Your Comments

Tuesday, October 31, 2007 10:16 AM emailed to the World-Herald 10/14/07
Hats off to the musicians in the Omaha Symphony, performing without a contract. For a truly enjoyable Chamber Orchestra concert Saturday night [10/13/07] at UNO's Strauss Center. Under the skillful hands of guest conductor Shizuo Kuwahara, this concert showcased the splendid playing of principal bassoonist James Compton in the Weber Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra. Spectacular! Standing ovation!

Did I mention that the musicians have no contract with the Omaha Symphony since the previous contract expired earlier this year? What really irks me is that Symphony President and CEO Rob Hallam and the Board of Directors do not sufficiently recognize the wealth of talent in these musicians to offer a truly fair and equitable contract. It would be a very somber and silent night if the Holland and Strauss stages sat stark and empty on a future concert date. Come on folks, show some respect and appreciation to these talented ladies and gentlemen.

And while I'm at it, where is the press coverage of this contract dispute? There has been precious little reportage in the Omaha media.
Dale Munson

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 12:37
Based on my 35 years' experience as a teacher of music at the college/university level, I found the Omaha Symphony programs of October 5 and 13 to be of satisfyingly high quality, confirming that the contribution of the orchestra to the arts in our community is an important one. These performers are worthy of being compensated in a manner fully commensurate with orchestras of similar size and accomplishment. I urge the management of the symphony to move forward to accomplish this in their negotiations without further delay.
H. Bruce Lobaugh, B. Sc., M. M., Ph. D.

Monday, October 15, 2007 at 22:17:05
I am writing to let you all know, you are not alone. Your contract negotiations are being watched by many around the country. I feel I have a personal stake. I want the kids in the Omaha area to have the same experiences I had as a young kid growing up in Blair. So many members of the Omaha Symphony have had a profound influence on my life and career. Current Principal trumpet, Craig Bircher and recently retired Steve Ericksen where my trumpet teachers from 8th grade through high school. I remember very well being coached by Jay Wise and Craig Fuller while in the Omaha Youth Symphony. These are all true leaders and very talented musicians in Omaha. Thank you all!! I encourage those symphony patrons who are reading this to keep generously supporting this wonderful orchestra and see what you can do personally (write a letter, give a call) to move this contract in the right direction.
Douglas Carlsen, Associate Principal Trumpet, Minnesota Orchestra

Monday, October 15, 2007 at 12:26:58
We in the Omaha community are so lucky to have our very talented and generous symphony. They donate their time to come to schools and expose so many children to their lively shows. Without this access to the symphony, many (most!) children would never experience the vibrancy of a live orchestra. Who knows how many children might realize their love of instruments and live music had they not had this experience? They may become lifelong patrons of the arts or perhaps musicians themselves! We owe it to these talented musicians to pay them a just wage and show them -- not only with words -- how very much we value them.
Kellye Rouw

Sunday, October 14, 2007 at 23:08:2
Recently, the Omaha Symphony visited and performed at our school - St. Wenceslaus School. I just wanted to tell you how much everyone, especially me, enjoyed your performance! It was excellent! I so enjoy listening to all you professional musicians when I get the chance. Thank you and good luck on your negotiations. I sure hope you reach an agreement and receive just wages for your talents.
Karen Thiele

Saturday, October 13, 2007
Time to pay the piper
The Oct. 5 concert by the Omaha Symphony orchestra was a delight. I offer my thanks and appreciation to the members of the symphony for continuing to perform, even though they have been without a contract since June 30. I know of no other profession that is so poorly compensated, considering the level of study and ability required. Symphony musicians have been offered a paltry 2.5 percent salary increase for the 2007-08 season, while the chief executive officer has received a 20 percent increase for each of the preceding three years. I urge the symphony board to recognize the high level of musical talent. I urge symphony patrons to support the members of our fine orchestra. After all, they can’t survive on standing ovations alone.
Elna Peirce, Omaha

