Nashville Symphony shuts down until August 2021

[George K]

https://slippedisc.com/2020/06/us-orchestra-shuts-down-til-august-2021/

The Nashville Symphony has cancelled the whole of next season and sent staff and 79 musicians on furlough.

Nashville says it cannot meet its $1.2 million monthly payroll.

This bodes ill for the rest of the landscape.

Here’s what they have told subscribers and supporters:

This is one of the most difficult messages we’ve ever had to write, but we wanted to let you know first,before we released this information to the public.

Today, our Board of Directors voted to suspend all concert and event activity through July 31, 2021, and to furlough a total of 79 musicians and 49 full-time staff members, effective July 1.

Like many other businesses and organizations, the Nashville Symphony has been profoundly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic: To date, we have been forced to cancel or reschedule more than 65 concerts and events, with losses thus far caused by the pandemic projected to total $8 million, or nearly 30% of our annual income.

Since March, the Nashville Symphony’s management has been exploring every available option to ensure the long-term sustainability of the institution. In light of our current challenges, we firmly believe that today’s decision is the best course of action to ensure that the Symphony can continue serving our community in the long run.

We realize this news must be terribly disappointing to you. And we want you to know that we are working hard to support our musicians and staff through this difficult transition.

Without the ability to perform for the public, we are unable to generate essential operating revenue. And without that revenue, the Nashville Symphony faces a threat to its very existence. Until we have certainty that our economy can remain open, and that audiences are ready and able to return to large public gatherings, attempting to restart concert activity poses significant risks to our institution.

[Jolly]

I'm afraid music and the business of music is going to change a lot.

[George K]

@Jolly said in Nashville Symphony shuts down until August 2021:

I'm afraid music and the business of music is going to change a lot.

Yup. The Chicago Symphony shut down in March for the remainder of the season, and the summer season at Ravinia was cancelled as well.

They are talking about options for the fall season - putting only half the orchestra on stage (smaller works) for part of the concert, and then the other half after intermission. They're also talking about limiting the number of people permitted in the auditorium. One number I saw was about ¼ of the usual patrons. That's gonna hurt - a lot.

[Loki]

We knew the shut down was going to do all this right from the beginning. It’s just that the media was not willing to discuss the consequences at that time.

[Rainman]

It would be nice if some of the Richest Men in the World could start writing checks, you know, just because.
Bitter irony that the highest Art in music, is always struggling, and no one in the pop world throws a "save the classical musicians" fundraiser.
At least AFAIK, no one gives a damn throws a fundraiser.

[Larry]

But is it "the highest art in music"? I'm not sold on that notion. Has classical music ever painted a picture, or told a story, or inspired the imagination to create a story in your mind? Has any of it ever related to the listener on a personal level? None that I've ever heard.

Here:

Imagine a world where no music was playing,
And think of a church, where no one was praying,
Have you ever looked up at a sky with no blue,
Then you've seen a picture of me without you.

Have you walked in a garden where nothing was growing,
Or stood by a river where nothing was flowing,
If you've seen a red rose unkissed by the dew
Then you've seen a picture of me without you...

Those 8 lines tell a more powerful story.. paint a bigger picture, and relates to a person right now on a personal level, than anything found in classical music. That's my opinion, anyway.

[Jolly]

Well, I'm not sure George could have sung Nessun dorma

[Copper]

I had dinner tonight with two friends that sing in the Virginia Symphony Chorus.

They just got the word that the Virginia Symphony will shut down until August 2021.

Bad times

[Larry]

@Jolly said in Nashville Symphony shuts down until August 2021:

Well, I'm not sure George could have sung Nessun dorma

Not too sure he'd have wanted to lol

[Rainman]

Yeah, I've heard it many times.
"The greatest music is the music I like."
Simple.