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The Leading Tone REGIONA Regional Orchestra ROPA Players’ Association A conference of the American Federation of Musicians, AFL-CIO Welcome to our Five New Orchestras Spring 2010 Paul Austin, ROPA Vice President (Grand Rapids Symphony) During the past six months, ROPA has added five resources to call upon for advice and guidance.ʺ new Full Members, making our membership 83 or‐ chestras strong. PASADENA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, from Or‐ chestra Committee Chair Andrew Malloy: We are delighted that the importance of belonging ʺThe members of the Pasadena Symphony voted to to a playersʹ conference is recognized from coast to join ROPA with a nearly unanimous vote. After years coast. It is a pleasure to welcome the musicians of of feeling very comfortable and secure as members of a the New West Symphony, Orchestra Iowa, Pasadena well‐respected organization, financial difficulties along Symphony Orchestra, Portland Symphony Orches‐ with changes in management and board relations with tra, and Tucson Symphony Orchestra to ROPA. the players raised the awareness of many that we wanted to be allied with other players in similar situa‐ In asking their representatives why it was important tions. We look forward to having the resources and to join ROPA, here is what they had to say: support ROPA can provide and also hope that we can make useful contributions to ROPA with our own ex‐ NEW WEST SYMPHONY (CALIFORNIA), from periences, failures and successes alike.ʺ Orchestra Committee Secretary/Treasurer Marie Catson: PORTLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (MAINE), ʺNew West Symphony members voted overwhelm‐ from ROPA Delegate Richard Kelly: ingly in favor of ROPA membership. We believe ʺThe Portland Symphony Orchestra shares a large part that the resources offered, such as the negotiating of its members with many of the other regional and workshop and annual conference, conductor data‐ major orchestras in New England. Even though we base, and ability to network with other orchestras currently have open and honest communications with similar to ours will be invaluable, especially in this management, it was time for this 80‐year‐old profes‐ very difficult economic climate.ʺ sional orchestra to get our CBA in line with others in ASSOCIATION our region. We are indebted to the Boston Local for its ʹ ORCHESTRA IOWA, from ROPA Delegate Mat‐ help in this process.ʺ thew Cameron: Tone ʺOrchestra Iowa is extremely proud to be a new TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, from ROPA member of ROPA. In recent years, Orchestra Iowa Delegate Jessica Campbell: has extended its season, established partnerships ʺThe Tucson Symphony Orchestra is thrilled to be a with the nationally‐syndicated ʹFrom the Topʹ radio new member of ROPA. We are excited about the op‐ PLAYERS program, Iowa Public Television, Iowa Public Radio, portunities to meet with other orchestras that are simi‐ and the Cedar Rapids Opera Theater, as well as lar in size to us as well as sharing ideas to better our‐ added performances in communities around selves. Being a member of ROPA only for a few Iowa. As Orchestra Iowa increases its presence months has already been an asset to our orchestra.ʺ throughout the region, it is thankful to have ROPAʹs ROPA Executive Board Mid‐Year Meeting This past February the ROPA Executive Board met in Houston for its midyear meeting. The ORCHESTRA meeting has proved to be a great opportunity Leading for the board to discuss the issues and trends facing ROPA’s 83 member orches‐ tras. A great deal of time was used to focus on In the photo (left to right): Laurien Jones, Greg Youmans, Nancy Nel‐ Inside this Issue and plan the upcoming 2010 ROPA Confer‐ son, Larry Gardner, Gary Lasley, Welcome to New Orchestras 1 ence. The agenda included meetings with Paul Austin, Thomas F. Lee, Karen Facing National Agendas 2 A Quarter Century of Progress 3 Barker, Dennis Danders, Carla AFM President Tom Lee and SSD Director Orchestra’s Extended Family 4 Chris Durham. Lehmeier‐Tatum, Karen Sandene, Arizona Opera Steps out of Pit 5 Chris Durham Dallas Opera News 6 REGIONAL The Strife Ends for New Hampshire Festival 6 Triumphs of New Hall 8 Page 2 THE LEADING TONE Facing National Agendas The Leading Tone Carla Lehmeier‐Tatum, ROPA President Volume 26, Issue 3 Over the past two years regional orchestra mu‐ Earlier in 2008 Flanagan published another sicians have been blindsided by orchestra paper, “Symphony Musicians and Symphony Editor boards declaring a “restructuring” of their or‐ Orchestras.” This paper investigates the rela‐ Amy Morris ganization to their community. The particulars tionship between the economic difficulties involved are tantamount to a national agenda. faced by symphony orchestras collectively [email protected] This year there have been a number bargained wage increases and work rules. 