Talks between Phil, musicians at standstill
COREY MCMAKEN | The Journal Gazette
After months of suspended concerts, musician furloughs and several labor charges, contract talks between Fort Wayne Philharmonic and its players continue to idle.
Musicians say they are being asked to abandon a collective bargaining agreement that has been decades in the making in favor of changes that will gut the orchestra. The Philharmonic says it needs to take steps to reduce its budget moving forward, including a reduction in the number of full-time player positions.
“Ensuring a financially sustainable future requires adjusting the business structure so the Philharmonic can live within its means,” the organization says in an email provided to The Journal Gazette by director of marketing and public relations Emily Shannon after a request for a phone interview with management was declined.
Facing the music
Campbell MacDonald
“Music accompanies the stories of our past, the pages we write in the present, and the dreams we have for the future.”
I contributed these words to a commemorative program book in early 2019, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. They reflect a passion and ethos shared by every musician in our orchestra: a duty to serve our community, while nurturing and growing our region s storied musical legacy.
Just two years later, this legacy is at risk. Philharmonic leadership has taken a destructive negotiating position that would degrade our city s orchestra and force musicians to leave Fort Wayne to seek careers elsewhere.