It is with a spirit of gratitude that we share exciting news with you. This week, the General Assembly of Maryland voted to pass House Bill 1404, which provides the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra with $1.6 million in each of the next two years.
We would like to share news about proposed legislation to help support the Baltimore Symphony as contract negotiations continue with our musicians.
The Board of Directors, musicians, and staff of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra greatly appreciate the remarkable support of the State of Maryland for the BSO and our entire arts community.
Baltimore is rallying for two of its most important assets — the Preakness and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is a beloved cultural institution. The BSO musicians are among the best in the country, and we are fortunate to have them living and performing in our city and state. Every member of the BSO Endowment Trust Board, which I chair, wants to ensure that our orchestra can continue to thrive and perform at the highest level for generations to come. No one is more committed to “saving our symphony.”
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Inc. (BSO) and Musicians' Association of Metropolitan Baltimore, Local 40-543 continue to negotiate toward a long-term agreement.
The Baltimore Symphony’s proposal to our musicians reflects the thoughtful analysis undertaken by the BSO’s management and Board of Directors to preserve the Orchestra. We are committed to strengthening our business model to ensure our community, and the State of Maryland, are home to a fine orchestra for many years to come.
Over 40 years ago, my grandfather, Joseph Meyerhoff, imagined a new concert hall to be designed and built as a permanent home for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Though my grandfather passed away just a few years after the 1982 opening of the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, he would have been proud to witness the BSO’s growth since then, and especially the pride that Marin Alsop and the orchestra brought to Baltimore on their recent concert tour to the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Much has been said online and in the media over the past few weeks regarding some proposed changes at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. As the chair of the Board of Directors of the BSO, I feel it is my place to provide some perspective that I hope will guide the ongoing discussions efficiently, prudently and in the best interests of our fine musicians and loyal audiences.
We are grateful for your support of the Baltimore Symphony and would like to share with you some information regarding contract negotiations with our musicians.
