stage + arts

I love the orchestra and respect the players. The problem in MN is the same as in most mid size markets: not enough money on the revenue side. Any organization that looks at endowments or savings for more than 3-5 per cent of their annual budget are on a course to go out of business. The old adage, " no money,no mission". Certainly applies. If either party can come up with new sources of income or savings that don't jeopardize the orchestra they shouldcstep forward.

The musicians come first. Without them, nada.

Biggest deficit. Part time musicians making more than the average working stiff. Bad economic times. And these whiners don't think the inevitable pay cut is justified. Ok. Then simply cut the staff necessary to make up the shortfall. I'm sure no one will miss the guy with the triangle.

It's rather pathetic, we can finds millions and billions of dollars for repeat looser sports teams, but actually could loose a premier world class winning cultural resource. Shame on us.

These cuts may be very necessary but it's a big deal to anyone to suddenly absorb a 46K cut per year. That changes absolutely everything in one's life and no they are not whiners for not wanting to face that. They are like everybody else when faced with huge life changes. What seems to be missing is any equal level of cuts from management. If they are so concerned about the survival of the orchestra, there needs to be equal percentage cuts from everyone, from Vanska on down. Do that, and management will earn the respect of the musicians and the stalemate will be broken.

ranger78: we seem to share the same birth-year, the similarities may stop there. are you saying that staff and musician are the same? definitely not a similar pool of applicants. no implicit disrespect meant to that organization's staff, but the musicians are highly specialized professionals. there is no great orchestra in the twin cities if you remove the best players.

The musicians need to do gimmicky things like wear pro sports team jerseys while playing, shoot themselves in the leg at a lowlife nightclub, get caught for DUI's, do some prision time, suffer brain injury, have their own "railgating," serve crummy beer, do a cattle roping dance after each performance, etc. Sorry to the musicians as you're now going down to a pay rate noticeably similar to a grade school music teacher's (no Julliard education required). Do NFL players ever get forced to a salary similar to that of a high school football team's coach? Maybe a highly complex, thinktank-quality marketing statement of "Show Your Bowstrings" would help.

Management better be careful or it risks losing all its chamber musicians. There's a huge shortage of them. They could get snapped up with higher salary offers in Des Moines, Sioux Falls and Oshkosh.

Raise ticket prices 20%.... Those that enjoy this entertainment option will pay and support. Problem is you can only raise those tickets so much and so many times otherwise you will lose your base!

Owners/management all over the country are expecting workers to take huge pay cuts and make all sorts of concessions. I'm not saying that there aren't some cuts that are necessary, but do owners/management realize that without musicians (or competent refs, or players, or just average workers), THEY wouldn't have jobs? Capital has been dumping on labor for 30 years and it needs to stop!