6620 Newton Avenue S of steamrolling restructuring attempts Flanagan explores nonperformance income Richfield, MN 55423 that indicate how essential it is for ROPA to and states the following, “If contributed sup‐ address future national agendas that provide a port is viewed as continually responsive to Letters to the editor can be sent to the perspective from our 83 ROPA orchestras. I fundraising activities, labor may adopt wage e‐mail or US Postal address above,. invite you to read my observations about the objectives that exceed what they would seek current restructuring trends and the proposed if facing less ambiguous budget constraint...” R O P A ROPA survey that will assist in establishing a “….wage demands drive the level of fund‐ The Leading Tone is the offi‐ voice to respond to future agendas. raising activity as orchestras seek sufficient cial newsletter of the Re‐ nonperformance income to cover wage de‐ gional Orchestra Players I have been puzzled by the business trends that mands and other cost increases… In this sce‐ some of our orchestras involved in restructur‐ nario, wage increases absorb increases in non‐ Association, a conference ing have adopted. These include significant performance income, undermining its poten‐ of the American Federa‐ cuts in educational outreach and business plans tial contribution to financial stability. These tion of Musicians of the that leave key positions vacant, a staff that is scenarios each stress the crucial role of non‐ United States and Canada, void of a Development Director and/or an Ex‐ performance income in determining wage and is published quarterly. ecutive Director and board members stepping settlements...” Unauthorized Reproduc‐ forward to “lead” the organization. These tion of any part of The managerial decisions conflict with the funda‐ Reading this paper could give insight into Leading Tone is strictly pro‐ mental functioning requirements of the institu‐ why a “restructuring” orchestra might con‐ hibited. tion and are decided by the same orchestra sent to allowing crucial fund‐raising positions boards that have gained a reputation for under‐ to remain vacant, and why donations might Copyright © 2010 performing in both their fund‐raising capacity be declined. According to Flanagan, we All rights Reserved. and institutional oversight. There is no doubt should not allow our wage increases to reflect that the choice to leave a Development Director the increases in the nonperformance income, Subscriptions and/or Executive Director position vacant in particular, private donations. This view‐ $8.00 per year payable to would inevitably threaten both the private and point suggests that if the public supports the ROPA corporate donation revenue sources. Cuts in relevance of what orchestral musician ser‐ c/o Dennis Danders educational outreach will impact the organiza‐ vices provide to the community through do‐ Treasurer, ROPA tion’s ability to acquire grants and solicit future nations, never‐the‐less the musicians should 237 N Rutan donations. not share in the success of increased nonper‐ formance income. This perspective is out of Wichita, KS 67208‐3315 When pondering these circumstances, I asked line when it has been evident to me that [email protected] myself how a board of directors would be led when individual community members make down this diminishing path. This question their donations, they expect that the donation INFORMATION directed me to a series of papers published will support the orchestra and the programs about symphonic musicians and the symphony they provide to the community. Since the CENTER orchestra by Stanford University Professor New Mexico Symphony Orchestra returned Robert J. Flanagan. His most debated paper, to work after their four month • This newsletter is online at: published in 2008 and commissioned by the “postponement” of the season, there has been http://www.ropaweb.org/. Mellon Foundation, “The Economic Environ‐ a constant question brought forth from the • To subscribe to the ROPA Internet ment of American Symphony Orchestras,” was community, “How can I be sure that my do‐ Mailing List, visit used to justify proposed drastic cuts for some of nation will be allocated towards the musi‐ http://www.ropaweb.org/forms/ our most controversial negotiations. Professor cians?” elist.php. The list is open to musicians in ROPA Flanagan utilized flawed data, then compared member orchestras, and AFM Local the increases in musicians’ wages with revenue. Looking at Flanagan’s theories could also officers for those orchestras. He concluded that there was a structural deficit explain why some of our orchestra boards within our industry and placed fault on the have adopted brutal take it or leave it nego‐ increases in musicians’ wages for the deficit. continued on page 7 VOLUME 26, ISSUE 3 Page 3 A Quarter of a Century of Progress: The 1985 ROPA Conference What Has Changed…and What Has Not Changed in the Music Industry Rachel Cox, ROPA Historian Nineteen eighty‐five was situated in the middle of a decade Nathan Kahn delivered the opening remarks. He first provided marked by such salient events as the release of 52 American hos‐ a brief explanation of ROPA’s formation, a vital element in un‐ tages held in Iran for 444 days; economic prosperity throughout derstanding what the organization represented.
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