Friday, October 12, 2007 at 12:15:42
I understand that running a business is difficult. I understand that managing a large group of people is a challenging proposition and that their needs may seem "demanding". In fact, however, how one treats their employees (and how content they are in their job) directly reflect in job performance. It is true that a musician loves what they do, but that does not give you the right to take their passion for granted, thusly mistreating, or at the very least, not supporting them. You have a talented and dedicated group of players, who deserve quality health insurance, reasonable wage increases and your over-all support. Do not ignore them! Please, for everyone who loves music and uses it as a means of relaxation, entertainment and stimulation, make your artists happy and we, the listeners, will be too!
Maike Jacobi

Thursday, October 11, 2007 at 13:34:11
To Whom It May Concern, I have recently been discussing with friends the idea of just peacemaking. How does one achieve justice when negotiations are often conducted with one side holding all the power? These kinds of negotiations never achieve justice or peace. What is just is that people are given a decent wage for their work. Are the musicians not doing work that is as valuable as the administration? The answer to this is obvious. In fact much of their work has lasting and global effects. They are humanizing the world by allowing us to hear 'our better angels'. Maynard Solomon in his work on Beethoven maintains our world is lost if we lose the humanizing effect of great art. We are then left only with the horrors of war, violence, racisim, etc. etc. Therefore the work of each orchestra member can be said to be priceless. Over the years many talented and exceptional musicians have had to leave the Omaha area because they are not given a just wage and are seen only as entertainment. When we lose musicians we lose not only their contributions to the world of music, but their contributions as educators. Many of the symphony teach our youth and leave them with a richer inner life, discipline, the ability to create, and work with others. Education then becomes not a matter of liberating the individual to be unique, whole, and multitalented but vocational training. I can only hope that the administration will see what is ultimately at stake by not being just in the greatest sense of the word. Our world desperately needs their priceless work.
Lucinda Sloan, DMA

October 11, 2007 at 10:34:56
Please save our orchestra! The Omaha Symphony Mission Imagination Concert at our school yesterday was awesome. I can't imagine Omaha without this wonderful professional group. They deserve the best treatment including pay and benefits.
Rosemary Lubbers, Music Teacher, St. Wenceslaus School

Tuesday, October 9, 2007 at 09:57:18
My family and I strongly support the Omaha Symphony musicians in their efforts to obtain reasonable compensation for their incredible talents. We are so fortunate in Omaha to have such a wonderful symphony whose musicians not only play beautiful music but help educate our youth. The disparity of compensation between the executive management and musicians must be addressed or we will lose this treasure.
Sara

Tuesday, October 9, 2007 at 8:08:57
To Whom it May Concern:
I am a retired physician and a musician. I have had the great privilege of playing as an extra player with the Omaha Symphony on several occasions. I have been a member of the Omaha Local of the AFM until my retirement. I also was a founding member of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (1965-1989). I served on the Players Committee and was also a member of the Symphony Board. On several occasions I served as a member of the committee that developed the Master Agreement.

If this reaches members of the Management Committee of the Symphony Board, I hope that they will consider:

1. The average salary for a full time player in the Omaha Symphony is about $30,000. In addition to the hours spent in rehearsals and concerts, equal time must be spent in practice and other preparation.
2. Most of the players hold Master's Degrees and some hold Doctorates. Were they in other fields, they would command salaries two or three times greater.
3. The positions the players hold have very limited job security. Players who develop clinical disorders and are unable to continue playing are unable to continue employment.
4. Most players need to own very expensive instruments. The cost of insurance and instrument repairs can be difficult to manage.

I do not know the details of the fringe benefits provided to the full time players. A comprehensive medical policy and a retirement program, as a minimum, should be provided. Many of the players are not members of the "full-time" group but they contribute greatly to the success of the orchestra, as "per-service" players. These players deserve sufficient compensation plus fringe benefits for their contribution. I believe that members of the community are strongly behind the players in their quest for a just compensation package.

