Posted by AV on October 15, 2002 at 22:50:47:
CAROL HARRINGTON
Canadian Press
Tuesday, October 15, 2002
CALGARY (CP) - The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra hit a low note
Tuesday, filing bankruptcy notice in court and announcing it was
suspending concerts for 45 days while it scrambles to get its financial
house in order. "It saddens us to take these severe actions but we do so
with the greatest hope for recovery," Larry Fichtner, orchestra board
chairman, told a news conference.
"While we want to keep the music alive, it will take the collaboration
of many."
If the orchestra resumes next month, it will have fewer than its current
65 musicians, perform fewer concerts, and its administration will
shrink, Fichtner said.
Several musicians were angry when they learned their jobs were being
suspended just 45 minutes before it was publicly announced. They said
they will be applying for work elsewhere. Some said they don't want to
play in a pared-down orchestra.
"You're going to lose people and it will be hard to hire people because
they will go, 'Oh, it's a smaller orchestra,' " said violist Arthur
Bachmann.
"I know I'm going to be looking at other options because there's a huge
breach of trust by the board," he added.
During the past few years, the Calgary Philharmonic has been trying to
dig itself out of the red and is currently carrying a $1.1-million debt.
The Court of Queen's Bench has appointed an interim receiver to draw up
a new business plan that could get the orchestra through the remainder
of the season.
Fichtner suggested the orchestra's performances could be reduced from 70
to 58, the number of musicians could be pared down by about 10 and
administration staff reduced from 20 to 15.
If the orchestra manages to survive, it may get a new president,
Fichtner said.
"The board is in discussions with the president, Jack Mills, about his
future with the organization," he said.
Last month, the board warned that if ticket sales don't soar by Oct. 31,
the money-losing operation would likely have to fold.
An aggressive marketing campaign followed, with the orchestra appealing
to Calgarians to buy another 2,000 season's tickets to bring their
season total to 5,000 subscribers.
But marketers managed only to gain some 800 new patrons, Fichtner said.
To help out with the financial crunch, CPO musicians had offered to take
a 12.3 per cent pay cut, lowering the minimum annual salary to $34,162.
This was in addition to last year's season reduction from 41 to 38
weeks, which cut salaries for orchestra players by nine per cent.
Mark Johnson, bass trombonist and president of the Calgary Musicians
Association, said this could be the beginning of the end of the
orchestra.
"It's ultimately going to be up to the musicians to determine whether
they are throwing good money after bad or whether or not they want to
continue to support this organization with this leadership," he said.
Orchestra musicians have had fears that the board might try to axe some
positions. They point out that when the Calgary Flames go on a ticket
drive nobody suggests the National Hockey League team should play with
fewer players.
Johnson questioned whether organizers of postponed concerts will be able
to reschedule.
"I'm sure it throws it into mayhem to some degree - how feasible will it
be to try to reschedule them?" he asked.
"Obviously the logistics are going to be pretty challenging."
For the past few years, the Canadian orchestra scene has been riddled
with deficits, labour problems and dwindling audiences.
Last year, musicians with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra agreed to take
a 15 per cent pay cut when the orchestra was on the brink of bankruptcy.
Members of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra agreed to take a nine per
cent pay reduction.
During its 50th anniversary last year, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
announced a record $1-million loss, blaming flat corporate sponsorships,
insufficient government grants and poor ticket sales.
The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra reported a $1.8-million deficit earlier
this year after its musicians were locked out for one month in a
contract dispute last year.
© Copyright 2002 The Canadian Press