The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Board of Directors is being sued -- by a member of RPO,Inc. -- for dismissing Remmereit. Kudos to anybody who can make heads or tails of the legal process at work here:
http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2013/01/just-in-board-candidate-sues-orchestra-over-conductor-dismissal.html
Ingrid Bock, cellist for Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, speaks candidly to Slipped Disc in support of Arild Remmereit.
http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2013/01/rochester-cellist-speaks-up-for-her-sacked-conductor.html
Arild Remmereit breaks his own silence about the situation
http://wxxinews.org/term/arild-remmereit
Apparently Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra's CEO Charles Owens and Artistic Director Remmereit had such a poor working relationship, the two were forced to attend counseling in an attempt to break the hostilities. The Board, in the end, sided with management ... Remmereit is to be sent packing two years before his contract expires. A significant donor has withdrawn support in protest, the community is hopping mad, and Remmereit is challenging the Board's decision in court.
http://thedailynewsonline.com/blogs/the_arts_beat/article_ce797348-3b0f-11e2-b2f7-0019bb2963f4.html
http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2012/11/just-in-orch-fires-conductor-who-wont-talk-to-the-boss.html
Without reading any further, I have to say it seems the RPO Board has completely lost perspective on the number of qualified candidates who are willing to come exist in that numbing climate of lake-effect snow, days on end of sub-freezing temperatures, wind chills consistently below zero, icy sidewalks covered in frozen slush, and an interior climate that was apparently just as frosty.
ReplyDeleteThey had a Norwegian - who knew what he was doing - and couldn't recognize a good deal when it was staring them in the face.
As previously opined in these pages, a tragedy to see this play out in the town that is home to one of the top music schools in the world.
That's an excellent point about the wisdom in choosing a conductor up to Rochester's climate. The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle printed the substance of a letter the RPO Board sent out to patrons ... the Board could not specifically discuss its reasons for terminating Remmereit's contract because, well, negotiations are ongoing. Remmereit has plenty of support ... and, reportedly, Owes has trouble working with his own staff. Remmereit takes the trouble of maintaining his own Facebook page, which I find interesting ... and there is a petition.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20121201/NEWS01/312010037/
Here's the petition ...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.change.org/petitions/the-board-of-directors-of-the-rochester-philharmonic-orchestra-reinstate-music-director-arild-remmereit-and-give-him-respect-and-support-3