Thanks
Glenn V. Dalrymple, M.D., FACR

Monday, October 8, 2007 at 23:37:14
I have watched as wonderful musicians have come and stayed with the Omaha Symphony. I have also seen many wonderful musicians leave the orchestra. I would love to see the Board make a commitment to these fine musicians and pay them a fair wage. Not only would this be the right thing to do, it would go a long way toward building the orchestra for the future. These are some of the finest musicians in the country and they deserve better than the "leadership" provided by Mr. Hallam. I hope that the orchestra is around for many years to come. The fact that they will be is no thanks to the orchestra management. Solidarity.
Scott Anderson

Monday, October 8, 2007 at 19:22:18
To be a great city, Omaha needs a great orchestra. To have a great orchestra, you need to pay these artists what they deserve. Please keep the music alive in Omaha.
Barbara Carlsen

Monday, October 8, 2007 at 16:15:09
Wow, I just read the Orchestra comparisons section and I was STUNNED at the difference, not only at salary differences but also the benefits differences. We recently discontinued the family coverage through the orchestra for health insurance because of how expensive it was. My husband stayed on the policy as an individual and I found a private policy for one adult and two children that was less expensive and had similar coverage. If the orchestra is in the black then why is there reluctance to offer salary and benefits that are more in line with the industry standards?
Lynn Castrianno

Sunday, September 9, 2007 at 14:41:22
This is the full text of an edited letter published in the Omaha World Herald on Saturday, September 8, 2007 As regular subscribers and patrons of the Omaha Symphony, we are becoming increasingly concerned with the lack of visible progress in negotiations about salary between the symphony musicians and the Board or its representatives. It is obvious that without musicians, there is no orchestra and no music making. One of the features that elevates a city from a place to reside to a home is the arts: dance, music, theater, all the fine arts. Omaha has a rich artistic tradition that is presently looking more fragile. In the business world, compensation for CEOs has escalated markedly and the employees have been left behind. Warren Buffett has often referred to this discrepancy in negative terms. There are now some sporadic attempts being made to bring compensation packages into better balance. It seems that the same practice is occurring in the arts community, and the Omaha Symphony is a particularly egregious example. The symphony players, still at low compensation levels compared with many comparable orchestras, have been offered a salary increase of 2.5% - not even matching the rate of inflation, whereas the executive officer enjoys a salary that is markedly higher than individuals with similar responsibilities in other orchestras with greater annual budgets. This is not consistently with the noticeably better music making in recent years, and the magnificent new concert hall in which many concerts are performed. We ask the Board to act quickly and to recognize the unique contributions the symphony musicians make to the well being of this areas of the state by authorizing better compensation than has been put on the table to date.
Yours truly, Dr. Robert and Anne Binhammer

Monday, August 20, 2007 at 19:01:22
Dear Omaha Symphony Musicians, I was saddened to hear recently from Bill Ritchie of the situation with your negotiations. While much of the country has enjoyed several years of growing investments, salaries, and business opportunities, many in the arts community have been left behind. This is a sad commentary on the short term priorities and lack of cultural interest from individuals, corporations, and our civic, state, and national leaders. There have been numerous studies of how much positive influence the arts have on our communities from education, to family entertainment, to simply improving many downtown economies. I wish all of you the best outcome in this situation, and hope you stick together and demand the respect that our art form deserves. We don't have to justify our existence to anyone who understands the greatest achievements of the last 300 years of Western Culture. Keep the integrity of our art form alive! Never let those who think small prevail. All the best,
William Hill, Principal Timpanist of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and Adjunct Professor of Composition and Counterpoint at Denver University

