Kids with PASSION Loud and Clear!

Please remember to kindly attend the event Kids with PASSION Loud and Clear this coming Sunday from 3-5:30pm. The venue is Capital University Mees Hall.

This concert is headed up by Annie Shmookler and is a fundraiser for the Columbus Symphony Orchestra!

Various children and teen musical groups from around the area will be performing to show their support of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.

The SymphonySTRONG orange wristbands and the "PASSION" t-shirts will be on sale at the fundraiser.

CSO Musicians Press Conference

Here are the links to the CSO Musicians Press Conference on YouTube:

Part 1 Bruce Ridge, Chair of ICSOM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTkeyGU6zmw

Part 2 Dan LaMacchia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgwdneP95z8

Part 3 CSO Chair James Akins and Doug Fisher
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZUbWyjSj_A

Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfvbmrNQRT0

Part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T65BoaD9R00

News Updates

News, video, and audio clip updates:

> Columbus Dispatch article: "Symphony musicians propose salary cut" (5/21)
> Columbus Dispatch article: "Symphony musicians offer to giv e up $500,000 in salaries" (5/20)
> Columbus Business First: "Symphony musicians propose 7% salary cut to save season" (5/20)
> WOSU News clip (audio & text): "Columbus Symphony musicians make budget proposal hoping to save Orchestra" (5/20)
> ABC 6 Newsvideo: "Save the Symphony" (5/20)

Columbus Symphony Musicians Announce Press Release

CENTRAL OHIO FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS

1585 BETHEL RD., SUITE 100-COLUMBUS, OHIO 43220-2010 – PHONE: (614) 457-6371 – FAX: 457-6372

Douglas J. Fisher LOCAL 103 A.F. OF M.

President Chartered Jan. 1, 1900

Vaughn F. Wiester

Secretary-Treasurer

Michael Buccicone

Vice-President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 19, 2008

Columbus Symphony Musicians to Present Financial Plan and Make Offer to Resume Talks with the Board and Management

The Musicians of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra invite the media to attend a press conference on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 1:30PM in the Olentangy and Buckeye Conference Room on the first floor of the Hilton Garden Inn located at 3232 Olentangy River Road in Columbus.

At that time Musician representatives will present and distribute copies of a new Financial Plan which will allow the orchestra to continue operations within the budget limitations established by the board and corporate leadership. The Musicians will also announce their willingness to resume talks with the board and management to discuss the new Financial Plan. Details will be announced at the press conference.

Also speaking will be Mr. Bruce Ridge, Chair of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM), an organization which represents the top 50 orchestras in the United States www.icsom.org who will provide a national perspective of the present situation and discuss the economic benefits of maintaining a high quality symphony orchestra in central Ohio.

Mr. Daniel LaMacchia, a certified financial planner with Wachovia Securities, will also present and distribute an independent report of the Orchestra’s recent financial history.

For further information please contact Douglas Fisher at 614-783-3684 or Jim Akins at 614-361-1481. Also, please visit www.symphonymusicians.com, the official website of the CSO Musicians for additional information.

News updates

News updates below:

> New York Times article: "An Orchestra's Woes" (5/19)
> Minnesota Public Radio's classical music weblog: "A Tale of Two Orchestras" (5/18)
> Abu Bratsche article: "The answer to the problems of the orchestra industry" (5/18)
> Columbus Dispatch feature: "Preparation, providence lie behind opening note" (5/17)
> Columbus Dispatch article: "Waiting for an encore" (5/17)

Loss of funding

A sad article was printed today...

> Columbus Dispatch article: "Arts council plans to skip symphony" (5/16)

A LOT of updates!

There have been many, many articles and clips about the CSO recently. My apologies for not posting them sooner.

SymphonySTRONG
CSO Principal Clarinetist, David Thomas, runs a blog here with many, many interesting articles.

News Items:

> Columbus Dispatch article: "Public Efforts springing up to aid symphony" (5/15)
> Abu Bratsche article: "Why?" (5/15)
> Unscripted | The Charleston City Paper article: " **** the Board of Directors" (5/15) [Warning: Adult language contained in this article]
> Adaptistration article: "Columbus Around the Blogosphere" (5/15)
> Abu Bratsche article: "Symphonicide" (5/13)
> Columbus Dispatch Editorial: "'Stimulate' orchestra out of financial rut" (5/14)
> Adaptistration article: "Columbus' Smoking Gun" (5/13)
> The Cincinnati Enquirer article: "Columbus news troubles orchestra officials" (5/12)
> Adaptistration Article: "It's the Board, Stupid" (5/12)
> Columbus Dispatch Editorial: "Columbus Symphony can't survive unless musicians agree to live within its means" (5/11)
> New York Times Article: "Columbus Orchestra May Suspend Activities" (5/10)
> Columbus Dispatch Article: "Symphony musicians, board aren't giving up yet" (5/10)
> Columbus Dispatch Article: "Sales strong for season's end" (5/10)
> Columbus Dispatch Article: "String Theory: Yo-Yo Ma..." (5/10)
> Adaptistration article: "Columbus Board Prepares To Throw In The Towel" (5/9)
> WOSU Radio: "Columbus Symphony suspends summer operations" (5/8)
> Columbus Dispatch Article: "Symphony will shut down for summer with future in doubt" (5/8)
> Official CSO Board press release announcing CSO shutdown effective June 1, 2008

Remember! May 5: Michael Davis Memorial Concert

Please remember to attend the Memorial Concert for longtime CSO concertmaster and friend of the Orchestra, Michael Davis.

The concert is being held in the Ohio State University School of Music Weigel Hall at 8pm tomorrow, Monday, May 5.

Feature by the Dispatch on a True Supporter of the CSO

Truly an inspiring person.

Columbus Dispatch Article: "Angel in the wings" (5/3)

News updates for this week

Here are the news articles and sound bytes for the past week or so!

> The Other Paper Article: "Playing for Posterity" (5/1)
> WOSU NPR News: "Despite Season Saving Gift, CSO & Musicians Far Apart" (4/29)
> WOSU "Arts Unscripted": Christopher Purdy and Barbara Zuck discuss the CSO (5/1)
> Adaptistration Article: "Columbus Season to Continue Unabated" (4/29)
> The OSU Lantern Article: "Cutbacks at Columbus Orchestra hurt OSU" (4/29)
> Columbus Dispatch Article: "Gift lets symphony finish season, but after that ..." (4/29)
> Columbus Dispatch Article: "Gift will keep symphony afloat" (4/28)
> Adaptistration Article: "Columbus Board Responds to Ratification Vote" (4/28)
> Columbus Dispatch Article: "Contract Rejection May Stop the Music" (4/26)
> WOSU Radio: "Musicians Reject CSO's "Final Offer"" (4/25)
> Columbus Dispatch Article: "Orchestra musicians reject contract offer" (4/25)