The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Inc. (BSO) and Musicians' Association of Metropolitan Baltimore, Local 40-543 met on July 17, 2019 together with Federal Mediators from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
The BSO is grateful for the outpouring of attention and support it has received in recent weeks. We know this is a difficult time for all involved, and the intensity of our discussions only reiterate what we know at our core – that the power of music is undeniable, and that the BSO is a beloved and important cultural anchor for our community and our region. Ensuring that our community is home to such a fine orchestra for generations to come is the goal of the hard conversations facing the organization today.
First and foremost, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Endowment Trust wants the organization to survive. That is why we invest our personal time and make our own contributions to the long-term future of orchestral music in our community. This has been the purpose of the Endowment Trust since its charter was established, and there has been no change in our mission.
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Inc. (BSO) today announced that the audit report on the BSO’s financial statements for the year ended August 31, 2018 notes that there is substantial uncertainty about the BSO’s ability to continue as a going concern.
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra today announced that, through generous contributions from members of the BSO Board of Directors and other loyal donors from our Baltimore and Montgomery County communities, medical and dental benefits will be provided for BSO musicians throughout the lockout during the months of July and August 2019.
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Inc. (BSO) and Musicians' Association of Metropolitan Baltimore, Local 40-543 met today, June 21, 2019 together with Federal Mediators from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
The Board of Directors of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra approved a lockout of the organization’s musicians, Local 40-543, if an agreement between the musicians and management was not reached by the end of the regular subscription season. With no agreement reached, the lockout will go into effect on Monday, June 17, 2019.
As members of the Executive Committee of the Board of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, we are very committed to the organization, which is why we give our dedication, our time and financial support. The BSO stands at a crossroads. After over a century of producing the finest classical music, financial realities are significantly affecting our organization. We must change in order to survive.
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) today announced that it has reaffirmed the plan to reform and improve fiscal operations, including renewal of the contract proposal to adjust the season from 52 weeks to 40 weeks. As a result, the BSO is cancelling its summer 2019 concerts, beginning with its New Music Festival that was scheduled to start June 19.
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.
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.
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 issues facing the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra are daunting. Typical of large orchestras in the U.S., ticket sales cover only one-third of all operating costs. The BSO’s classical music concerts have an average attendance of less than 60 percent over the last three years. Low attendance is a significant contributor to annual losses of between $1.5 million and $3 million a year. These figures take into account the maximum annual support allowed by law from the Baltimore Symphony Endowment Trust, of which I am a member.
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.
