Magnificat, J. S. Bach, “Gloria Patri”
With all the negativity I seem to be posting these days (so sorry … but truth is truth and with all the economy woes the arts do suffer), I found Charles Noble’s blog entry encouraging and uplifting. Check it out!
And this is so true:
I’m truly blessed to be a musician, and to be able to give a voice (as best I can) to the great works of all composers, and share them with so many audiences each year.
Too true.
I read that Shakespeare Santa Cruz will fold if they don’t gather together $300,000 by December 22.
Time to start donating to the arts, maybe?
Or past time.
Found here:
Norfolk’s Economic Development Authority has agreed to loan the Virginia Symphony Orchestra $500,000 to help save it from bankruptcy.
Six members of the seven-member authority attended Wednesday’s meeting and voted unanimously to approve the five-year loan.
The organization had requested a $1 million loan.
The symphony ended its fiscal year in July with a $1.5 million deficit. Since August, it has laid off four staff members, announced a 20 percent pay cut and canceled several spring concerts to help deal with its financial crisis.
Symphony Executive Director Carla Johnson says since December 1, the symphony has collected $113,200, which is nearly $67,000 short of what it needs to make payroll.
So they get a loan … but it appears they will still have financial woes.
Time to start donating to the arts, maybe?
Or past time.
Florida has had problems in the past (there’s the demise of the Florida Philharmonic, for one). This time it’s paying the orchestra that’s the problem. Sad, especially at this time of year.
By all accounts, the first two productions of the first opera company in Polk County have been artistic successes, but a difficult economic situation has left the Opera Theater of Lakeland struggling to meet its obligations.
Several musicians who played in the pit orchestra Nov. 8 for the company’s first production, “The Barber of Seville,” told The Ledger last week they still have not been paid. They also complained that the company’s managers had not responded to their inquiries.
“People depend on that income,” said Victoria Marshall, a violist who played in the orchestra for “Barber” and as of Friday had not been paid nor received an explanation. “Some are full-time musicians trying to make it on teaching and playing.”
I read it here.
The article ends with:
Mazur said because the musicians had not been paid, it was difficult to form an orchestra for the Dec. 6 production of “Amahl,” and the singers were accompanied by two pianos rather than an orchestra.
Well, yes. Ultimately that is what happens. If you don’t pay, they don’t play. Go figure.
