11\/11\/16<\/p>\n
I. BMI RESPONDS TO DOJ APPEAL OF FRACTIONAL LICENSING RULING
\nII. PACIFIC SYMPHONY
\nIII. NACUSA CONCERT NOVEMBER 15th
\nIV. EVENTS<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer<\/p>\n
…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’\u2028 scoring musician<\/p>\n
…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal<\/p>\n
– L.A. Symphonic musician<\/p>\n
…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician<\/p>\n
=============================================<\/p>\n
I. BMI RESPONDS TO DOJ APPEAL OF FRACTIONAL<\/p>\n
LICENSING RULING<\/p>\n
Dear BMI member,
\nAs you know, on September 16 federal Judge Louis Stanton<\/p>\n
issued an order rejecting the U.S. Department of Justice\u2019s<\/p>\n
(DOJ) recent interpretation of the BMI consent decree,<\/p>\n
concluding that BMI is free to engage in the fractional<\/p>\n
licensing of musical works. As we expected, the DOJ<\/p>\n
filed a motion today to appeal that decision. Rest assured<\/p>\n
that BMI is well prepared to once again defend our position<\/p>\n
in court.<\/p>\n
I would like to share my statement to the press regarding<\/p>\n
the appeal:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile we hoped the DOJ would accept Judge Stanton\u2019s<\/p>\n
decision, we are not surprised it chose to file an appeal.<\/p>\n
It is unfortunate that the DOJ continues to fight for an<\/p>\n
interpretation of BMI\u2019s consent decree that is at odds<\/p>\n
with hundreds of thousands of songwriters and composers,<\/p>\n
the country\u2019s two largest performing rights organizations,<\/p>\n
numerous publishers and members of the music community,<\/p>\n
members of Congress, a U.S. Governor, the U.S. Copyright<\/p>\n
Office and, in Judge Stanton, a federal judge.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
We believe Judge Stanton\u2019s decision is correct and look<\/p>\n
forward to defending our position in the Court of Appeals<\/p>\n
for the Second Circuit.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
As always, I will continue to update you on further happenings<\/p>\n
on this front. In the meantime, please know that we are<\/p>\n
approaching this development in the same way that led us<\/p>\n
to our initial victory \u2013 by fighting to protect your rights<\/p>\n
and maximize the value of your music.<\/p>\n
Mike O\u2019Neill<\/p>\n
=============================================<\/p>\n
II. ANOTHER PACIFIC SYMPHONY ARTICLE<\/p>\n
As the music industry changes, the Pacific Symphony tries to keep up
\nMichael Hiltzik<\/p>\n
Subscribers to the Pacific Symphony\u2019s 12-concert classical series are
\nmarking their calendars for the next\u00a0performance later this month,
\nfeaturing the distinguished Spanish pianist Joaquin Achucarro in
\nthe Grieg\u00a0Piano Concerto. They should mark it with an asterisk,
\nbecause the orchestra is talking about going on strike.<\/p>\n
The group\u2019s 84 musicians (four more seats are currently vacant)
\nhave been working without a contract since Aug. 31, when their
\nlast four-year contract expired. They rejected\u00a0management\u2019s last
\ncontract offer on Oct. 23.\u00a0No talks are currently scheduled, and
\nthe players are getting anxious about what happened last time,
\nwhen the negotiations stretched over a year and a half.<\/p>\n
\u201cTime is of the essence,\u201d says Adam Neeley, a violist and head
\nof the bargaining committee for the players, who are members
\nof the American Federation of Musicians. \u201cWe have a clear
\nmandate from the members that we\u2019re not going to keep
\nplaying and playing without any negotiations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Labor unrest seems to be sweeping through the U.S. symphony
\ncorps, with a strike at the Pittsburgh Symphony entering its second month
\nand a work stoppage at the Fort\u00a0Worth Symphony Orchestra\u00a0causing
\nthe cancellation of concerts through December. A two-day strike
\nstaged in September by musicians of the storied Philadelphia
\nOrchestra\u00a0\u2014 who hoped to recover\u00a0some of the pay they lost