Friday, August 10, 2007 at 9:22:10
Rob Hallam wants to have a plan before considering offering more than 2.5% increases to Omaha Symphony players. This sounds like a common refrain. In 2004 musicians agreed to a 2-year contract with minimal increases with the understanding that Mr. Hallam would use that time to develop a plan that would be in place for the 2006 contract negotiations. In 2006 Mr. Hallam informed contract negotiators that a plan would be ready in August; musicians were told more time was needed to develop a plan. Musicians agreed to a 1-year contract with a 3% increase. Here we are in 2007 and Mr. Hallam is again asking for yet another short-term contract with minimal increase so he can "develop a plan". The musicians have negotiated in good faith and have given Mr. Hallam plenty of time to develop a plan. If there is no plan, why did the Board hire Thomas Wilkins and extend his contract to 2012? Contrast Hallam's statement on 6/19/07 regarding Wilkin's contract "the board wanted to signal to him in a positive way, and the way to do that was to extend his contract" with the message musicians are receiving. While Mr. Hallam takes his time to “develop” a plan, our community loses talented musicians to other orchestras like the Houston Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. Mr. Hallam, any action is a plan, whether it is the intended plan or not.
Lynn M. Castrianno

Saturday, July 14, 2007 at 20:41:11
Dear Omaha Symphony musicians, friends and supporters, I have recently become aware of your deadlock with the OSA management negotiating a more than reasonable contract. I support everything you are trying to accomplish right now and must say that EVERYONE in your orchestra demands MUCH more than management is offering! The Omaha Symphony Musicians are some of the finest musicians in the U.S. They have put their time and sweat into the OSA to turn out a great musical product year after year. They are the real heroes of the organization and deserve to be paid accordingly. To the supporters/donors/season ticket holders of the Omaha Symphony: please support these great people. They enrich your lives and help bring so much to the Omaha community. By standing behind the musicians, you are sending a message that Omaha wants and needs to be THE center for cultural activity in the midwest. The amount of work and determination it takes to become a musician at the level of the OSO musicians is tremendous. They deserve to be paid well for their hard work! I will be watching closely during the month's ahead from down south. I wish everyone in the OSO the best of luck during this time. Best Wishes,
David Heyde, Associate Principal Horn of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Sunday, July 8, 2007 at 11:43:29
Dear Omaha Symphony Musicians: I am sorry to have learned of your current struggles and frustrations. I carry with me many vivid and treasured memories of great musical experiences as your former Principal Harp (26 years ago). Your artistic goals are high, and you deserve to achieve your financial goals as well. My thoughts are with you, In solidarity,
Diane Evans,
Principal Harp, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra

Monday, June 25, 2007 at 18:51:56
As with any President or CEO, Manager or Chairman, I too, a leader, have been held accountable by those I serve for the decisions I make. What I have found, is that the expectations of my Omaha Symphony colleagues regarding my leadership are by and large quite reasonable as well as artistically generated. That is, when folks in the orchestra are dissatisfied with their leadership, there is usually good reason, and their concerns are largely for the right reasons. By listening and responding to my colleagues, I have learned the humble task of serving them better with each new concert season. They help teach me my job. For free. I believe that our current contract negotiation demands are likewise reasonable and indeed attainable, and that The Association has a responsibility to meet the proposed demands. Certainly, if I can manage my duties (incidentally, without the aid of surveys, initiatives, consultants or other props), The Association can live up to our expectations as well. Get on with it.
Amy Sims, Concertmaster, Omaha Symphony

Sunday, June 24, 2007 at 21:27:30
In my years as an Omaha Symphony musician, I developed a great respect for the city leaders of Omaha who have worked to create a well rounded environment for all of the citizens of Omaha. Omaha can be proud of excellent family activities, highly prized sporting events such as the College World Series, and the beautiful Joslyn art museum, for example. Omaha has demonstrated its commitment to live orchestral music as an integral facet of its community with the recent construction of the Holland Arts Center. Yet the halls of this fine new addition to downtown Omaha cannot serve their purpose without ongoing commitment infused into the musicians who bring great music to life. The musicians of the Omaha symphony come from across the United States to invest in the Omaha community; please demonstrate your commitment to these fine artists and loyal members of the community by supporting a fair salary for their talented and industrious contributions.
Caroline Park, former principal oboist, the Omaha Symphony principal oboist, the Princeton Symphony; NY metro area freelancer; mom to a terrific boy!

