Urgent request to show your integrity to the world now!

Dear Dr. Romanstein, ASO Board and Woodruff Arts Executive Board,

Please - I urge you to stop this assault on our orchestra.

It is obvious that the ASO’s financial situation is serious and you are to be commended for addressing the issue.  That is exactly what should be done whether it is our orchestra, our government, or our family budgets.  But budget cutting should be done in a fair and equitable way. 

Please tell me this:  have you taken the orchestra’s lowest paid musician’s salary and made exactly the same percentage decreases in salary and benefits to the management and staff,  as you are asking of the players?   I really want to know this.  I don’t want to know vague numbers.  I want to know “to the person” … “to the staff and management position” … has this been done?  This is very important for me to know, so that I can gauge how much I am able to trust what you are doing.  This seems reasonable to me.  If you are not making those cuts equitably,  why not?

It has been pointed out that the financial problems do not solely have to do with the musicians.  So I ask you, why are the players being forced to bear the lion’s share of the financial burden?  I simply do not understand. 

It is my understanding that the orchestra has offered about 95% of what you asked.  Considering how much compromise they have offered, it seems to me that if you cared about the orchestra and its members you would -- at the very least -- consider bringing them back to work while you all finish these negotiations together.  Again, I do not understand this treatment, and I am very saddened by it.

What about the musicians’ value?  They are your product.  Throughout their tenure with the orchestra, they have been loyal to you and have gained respect and appreciation from the community for their services.  Don’t they deserve good managers and overseers who value, respect and appreciate their talents and do everything they can to promote them?  Your orchestra is feeling abandoned and unappreciated.

The chorus is 200+ strong.  It is a group of dedicated people who love this orchestra and are committed to it.  We have sacrificed much time away from family and work.  What we do is a labor of extreme love.  We deserve to be heard and listened to.  We ask you to listen to us!  We ask you to re-examine what you are asking of our orchestra members.  I ask you to “bring it home”.  The players of the ASO are members of my family.  If you or a member of your family were sitting in one of those seats, receiving unreasonable demands and being treated so disrespectfully -- how would you feel?  What would you tell them? 

Are you trying to destroy this orchestra?  Are you trying to break their spirits?  Are you trying to drive them away to seek employment with other orchestras?  It sure seems like it.  Please tell me you don’t think they can be replaced by musicians just coming out of college, seeking jobs who would work for much less?  It takes many years of experience, sitting side-by-side with other professionals to be ready for a world-class orchestra such as ours.

Why not take a different approach?  Be creative.  Be positive in your approach.  Care for those who produce the product you sell.  There is money out there.  There are supporters out there to be found.  I know personally of a development office of a non-profit in this city which has continually, for the last several years, even in this economic crisis, raised from 125-194% of budget.  Get the right people in the right jobs…..creative people.  Show this orchestra you are willing to do the same you are asking of them.  Each of you, please, as individuals - be brave!  You, as an individual, stand up to the rest of the board or staff on the orchestra’s behalf. 

Show your integrity to the world right now!  Show it to yourself!

Sincerely,

Lynda Martin
#314

ASO Chorus Member 2003-present

ASO Season Ticket Subscriber