\nduring the orchestra\u2019s 2011 bankruptcy \u2014 \u00a0forced cancellation
\nof its season-opening gala.<\/p>\n
These tensions reflect the challenges generally facing performing
\narts groups in the U.S., including an aging audience and more
\ntightfisted donors. Unlike employers such as manufacturing or
\nservice companies, these groups have few\u00a0options to stem rising
\ncosts.\u00a0 \u201cThere are no opportunities for productivity gains in the
\nperforming arts,\u201d says Robert J. Flanagan, an emeritus labor expert
\nat Stanford business school who analyzed the economics of 63
\nU.S. orchestras, including the\u00a0Pacific Symphony, for his 2012
\nbook, \u201cThe Perilous\u00a0Life of Symphony Orchestras.\u201d The size of the
\nworkforce is mandated by the demands of a performance piece:
\na first-class orchestra can\u2019t trim costs by having six violinists
\non stage when a symphony requires 12 \u2014\u00a0at least not without
\nsacrificing artistic standards.<\/p>\n
\u201cComposers determine the labor costs of their works forever,\u201d
\nFlanagan says. \u201cTechnological changes aren\u2019t going to help much.\u201d<\/p>\n
On top of that,\u00a0the Costa Mesa-based Pacific Symphony has
\nchallenges all its own. Its musicians are trying to force a
\nfundamental change in its business model from\u00a0part-time
\nto full-time, salaried\u00a0employment.<\/p>\n
The musicians say they\u2019re trying to get the organization\u00a0to
\nadapt to changing realities in the Southern California music
\nbusiness; its management responds that the old model has
\nserved it well,\u00a0allowing for \u201cslow and steady expansion over
\nthe last three decades that sensibly matched our artistic
\nofferings with our community\u2019s demonstrated appetite for
\nclassical music,\u201d as its president, John E. Forsyte, told me in
\nan email.<\/p>\n
The Pacific may be overshadowed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic,
\nwhose $117-million budget outstrips that of any other U.S.
\nsymphony by a sizable margin. But it shouldn\u2019t be overlooked.
\nThe Pacific\u2019s annual budget of $20 million ranks roughly 22nd
\nin size among U.S. orchestras, just behind\u00a0the Indianapolis and
\nSan Diego symphonies ($24 million each) and ahead of the
\nMilwaukee and Oregon symphonies (about $16 million each).<\/p>\n
Unlike those orchestras, however,\u00a0its musicians are paid per-
\n\u201cservice,\u201d a catch-all term designating rehearsals and performances,
\nrather than salaried.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re the only orchestra that size with a per-service model,
\nand they\u2019re\u00a0twice the size of any other per-service orchestras,\u201d
\nsays Drew McManus, a Chicago orchestra consultant who
\nwrites a daily blog about the business.<\/p>\n
In a sense, the\u00a0Pacific is a prisoner of its own history. Founded
\nin 1978 at Cal State Fullerton, the orchestra became a favored
\nartistic side gig for Southern California\u2019s army of studio musicians,
\na relief valve from the film scores and commercial jingles from
\nwhich they chiefly earned their livelihood. They\u00a0were happy with
\nits part-time nature because it\u00a0allowed them maximum scope
\nto pursue more lucrative studio gigs.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor a long time, at the negotiating table musicians tried to
\nget more flexibility in scheduling,\u201d says Robert F. Sanders,
\na former Pacific musician who is president of the Orange
\nCounty Musicians Assn. and participated in numerous
\nbargaining sessions.<\/p>\n
In that environment the Pacific Symphony thrived. Its
\nensemble comprised some of the finest musicians in
\nthe country, it attracted world-class virtuosi as soloists,
\nand in 2006 it moved into\u00a0the glittering Cesar Pelli-
\ndesigned Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa. Its
\nartistic reputation was strong. Several\u00a0alumni have
\ngraduated\u00a0to permanent jobs at major orchestras around
