Tag Archives: cso

Cincinnati Symphony Returns to Pre-Recession Orchestra Size

With the hiring of five new orchestra members, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has fulfilled its promise to return the orchestra to 90 members. The newly hired positions include principal trumpet, principal clarinet, assistant principal French horn, assistant concertmaster, and a section cello position. CSO musicians are represented by Local 1 (Cincinnati, OH).

Filling these positions increases the orchestra’s complement by 18%. An aggressive endowment campaign announced two years ago supports the restored positions. CSO musician salaries currently rank 10th among US orchestras.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Participates in Concert for Peace

In partnership with St. Sabina, Chicago’s largest African-American Catholic church, cellist Yo-Yo Ma presented “Concert for Peace” with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), members of Local 10-208; the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, a training ensemble for young musicians; and the Chicago Children’s Choir. Ma is a member of Local 802 (New York City) and creative consultant to CSO.

St. Sabina, located in a South Side neighborhood that has suffered from violence, created its Strong Futures program, which engaged 50 at-risk youth, aged 17 to 26, in full-time and part-time jobs during 2016. Concert for Peace raised $70,000 to benefit Strong Futures.

The concert program featured music by composers who are credited with creating a distinct American sound—Antonín Dvořák, Scott Joplin, Aaron Copland, and Duke Ellington. Two selections were dedicated to children lost to violence.

Reverend Michael Pfleger and Ma concluded the concert by urging the audience to take action to create a peaceful Chicago.