Future of Springfield Symphony Orchestra is in question

June 15, 2021 | G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com

SPRINGFIELD – The question posed by the members of The Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (MOSSO) is whether or not the Springfield Symphony orchestra (SSO) is coming back for a new season.

The answer, according to John Anz, the interim executive director, dates have been set aside for a season, but until the labor agreement with the union is completed no planning for programming will be undertaken and a new contract with long-time music director Maestro Kevin Rhodes has not extended.

Rhodes has described himself on his Facebook page as the “former music director” at the SSO. he started with the orchestra in 2001.

Anz told Reminder Publishing there are additional negotiation sessions with MOSSO scheduled within the next two weeks.

The SSO was founded in 1944 and is the largest symphony orchestra in the commonwealth outside of Boston.

MOSSO spokesperson Beth Welty, who has played with the SSO for 38 years, said the union is seeking the extension of its contract, which happens every three years. In past years, there have been seasons that started without the contract in place, but were settled during the time of the performances, she explained.

The union made the following statement to Reminder Publishing, “MOSSO firmly believes that the exchange of bargaining proposals during a labor negotiation should occur at the bargaining table.  However, it is now compelled to respond to SSO’s disclosure of a bargaining proposal that it had made only days after the public disclosure of the musician’s concerns about the future of the SSO.

“The musicians and their union will respond to these proposals in good faith at upcoming negotiations.  However, we note that SSO’s new proposal, which is dated June 2, 2021, does not contain any of the major elements that it had previously agreed to in its prior proposals, such as a multiyear contract with an increasing number of concerts in successive years of the contract. Rather than adhering to the commitments that it previously made, SSO is seeking only a one-year agreement with half the number of performances than the expired agreement requires. Further, there is no commitment to hold these performances at Symphony Hall – SSO’s long-time home.  The union is not at liberty to discuss the negotiations further as there are pending unfair labor practice charges against SSO pending at the National Labor Relations Board.”

Welty said the union made its first contract offer on March 16, and there was no response from management. Complicating matters was the mid-April resignation of executive director Susan Beaudry.

Welty described the current administration of the SSO as a “skeleton crew” with several positions vacant.

“They haven’t made any effort to replace them,” she added.

Although other arts organizations suffered during the pandemic – one local organization, The Bing Arts Center was forced to close – Anz said, “We may have lost less because we were not performing.”

According to Mass Nonprofit News, “For the year ending May 31, 2019, SSO reported $1.4 million in revenue, of which $282,000 came from contributions and grants, and $2 million in expenses, according to its most recently available federal tax filing.”

Anz said the SSO did receive some emergency funding during the pandemic.

He added that one of the “unknowns” facing the SSO is whether or not audiences will be coming back.

“It may be a challenge in this climate for us,” Anz said.  He added the New York Philharmonic has not yet announced its season.

The union has released responses to statements made by the SSO. The SSO released a statement that read, “The SSO has sustained very large losses over the last decade despite attempts to improve its fundraising, programming and marketing.”

The response from MOSSO was, “It should be noted that the SSO endowment has grown significantly during the pandemic due to both market performance and the absence of any performance expenditures. Prior to that, why have the SSO’s attempts failed to maintain an active and vibrant fundraising and development infrastructure? The reason: Marketing staff and marketing budget have been systematically reduced year after year over the past decade. Not surprisingly, these marketing cuts have directly coincided with reductions in concert attendance and public awareness of the SSO’s activities. When Susan Beaudry was promoted to Executive Director, the organization lacked a director of development for many months. With the departure of Susan Beaudry, our very capable Development Director, John Anz – after just one year in that role – was promoted to interim executive director. This reshuffling created yet another development vacuum and a self-imposed funding crisis.”

The musicians did a public performance on the steps of City Hall to bring attention to the situation and Welty said, “We’re heart-broken. We love the orchestra. We don’t want to see it fail.”

She added of the situation, “It doesn’t have to be.”

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