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Orchestra News

Indianapolis Symphony Continues to Balance Budget

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) achieved its second consecutive surplus, slightly more than $266,000, in fiscal year 2014. Its total revenue was $23.5 million.

The orchestra saw a 16% increase in revenue from ticket sales, with a 30% increase in subscription sales—the highest subscription numbers since the 2008-2009 season. Fiscal year 2014 was the second best fundraising year in ISO’s history—second only to fiscal year 2013—and brought in $9.73 million. The value of the endowment increased, from $86.5 to $92.5 million, and the orchestra’s 5% endowment draw was much more conservative than the 12% draw taken in fiscal year 2012.

Although the ISO report shows an upward trend, the musicians are still feeling the difficult pay cuts following the 2012 lockout, but welcome this positive news and look forward to continued financial and artistic growth.

Orchestra News

Los Angeles Philharmonic Receives $20 Million

The Los Angeles Philharmonic will receive $20 million from technology entrepreneur and philanthropist David Bohnett. The gift is the second largest in the orchestra’s history. It was made in honor of Los Angeles Philharmonic President and CEO Deborah Borda. Half of the gift, $10 million, will be used to endow the presidential chair, and the other half will be used to launch the David C. Bohnett Presidential Fund for Innovation and Discovery, which will help the orchestra explore ideas for engagement of new audiences.

Orchestra News

Minnesota Orchestra Announces Small Deficit

The Minnesota Orchestra ended its fiscal year with a deficit of $650,000 on its $29 million budget. This deficit was lower than expected and was welcomed as good news. The orchestra is working to rebuild its financial health following the musician lockout that ended in January 2014.

The $29 million budget is much smaller than prelockout seasons, which typically saw budgets of more than $32 million. Musicians’ salary and benefit cuts account for a $1.7 million budget reduction. The orchestra attributes its stronger financial performance to appreciation of investment funds, as well as to several large gifts totaling $13.2 million. Ticket sales remained similar to prelockout seasons.

Orchestra News

Detroit Symphony Orchestra Achieves Another Surplus

For the second year in a row, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) ended its fiscal year in the black, with a small surplus of $60,000. Subscription numbers increased across all series, with a total of 13,760 subscriptions sold. Overall ticket sales increased as well, with revenue $200,000 higher than last season.

“We are pleased with the financial as well as artistic integrity of our DSO,” says Local 5 (Detroit, MI) President George Troia. On the fundraising side, the number of people who donated to the orchestra grew, and those individual donors gave a total of $5.4 million. Market appreciation and new gifts raised the endowment by $10 million, to $38.6 million.

DSO remains committed to audience engagement, with its live webcasts reaching an international audience of more than 500,000 people, more than any orchestra in the world. Its education program serves more than 20,000 children in Detroit. It will be expanded into seven suburban communities next season through the support of Clyde and Helen Wu. The program will be renamed the Wu Family Academy for Learning and Engagement.

At its annual meeting in December, DSO announced that Music Director Leonard Slatkin and President and CEO Anne Parsons have renewed their contracts through the 2016-2017 season.

Recent News

Full List of the 2015 Grammy Award AFM Member Nominees

The full list of the 2015 Grammy Awards have been revealed and we wanted to highlight and congratulate our fellow AFM members who were nominated.

 

Best American Roots Performance

Keb’ Mo’ local 47 (Los Angeles, CA)

 

Best Rock Performance

Arctic Monkeys’ members: Alex Turner (keyboard), Matt Helders (drums), and Jamie Cook (guitar) from local 802 (New York City).

Black Keys’ member: Patrick Carney, local 24 (Akron, OH)

 

Best Engineered Nonclassical Album

Keb’ Mo’ local 47 (Los Angeles, CA)

 

Best Metal Performance

Slipknot member: Corey Taylor, local 47 (Los Angeles, CA)

 

Best Country Duo/Group

Keith Urban, local 257 (Nashville, TN)

 

Best Country Solo Performance 

Hunter Hayes, local 257 (Nashville, TN)

Keith Urban, Local 257 (Nashville, TN)

 

Best Americana Album

Keb’ Mo’ local 47 (Los Angeles, CA)

 

Best American Album

Rosanne Cash, local 802 (New York City) – The River & The Thread

Nickel Creek members: Chris Thile (mandolin) and Mark Schatz (bassist) local 257 (Nashville, TN) and Sara Watkin (fiddle) local 47 (Los Angeles, CA)

 

Song of the Year

Meghan Trainor, local 257 (Nashville, TN) – “All About That Bass”

Taylor Swift, Local 257 (Nashville, TN) – “Shake It Off”

 

Best Country Song

Kenny Chesney, local 257 (NAshville, TN) – “American Kids”

