Monday, March 18, 2019
Conductor Riccardo Muti is with the striking CSO musicians. But is he not a manager?
Chicago Tribune: “I’m with the musicians,” said Riccardo Muti on Tuesday, delighting the striking musicians of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, for whom he was offering unequivocal support.
Wait a minute. Isn’t Muti, the music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and effectively its chief creative officer, actually a member of the orchestra’s management? Would you not expect him to side with the institution in a salary-and-benefit dispute rather than its unionized workers? If you were a board member, might you not argue that he has an ethical obligation to do so?
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My favorite line from this article is “In fact, the dispute at the CSO is a fascinating window into how arts organizations just don’t function like ordinary businesses.” This is probably the biggest reason why people are confused about how arts organizations function/artists work. Its pretty simple, our jobs are very different politics than most industries. I think this strike about salaries brings up a great issue about how management is making too much money compared to the people they are working under. This is how the rich keep getting richer and the poor getting poorer. I find it completely crazy to think that orchestras are failing because they can’t pay the large salaries to the music directors. I would think the orchestras have the power to set a lower standard price. Muti seems like an amazing union supporter and it is great to hear how he is supporting with his workers but I wonder if he can do this because he is a distinguished conductor who has clout.
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