In Saturday’s (4/3) Post and Courier (Charleston, South Carolina), Adam Parker writes, “The musicians of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, which shut down indefinitely Sunday night, are not ready to call it quits just yet. They are working with presenters to ensure that the last few shows of the season go on as scheduled, said Ryan Leveille, a percussionist and spokesman for the Keep the Music Playing Committee, which represents the interests of the musicians. The May 1 Starlight Pops concert at Boone Hall, sponsored by First Federal, probably will happen, Leveille said. The April 23 Side by Side concert, featuring the CSO and the Youth Orchestra of the Lowcountry—7 p.m. at Goose Creek High School—also is expected to be presented as planned. Meanwhile, the unionized musicians are preparing an unfair labor practice complaint likely to be filed with the U.S. Department of Labor, Leveille said. Symphony management will invite an independent mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to oversee upcoming negotiations. … Symphony musicians are active in the Charleston area, teaching private lessons, working with public school and college students and playing at private events, Music Director David Stahl said. A struggling symphony, therefore, affects many in the community, he said.”
Posted April 6, 2010
