The sad sound of indifference

Symphony Wars - Episode VIII: And Now They Hate You

The Detroit Symphony saga carries on, with this weekend’s performances of Haydn and Dvorak cancelled.  The orchestra’s musicians have rejected the latest proposal from management, as explained in this article by Free Press music critic Mark Stryker, who I will refer to as “Lieutenant” from this point forward because I love the movie Airplane.  I tackled the subject of the DSO strike a while back in a piece of hard-hitting journalism that rivaled anything John Tesh did when he hosted Entertainment Tonight, and the response was passionate.  Passion can be applied almost anywhere, though, and if the reactions from Lieutenant Stryker’s story are any indication, the readers of the Detroit Free Press are passionate about not giving a shit about the Detroit Symphony.

What should great music cost?

Strike.

I’ve been reading a lot about the ongoing strike involving the Detroit Symphony, an impasse that has wiped out the season so far and doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon.  At issue is a significant pay cut, as well as a controversial provision put forth by the DSO management to include chamber music, teaching, and other musical activities as requirements in musicians’ contracts.  Many observers believe that this situation may prove to be a bellwether for other orchestras in the coming years as the budget deficits around the country continue to rise.