Thursday, June 14, 2007 at 10:27:21
I was dismayed to hear of the current deadlock in negotiations at the Omaha Symphony. As the former principal flutist for 11 years, now a member of the Minnesota Orchestra, I have kept in touch with happenings in the orchestra since moving away 20 years ago. I know the caliber of players in the OSO to be topnotch, and many of my most treasured musical memories were made in Omaha. Quite a few of the wonderful musicians with whom I worked for so many years are still playing in the orchestra, and some have been members for 25 years or more. Although the musicians of the Omaha Symphony demonstrate a dedication and commitment that is unparalleled in most other organizations, they are currently working for very low salaries and benefits compared to OSO management and office staff, and also compared to musicians in other orchestras in similar cities. The figures are available for all to see on this website, under 'Orchestra Comparisons.' This disparity is eating away at the Orchestra's future, which is certainly detrimental to the Omaha community as a whole. The OSO has been a beloved part of Omaha's cultural history for many decades, and the Symphony management must treat its musicians fairly in order for the entire organization to remain strong and healthy. The OSO has always been careful with its money, and has not tried to grow too fast, which reflects Omaha values and has kept the Orchestra relatively stable. However, the downside of this is that the musicians have had to accept salaries and benefits that are far too low for the level of professionalism that they have provided to the city. And now, it appears that things are actually going backwards, as the percentage of the annual budget paid to musicians has shrunk substantially in recent years. This is not prudent, or good values, to cut away at musicians' salaries and benefits that are already extremely lean, while others in the organization are compensated much more comfortably. It would pain me very much to see the terrific Omaha Symphony get into a precarious situation, where it might lose quality, players, morale, part of its season, or even worse. Instead, I truly hope that the current management will make an offer to the musicians that will uphold the values of fairness and quality that have always been so strong in Omaha. I send my support, and that of the entire Minnesota Orchestra, to the Omaha Symphony musicians.
Barbara Leibundguth, co-principal flute of Minnesota Orchestra

Thursday, June 14, 2007 at 10:09:14
Dear Friends, As I write this I am listening to a recording of OSCO [Omaha Symphony Chamber Orchestra] playing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto and I am overwhelmed - overwhelmed at how great the orchestra sounds and the virtuosity of Carmelo [Galante], but also overwhelmed by the glaring fact than in the 10 years since I have been gone, the artistic quality of the orchestra has continually improved while the growth has not. How can this be?! I am appalled that your CEO is making a salary commensurate with his colleagues in major orchestras, yet the salaries of his musicians come no where close to those of the ICSOM orchestras. And as busy as the Boston Symphony is, I can say that I have never worked a more difficult schedule than I worked in Omaha. You are an incredible asset to the city and should be compensated as such. Stay strong and be patient. My good thoughts go with you.
Cindy Meyers, piccolo Boston Symphony Orchestra

June 14, 2007 at 09:48:17
Greetings to all of my colleagues from the OSO [Omaha Symphony Orchestra], OSCO [Omaha Symphony Chamber Orchestra], and Fontenelle String Quartet! All of the above groups are examples that illustrate the multi-faceted, hard-working attitude that sets it apart from other orchestras its size and larger. The contribution you make year after year to the Omaha community is so important on so many levels. Stand firm in your desire for better benefits and salary. The money is there and can be raised. It's a matter of educating the public and probably some of the board as well. Solidarity in approach and action will speak volumes. The new hall, new music director and corporate support prove that the community is invested in you. They will not let you disappear. Be patient and hold out for what you know is right. Best wishes for a healthy reconciliation,
Steve Laven, former asst. principal cellist, Houston Ballet and Grand Opera Orchestra, current Boston area free-lancer

