Baltimore Symphony Orchestra abruptly cancels summerconcerts

[alexwill]

The rest of the regular season will happen. The summer season is cancelled.

It may be blocked, but management says business model is not sustainable (even with the money from the state of MD.) I think we heard that line before!
https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-bso-cuts-20190530-story.html

Here is an article that won't be blocked.
https://baltimorefishbowl.com/stories/bso-cancels-summer-concerts-reaffirms-proposal-to-reduce-schedule/

Statement from BSO management.
https://www.bsomusic.org/misc/bso-updates/baltimore-symphony-orchestra-announces-fiscal-reform-improvement-efforts

[kehaulani]

What the . . . ?
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[Andy Del]

It appears to be the typical situation. Management want balanced books, period. Nothing else matters.

I'd love to see some of these buffoons cook a meal. How will they get an omelette done without breaking an egg or two?

The citing of a decade long deficit is just smoke and mirrors unless it is quantified. That never seems to happen, possibly due to management growth and cost exceeding the deficit they have managed into place. there are many ways to cut costs, without running down the service the organisation is providing as their core product. How does a plumber survive by doing less work? Or a teacher get the desired outcomes by teaching fewer lessons each day? Or a golf course improve with only 9 holes?

While it is an orchestra on a different personnel footing, vastly smaller annual budget and plays only part-time, we were looking into the abyss when I became the MD 21 years ago. They would have been bankrupt in 3 performances time. That meant we looked long and hard at repertoire, audience appeal, other costs and worked to make every concert NOT lose $$$.

That orchestra owned no equipment, was run out of a large handbag (literally! it was holding all our official papers) and had no home. Today, we have a home, have more than doubled our concert performances, have a small chorus, are starting to tour each year, own enough percussion to be a significant PITA, have sponsored, paid leadership positions and raised standards to where we are comfortable with most repertoire. (next concert program is Britten 4 sea interludes, Handel water music and Tchaik violin concerto.) Management wore the responsibility AND COST to provide a pleasant, positive environment for players. The poor old MD bore the pay for a long time, which had now tripled over his tenure. And it is still in the black and looking towards an even more positive financial future.

It is possible to make a successful go of things! Feel free to pass my details on to BSO...

cheers

Andy
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