The program, which includes selections from Bolling's Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano, Dohnanyi's Rualia Hungarica and Vivaldi's Concerto No. 1 (Spring), features Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra musicians Lorna McGhee, Jennifer Orchard, Jeffrey Grubbs, Andrew Reimer and Marylene Gringas-Roy.
4 comments:
I grew up going to sympathy orchestras, as my mother played in them weekly. I am really sad to say that I have yet to see the Pittsburgh Orchestra since I came to college, but I have in the past when I have come out to Pittsburgh to visit family. Last year I constantly read the articles on the musicians strike and I think that it is great that they are having benefit concerts, because obviously the musicians need the income, and this allows those that really support them as artists to fund the concert. I am glad to hear that other Pittsburgh foundations are supporting them as well. I do want to hear more about what the state of the strike is at. Is this Save Our Symphony going to develop into its own organization? It is sad to see Symphony's going out of style, but that is how the world is developing, there is just a lot less interest as there once was.
It’s good to see that the support of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is continuing and that the public has been so generous and understanding. The last year has been a rough one that left many of the musicians feeling unsupported and undervalued. The strikes lasted for 55 days last year and were only resolved with a 7.5 percent cut in wages and freezing the musician’s pensions. Management originally asked for a 16 percent pay cut but after the strikes gave into a 5 year contract at half the lowered pay. The Save our Symphony group is a wonderful way to help aid in the compromise, and can help bridge the gap and keep the pay relevant enough in comparison to other high-end orchestras so that musicians will want to come to the city of Pittsburgh and help keep the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in the rankings of some of the best in the country.
I am happy to get an update on the symphony after last years strikes. It is nice to hear that they are back on their feet and playing music to the Pittsburgh community once again. While the article provides a quote sort of explaining what the Save Our Symphony organization is about, I would really like to learn more about what exactly this organization will do if the Symphony is in need again. Will it provide payment to help support the musicians or will it help provide legal services. I am curious to know how this fund will work with the musicians union. Also, what does it mean that Save Our Symphony is teaming up with members of the Pittsburgh symphony? Does this mean a sponsorship of some sort? Overall, I think that its great that the community has come together to protect their musicians and I certainly hope events like last year's won't happen again.
The other day at rehearsal for Pittsburgh Opera, I saw a singer in a shirt that said, “Musicians of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra” and it looked like it might have been a shirt that they could have purchased at a fundraiser. Seeing this article reminded me of all that has been going on with the symphony that I had sort of forgotten about. I’m glad that these concerts are doing so well, but it’s a weird thing for a major arts organization to be associated with. What’s also interesting is that the event is being run through a fund by the Pittsburgh Foundation. The Pittsburgh Foundations does a lot of great work in the city of Pittsburgh, but I find it interesting that they chose to help in a situation like this. From what I understood, the Pittsburgh Foundation worked to help improve the city community by community. And in a way, this is achieving that goal since it is helping artists stay employed, it just feels a little bit odd considering their mission.
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