillar offers goods that people want/need. If their sales are up, why shouldn't he be compensated, as well as everyone else, for their success?

[TUBAD83]

I believe that performing arts organizations need to let go of the "we are the keepers of high culture so we are entitled to YOUR MONEY" attitude. If you want the community (and not just those who have the big bucks) to fund you, give them a reason to show up and contribute. No entertainment group has a RIGHT to exist and people have a right to spend their money however they please. The Philly Orchestra has had a multitude of problems over the years so this latest issue should not be a big surprise to anyone. If it goes under, the organization has only itself to blame.

JJ

[UDELBR]

No entertainment group has a RIGHT to exist and people have a right to spend their money however they please.

I agree. My band's been operating on 85% subsidization for decades, and now the peasants (aka: taxpayers) are revolting. That Management got comfortable being 'on the dole' is entirely their own fault.

[Alex C]

During a recession, the arts are always the 1st to suffer----------a shame---------

The recession is over. It's been on the news for since last July. My ex-financial advisor said it was over, too. I saw it on TV yesterday. This is the worst recovery we have ever had.

In the financial news, I'm betting inflation is next.

[Steve Marcus]

One concept that I find difficult to comprehend/accept is when an organization such as PO has a sizable endowment that they're not permitted to touch for situations like this. Often such endowments allow only the interest earned on the endowment to be available to the arts organization; the principal is unavailable for any purpose.

Yes, sometimes donors prefer to specify that their funds be used exclusively for developing new programs, series, amenities, even new concert halls (e.g. Overture Hall in Madison, WI) and NOT for daily operational expenses.

But whether or not the donors like orchestral music, they get the benefit of the P.R. and the tax concessions. They would still receive those benefits if their donations were used to help an orchestra survive. If they assume that such a use of their donations is wasteful or due to poor management, then they should be more proactive in the orchestra's administrative and development activities themselves: not just giving money, but also giving their time and ideas and experience. After all, aren't most of these donors people who manage their own money well or hire firms to do so?

On a different but related matter: The PO musicians past and present are among the best in the world. None of this mess should be a judgment of whether they deserve the compensation packages that they receive. Current members should certainly not even entertain a reduction in their salaries. Yes, the PO musicians' salaries start in 6 figures. The countless hours of practice, training, and the expense and exhaustion of the miles flown for auditions and competitions and schooling are comparable to the years of expensive training that doctors must go through before they receive their higher-than-the-average-person annual income.

However, one issue that is at least a subject for discussion is pensions. Pensions are disappearing from more and more of the corporate world; even the highest officers are now expected to do their own investments for their retirement (with or without employer matching funds and/or profit sharing) in the form of 401Ks, IRAs, etc. The notion of "pensions" seems to be more and more a "grandfather effect" of union negotiated terms from the days when there were no such things as 401Ks, IRAs, etc. I am NOT suggesting that the PO musicians relinquish their pensions, especially not those who are already receiving pensions and had no reason to plan for any other source of income in their retirement. But...a matter for discussion/alternatives?

Perhaps sticking my foot where it shouldn't be,

Steve Marcus