Glen Campbell, local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) – “I’m Not Gonna Miss You”

 

Best Rock Album

Black Keys’ member: Patrick Carney, local 24 (Akron, OH) – Turn Blue

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) – Hypnotic Eye

 

Best Rock Song

Black Keys’ member: Patrick Carney, local 24 (Akron, OH) – “Fever”

Ryan Adams, Local 257 (Nashville, TN) – “Gimme Something Good”

 

Best Pop Solo Performance

John Legend, Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) – “All of Me” (Live Version)

Taylor Swift, Local 257 (Nashville, TN) – “Shake It Off”

 

Record of the Year

Taylor Swift, Local 257 (Nashville, TN) – “Shake It Off”

Meghan Trainor, Local 257 (Nashville, TN) – “All About That Bass”

 

Orchestra News

Philadelphia Orchestra Announces Strong Fiscal Year

The Philadelphia Orchestra ended its 2014 fiscal year with a small surplus of $670,000 on its $39.6 million budget, showing the orchestra’s turnaround since emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy two years ago.

The 2013-2014 season was a great success for the orchestra. Ticket revenue was up from previous seasons—$14.1 million, compared to $11.4 million in 2010—due to both an increase in ticket prices and an increase in the number of tickets sold. The annual fund has grown from $8.9 million in 2010 to $11.8 million in 2014, and the orchestra is aiming for $14.7 million in the current year. Finally, in 2013-2014, the board gave a total of $2.6 million, the largest amount it has ever contributed.

Since its 2009-2010 season, The Philadelphia Orchestra has raised $69 million toward its “transformation fund,” which is intended to cover the gap between income and expenses, ensuring that the orchestra does not run deficits. Now, the organization hopes that transformation fund donors will turn their attention toward endowment giving. The Philadelphia Orchestra’s current endowments total $133.8 million.

Recent News

H.E.A.R. Day New York Honors Les Paul

Last week on H.E.A.R. Day New York a panel of medical and health experts discussed the importance of improving hearing conservations for performers, professionals, and those who enjoy listening to music as well. This year Les Paul was honored with the H.E.A.R Leadership Award.

Kathy Peck, ED of H.E.A.R. has this to say:

“Les Paul was a friend of H.E.A.R. Les knew that further work was going to be necessary in the area of music hearing conservation. Now, along with partner the Les Paul Foundation and others, H.E.A.R. presents schools with Listen Smart Workshops and the Listen Smart Film Series that will allow us to continue our mission in providing services and educating the public to hearing conservation.”

We all know musicians suffer from a lot of hearing issues, and that’s why a cause like this is so important. To raise awareness of the real dangers and come up with ways to prevent those dangers from occurring.

Make sure you check out their site hearnet.com for more information.

Orchestra News

Memphis Symphony Orchestra Musicians Accept Pay Cut

In October, musicians of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra (MSO) accepted a 38% pay cut in order to allow the organization to regain its footing. The concession is for the current year only and will then be renegotiated.

In addition to the wage cut, the orchestra’s season length will be reduced from 39 weeks to 24 nonconsecutive weeks. Vacant positions in the orchestra will not be filled this year.

MSO was in danger of closure earlier this year, and the musicians approved a memorandum of understanding stating that the orchestra would reduce its budget from $4.8 million to $3.2 million. Since then, MSO has raised $2.2 million toward its new “sustainability fund.”

Orchestra News

Dayton Philharmonic Signs New Contract

Members of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra (Dayton Arts Alliance) have signed a new contract. Orchestra members voted in May 2014 for a three-year contract through August 2017. The agreement includes a 3% increase in wages for contracted members, a health benefit of $275 per season paid to each contracted member, and a small increase in substitute pay. Service guarantees have remained relatively unchanged. The negotiation committee appreciates the cooperation and congeniality of the DPAA management, and would like to thank Local 101-471 and AFM Negotiator Nathan Kahn for their assistance.

Orchestra News

Minnesota Orchestra Hires Executive Director

The Minnesota Orchestra has announced the hiring of Kevin Smith as President and CEO. Smith was named interim executive director after the orchestra’s previous CEO, Michael Henson, stepped down in August, in the aftermath of the 16-month musician lockout. Previously, Smith was executive director of the Minnesota Opera.

The board, overwhelmingly impressed with Smith’s work, offered him the position through the 2017-2018 season. During the interim period, Smith faced the great challenge of repairing internal trust following the bitter lockout. He has built strong relationships with all constituencies of the organization and the musicians are pleased that he will take on the position.

He has made progress in restoring the orchestra’s financial health, as well; the organization expects its deficit for fiscal year 2014 to be under $1 million.