ELLA ABBOTT / WBOI
Fort Wayne Philharmonic Musicians held a rally with supporters to ‘restore the music’ on the Allen County Courthouse Green on Saturday, another protest of management’s treatment of musicians over the past year.
Several speakers from both around the community and the country came to show support for the musicians, decrying management’s use of the pandemic to furlough musicians.
Ray Hair is the International President of the American Federation of Musicians. He pointed to orchestras in Columbus, Ohio and Chicago where management worked with musicians to keep working during the pandemic.
“The majority of American symphonic institutions saw their obligations to their communities to sustain their orchestras and continue to care for musicians while the pandemic raged and ravaged all of our lives,” Hair said.
Photos by Michelle Davies | The Journal Gazette
Musicians with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic play at Saturday s “May Day Rally to Restore Music.” The musicians fear the Philharmonic will shrink the season when a new contract is negotiated with the Philharmonic Players Association, the musicians labor union.
Michelle Davies | The Journal Gazette
Andrew Lott, a musician with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, played his trumpet at Saturday s May Day Rally to Restore Music held by Musicians of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.
Michelle Davies | The Journal Gazette
Ray Hair, International President of the American Federation of Musicians, was the Keynote Speaker at Saturday s May Day Rally to Restore Music held by Musicians of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.
Verbatim: Philharmonic musicians plan May 1 rally
Musicians of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic issued the following Thursday, April 29, 2021 –
Musicians of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic have announced the lineup of guest speakers for their May Day Rally to Restore Music scheduled for 1 PM Saturday, May 1, 2021 at the Allen County Courthouse Green in downtown Fort Wayne.
Ray Hair, International President of the American Federation of Musicians, will be the Keynote Speaker.
Additional guest speakers include Christopher Guerin, Fort Wayne Philharmonic CEO, 1985-2005; The Reverend Dr. Fred Hasecke, Pastor Emeritus, Trinity English Lutheran Church; Fort Wayne City Councilwoman Sharon Tucker; John Michael Smith, President, Regional Orchestra Players Association (ROPA); and Paul Austin, President, International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM).
He apologised for losing my cool but insisted he was right.
However he has since been isolated as his main allies on the council have not attended meetings after they were accused of acting disgracefully,. towards Mrs Weaver.
Mr Tolver, 74, announced his resignation at the latest council meeting in Handforth, Cheshire.
He said: I am intending to resign as chairman of the council. I intend to resign as chair at the end of this meeting.
Parish clerk Jackie Weaver during a meeting of Handforth Parish Council which become an unlikely internet sensation after it descended into chaos
Mr Tolver, 74, (pictured) announced his resignation at the latest council meeting in Handforth, Cheshire
A parish council that went viral after a Zoom meeting descended into chaos could soon be abolished, it emerged today.
A clip of a Handforth Parish Council meeting in which numerous insults were thrown around and members were kicked out went viral earlier this month.
Jackie Weaver, the acting clerk, shot to fame after chairman Brian Tolver said she had no authority at all and ordered her to stop talking .
But Handforth Parish Council could soon disappear if an ongoing boundary review sees Handforth merge with nearby Wilmslow council.
A source close to the council told MailOnline they fully supported the merge because the authority was unworkable in its current form .