Neither side has blinked in the Louisville Orchestra labor dispute, and both the management and the musicians are facing difficult futures and the potential end of the orchestra. The management now plans to follow through on threats to go against union wishes and hire a 50-member replacement orchestra. Finding 50 talented nonunion players will be […]
Tag Archives: robert birman
After Hope for New Contract, Orchestra Plans to Hire Replacement Players
The process of replacing the Louisville Orchestra musicians has begun. Orchestra management declared their intention to hire new players Monday, after yet another failed round of talks with the musicians. The two sides were close. On Friday, orchestra management said the musicians had agreed to sign all the players who haven’t left town for other […]
Orchestra Extends “Final Offer” to Players While Opera Talks End
The Louisville Orchestra and the Kentucky Opera have each taken firm stands against the local musicians union. Orchestra management has given the players what they call the final offer for a new contract. It calls for any musicians who are currently in Louisville to be signed to a new contract, with an agreement that enough […]
Birman Discusses Orchestra Impasse
The already contentious talks between the Louisville Orchestra management and musicians have hit another snag. The musicians and management have rejected each other’s offers for a contract for the next five years, and neither side is eager to make further compromises. Their dispute comes down to ten musicians and three weeks. The management says the […]
No Orchestra Performances Likely This Year, Birman Says Community May Lose Interest
The CEO of the Louisville Orchestra says the audience is likely turning away as the labor impasse continues. The management and musicians have been at odds for more than a year over how big the orchestra should be. It’s not a new fight, and CEO Robert Birman says it’s one the community is getting tired […]
Fischer Joins Talks as Orchestra Impasse Continues, Opera Performances in Question
The ongoing contract negotiations between the Louisville Orchestra musicians and management could affect other arts organizations. Both sides are unable to come to an agreement on the size and season length of the orchestra. This week, all concerts were canceled for September and October. That puts upcoming Kentucky Opera concerts in question. The opera performs […]
“Unfair” Listing Won’t Change Orchestra Contract Talks as Season Approaches, Says Birman
The management and musicians of the Louisville Orchestra have been in talks for the next season’s contract for about a year, but as deadlines approach, no agreement is in place. The first concert is scheduled for September 10, and rehearsals are supposed to start the week prior. But unless a contract is in place, the […]
Louisville Orchestra Plans its Future Place in the City
By Elizabeth Kramer A new documentary about the formative years of the Louisville Orchestra premieres tomorrow at the Baxter Avenue Theatres. But the organization is looking now to make itself relevant in a world where classical music is often an afterthought. The documentary Music Makes a City recounts how in 1937 a politician named Charles […]