The Indianapolis Symphony wants to reduce the musicians’ contract from full time to 70 percent. Negotiations have stalled.
The first four concerts have been called off with no sight of a resumption any time soon.
The company is being run by its former head of finance and strategic planning, Jackie Groth, after its British boss Simon Crookall was fired in February and six more executives followed suit.
We have no track record for Ms Groth, but if she was in charge of finance an strategic planning, doesn’t she bear considerable responsibility for letting the company slide into its present economic panic? If you know more about Jackie’s track, do share.
Send us a picture of her. Let’s put a face on this foul-up.
UPDATE: Latest reports show the musicians offered to carry on playing under the existing contract while the differences were sorted out. The VisiGroth turned them down.
The concertmaster there is Zach DePue who is also the violinist for the crossover group “Time for 3.” A concert with Time for 3 as the major attraction was among those cancelled. Zach recently said: “this is not the orchestra that I signed up for.” He left Phila Orch several years ago (before bankruptcy) for this position in Indianoplis because of the flexibility they were willing to grant him to play with his other band, Urbanski the MD, and Zach DePue are key players in the future of this orchestra.. They have no reason now to make a longterm commitment.
Norman, I always squirm a bit when you refer to orchestra management as “the company.” But, you are absolutely right, this is a hard-nosed business run by business people and they WILL have their way, no matter what the artistic cost. The Board Chair and the CEO are always right, until the next Board Chair and CEO come along, etc.
Both Indy and St. Paul have similar situations in that there exists power vacuums with still open positions to be filled at the top of Management. So meanwhile, these ships are being steered by a new generation of corporate types on their Boards – folks ignorant & dismissive both of unions and of the collective bargaining process. Many are also ignorant of their roles as Board members of non-profit organizations.
It’s a pity that the leadership of both these orchestras are willing to enact these draconian changes all at once — before even filling these top positions — and all on the backs of the musicians, while depriving their communities of the music.
Regarding Jacki Groth, Indianapolis Smphony Orchestra acting CEO, many players in the ISO believe that it is a small core of the board (between two and four people, we think) who are really giving the orders. She is a relative new comer (at least to arts management and the ISO) who inherited problems due to poor management during the past few years. The financial situation is exacerbated by the present economic climate.
The negotiations are about much more than just money. ISO players have offered huge financial concessions in bargaining thus far. There are also rather significant philosophical differences about what a symphony orchestra should be.
There is a rising tide of anti-union sentiment that is flexing its muscle in Indiana and across the United States. The ISO board of directors seems to be really exploiting this to their advantage.
ISO musicians and their families are greatly encourged by the outpouring of support from both our local patrons and sympathizers from around the world.
Thank you!