\nthe country; Neeley, a Northwestern-trained performer,
\nrecently auditioned for a chair at the Chicago Symphony
\nOrchestra and remains on-call as a member of its substitutes
\nroster.<\/p>\n
But film, TV\u00a0and commercial work has been disappearing
\nlocally. Film scoring has moved to London and other
\noverseas locations; TV commercial producers abandoned
\njingles and now rely more on licensed pop tracks. \u201cWhen I
\nmoved here,\u201d Neeley told me, \u201cpart of the plan was to break
\nin at the studios, with the orchestra giving me a somewhat
\nlivable base while I started a freelance career. Four years
\nlater, I haven\u2019t played a single gig at a major studio. That\u2019s
\nbecause the work is not available.\u201d<\/p>\n
Consequently, the orchestra has\u00a0become the principal source
\nof income for many members; the \u201cflexibility\u201d its musicians
\nonce craved now imposes an undesirable uncertainty on their
\nannual income. That\u2019s especially true because the symphony
\ndoesn\u2019t guarantee musicians a minimum number of services
\nper year.<\/p>\n
The musicians say the Pacific can\u2019t maintain its artistic quality
\nunder the old model, as its average pay will shrink in relation
\nto competing orchestras. Its musicians can earn about $44,400
\nin the current season if they attend every available service,
\naccording to the musicians union, but the average member
\nof the orchestra probably gets enough credits to earn $31,400.<\/p>\n
By contrast, the rapidly-expanding San Diego Symphony, which
\nhas an annual budget of about $24 million, recently reached
\na five-year contract with\u00a0its 82 salaried musicians that will
\npay an average of about $70,000 in its first year, rising to
\n$80,000 in 2021.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we\u2019re arguing for is not only in our best financial interest,\u201d
\nsays Neeley, \u201cbut is in the artistic interest of the organization
\nitself. If we continue to offer compensation that doesn\u2019t begin
\nto compete with our peers, we\u2019re going to see people leave the
\norchestra, and fewer people auditioning for the orchestra.\u201d<\/p>\n
The symphony\u2019s management has made some tentative steps
\nto meet the union\u2019s \u201cconcerns about the predictability of work
\nand annual wages,\u201d Forsyte says, but the musicians consider
\nthese half-hearted. The symphony is willing to guarantee 185
\nservices, according to the union, but with conditions that
\ncould erode that figure over a year.<\/p>\n
The question confronting the Pacific boils\u00a0down to whether
\nit\u2019s a $20-million orchestra that happens to employ part-time
\nmusicians, or a part-time employer that happens to have a
\n$20-million budget. At the moment, it\u2019s suspended between
\nthose two models.<\/p>\n
What both sides agree on is that the symphony has made
\nitself an indispensable part in Southern California\u2019s artistic
\nlandscape. It\u2019s not the musicians\u2019 fault, or management\u2019s,
\nthat the landscape has changed under its feet, but that
\nmakes the symphony\u2019s transformation into a full-time
\norchestra\u00a0more necessary, even urgent.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
===========================================<\/p>\n
III. NACUSA CONCERT NOVEMBER 15th<\/p>\n
Festival of New and Improvised Music
\nBolos and Stetsons:
\nRemembering Marshall Bialosky<\/p>\n
China Inoue, Saxophone
\nMary Au, Piano
\nSally Etichetto, Mezzo-Soprano
\nCaroline Beck, Bassoon<\/p>\n
Come join composers
\nMarshall Bialosky,
\nMark Carlson,
\nJonathon Grasse
\nMatthew Hetz
\nPaul W. Humphreys
\nDeon Nielson Price
\nCarol Worthey
\nfor the next NACUSA Concert.<\/p>\n
Marvin Laser Recital Hall,
\nLa Corte Hall A 103
\n1000 East Victoria Street,
\nCarson, CA 90747<\/p>\n
Parking $6\/Lot 6, Adjacent to La Corte Hall<\/p>\n
=========================<\/p>\n
IV. EVENTS<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
PHIL NORMAN CD\u2028 – Now Available for Purchase<\/p>\n
Since last months formal release by MAMA Records,<\/p>\n