June 11, 2007 at 16:32:40
Hello to fellow musicians, Omaha Symphony was my first orchestral job when I was a young enthusiastic violinist. I gained valuable professional experience working with such fine musicians. Good luck with your negotiations, you have my support.
Heidi Wilcox, Assistant Concertmaster of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra

June 10, 2007 at 23:40:44
Hey Guys and Gals, I'm sorry to see that Rob Hallam is again trying to take the negotiations down to the wire in an attempt to get you to settle for anything. Good for you to call his bluff and not allow his disrespect and disregard for you and your families to deter you from negotiating in good faith. It sounds like you are well armed with good information for your just cause, and that you are getting the real story out about how one or two people at least seem to be reaping some pretty good benefit from their emigration to the US! Rob Hallam would do very well as a politician out here in New Jersey as all they do is give themselves raises, pad their pensions, and then tell us how broke the state is! Meanwhile it only costs us the highest property taxes in the nation for their great service. I hope that the Symphony board can swallow their pride and admit they made a mistake in hiring the gentleman so that this situation can be fixed. Keep up the good fight, 'cause you guys deserve better. One last thing I will say is that even in the New York Philharmonic our schedule is not as crazy as what the Omaha symphony requires of its musicians so don't back down whatever you do! In Solidarity,
Roger Nye, Second Bassoon NY Philharmonic

June 10, 2007 at 13:19:15
I was absolutely horrified to see not only the low monetary compensation for the full-time musicians, but also the lack of any of the benefits which most other professionals would enjoy with their salary packages. No wonder many of the musicians I know need to do other "gigs," work another job (either full or part-time), or have private studios of their own to make ends meet. The comparison between the CEO salaries "blew my mind" even more! Why the great discrepancy there? And what kind of "consultant" work does Hallam's wife do for the symphony? That smacks a bit of conflict of interest, "cronyism," or whatever one would choose to call it, in my opinion. It has taken a lot of years to build the symphony up from its not-so-good state in the early 1970s (as I recall) to the caliber of musicians today; I'd hate to see that decline because we in Omaha are unwilling to pay decent wages and benefits. I have been a steady subscriber now for over 15 years to the Masterworks, Chamber Series, and some special performances. I would hate to give that up, at least as long as the caliber of performance remains high. However, if that goes down due to the loss of many highly qualified musicians who go elsewhere for better compensation, then I believe that you will lose many long-time subscribers. I know you will lose my support. I will be alert to future negotiation news, and I hope that the musicians and management will come to an equitable agreement soon so that vacant positions can be filled with qualified personnel... and that those musicians already here will have incentive to remain with the symphony. Sincerely,
Ardys Hansum

June 8, 2007 at 12:57:44
Long live the Musician of the great Omaha Symphony. There will always be a solution that will make the Musicians and the board satisfied!!! For the sake of your public the well being of the Musician and the inspired music making - keep music and musicians alive. All best wishes,
Yehuda Gilad Music Director/Colburn Orchestra

June 7, 2007 at 14:19:05
Keep up the good fight! You deserve far better treatment.
Gini

June 7, 2007 at 11:14:00
As a classical music lover and as a working class union activist, you have my absolute solidarity. I live in Minneapolis and I was lucky enough to hear the orchestra play a couple of years ago when I was passing through Omaha. You are a splendid ensemble. The idea that the musicians, who are the heart and soul of an orchestra, would be treated in this manner while executives (who are already handsomely compensated) are receiving double-digit pay increases is disgusting. Good luck and thanks for the wonderful music!
Bob Adams

June 6, 2007 at 23:04:34
Good luck with your negotiations. The website looks great! As former principal oboe of the Omaha Symphony I send best wishes and support from the Detroit Symphony.
Brian Ventura

June 4, 2007 at 18:03:40
It is good that you raised your voices! The Omaha Symphony is great and the musicians deserve good compensation. Go for it! Respectfully,
Joseph Kosinovsky