the Phil Norman Tentet’s newest CD has moved up<\/p>\n
from #209 to #20 nationally by\u2028\u2028 JAZZ WEEK CHARTS<\/p>\n
which weekly tracks & monitors jazz CDs radio airplay<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
To order this NEW CD, \u2028simply e-mail your name and<\/p>\n
address to \u2028PHIL NORMAN and we will mail you a copy.<\/p>\n
Upon receipt submit your check for $20 – it’s that simple.<\/p>\n
———————————–<\/p>\n
DEAN AND RICHARD<\/p>\n
DEAN AND RICHARD are now at Culver City Elks<\/p>\n
the first \u2028Friday of \u2028every month.<\/p>\n
7:30pm-10:30pm,<\/p>\n
11160 Washington Pl.\u2028\u2028Culver City, 90232<\/p>\n
310-839-8891<\/p>\n
————————————-<\/p>\n
LA WINDS JAZZ KATS 584<\/p>\n
NO COVER, NO MINIMUM.<\/p>\n
Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at<\/p>\n
Viva Cantina<\/p>\n
7:30-10:00.<\/p>\n
900 Riverside Drive, \u2028Burbank.<\/p>\n
Free parking across the street at Pickwick Bowl.<\/p>\n
Come hear your favorite charts played the way<\/p>\n
they \u2028should \u2028be. \u2028\u2028We are in the back room called<\/p>\n
the Trailside Room. \u2028\u2028\u2028Come on down.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Guaranteed to swing.<\/p>\n
——————————–<\/p>\n
11\/16\/16
\nFREE ADMISSION GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS
\nWed NOVEMBER 16, 2016 at 12:10-12:40 pm
\nViolinist Connie Kupka and Cellist David Speltz<\/p>\n
Website: http:\/\/www.glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com
\nThank you!
\nJacqueline Suzuki
\nCurator, Glendale Noon Concerts
\n818 -249-5108<\/p>\n
SFV SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
\nNov. 19, 2016 \u2013 Agoura Hills\/Calabasas Community Center\u2028\u2028Bizet: Carmen Suite #1\u2028\u2028Bizet: Symphony in C major\u2028\u2028Fernandez: Oboe Concerto\u2028\u00a0– Francisco Castillo, oboist\u2028\u2028Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor, 1st mvt.\u2028\u2028Thompson Wang, violinist\u2028\u00a0\u2028Contact: Roberta Hoffman, publicist (ladybirdysue@aol.com)\u2028www.sfvsymphony.com\u2028\u00a0\u2028\u2028Program information:<\/p>\n
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n
Other concerts in the series\u2028\u2028\u2028Jan. 21, 2017 \u2013<\/p>\n
Tutor Family Center at Chaminade West Hills<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Schumann: Manfred Overture<\/p>\n
Mendelssohn: Symphony #3 in A minor (Scottish)<\/p>\n
Belling: Music Madly Makes the World Go Round<\/p>\n
Inaugural Performance\u2028\u00a0Cary Belling, violinist<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mar. 18, 2017 \u2013 Agoura Hills\/Calabasas Community Center<\/p>\n
Tuttle: By Steam or By Dream Overture \u2028\u2028Inaugural Performance<\/p>\n
Prokofiev: Symphony #1 in D major (Classical)<\/p>\n
Ben-Haim: Pastorale Vari\u00e9e for Clarinet, Harp and Strings<\/p>\n
Geoff Nudell, clarinetist<\/p>\n
Beethoven: Romance for Violin and Orchestra<\/p>\n
Domine: Frankenstein Fantasy\u2028\u2028 – Ruth Bruegger, violinist<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
May 13, 2017 \u2013 Agoura Hills\/Calabasas Community Center
\nSaint-Saens: Bacchanale from \u201cSamson and Delilah\u201d<\/p>\n
Tchaikovsky:\u00a0Orchestral Suite No. 2 in C major<\/p>\n
Egizi: Orchestral Suite \u2028\u201cIn Memoria di Mio Padre”<\/p>\n
Inaugural Performance\u2028\u2028\u00a0\u2028\u2028Programs subject to change
\n———————————–<\/p>\n
You can read all previous offerings at:\u2028http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\u2028\u2028\u2028UNTIL NEXT TIME,\u2028\u2028THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
11\/11\/16 I. BMI RESPONDS TO DOJ APPEAL OF FRACTIONAL LICENSING RULING II. PACIFIC SYMPHONY III. NACUSA CONCERT NOVEMBER 15th IV. EVENTS …Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer …The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’\u2028 scoring musician …Allows us to speak our minds without fear of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=310"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}