Recent Comments
Re: “The next act for the RPO”
Peter Maurer
You ask, "Should the input of over a thousand patrons and members be ignored, in addition to multiple musicians who feel Remmereit acted appropriately?" . Your question raises several questions in turn.
For example, what do you mean by, "Remmereit acted appropriately"? In what regard ? It's reported that the maestro cleaned out his office and cleared out of the RPO even before the board voted to truncate his contract in November, and that he subsequently refused to show up for meetings, rehearsals, planning sessions, etc. . Is this the "appropriate" behavior to which you refer?
In addition, what is this "input of over a thousand patrons and members" you are citing? If you're looking for the vox populi, we know of two Democrat & Chronicle polls which yielded the following results:
1) Should the RPO have fired music director Arild Remmereit? (2,504 votes)
a) Agree. He didn’t do the work, shouldn’t get paid - 55%
b) Unfair. He was forced out. - 26%
c) Too bad they couldn’t work something out. - 12%
d) Unsure - 6%
2) Should Rochester Philharmonic CEO Charles Owens be fired? (2,488 votes)
a) No, the RPO needs some stability now - 55%
b) Give him six more months to see if he can turn things around - 18%
c) Yes, it should have happened long ago - 15%
d) I’m tired of all the drama surrounding this orchestra - 10%
Were the views of your "over a thousand of patrons and members" obtained in a more scientific manner and with greater specificity as to what THEY believed?
Re: “The next act for the RPO”
Ms. Towler:
If you take a tour of the other internet and media sites in which this issue is being discussed (at least the ones not controlled and censored by Remmereit supporters) I believe you'll find that this allegation of a "climate of fear" among RPO musicians has been thoroughly discredited.
For example, on the "Slipped Disc" website a gentlemen who has far more knowledge of this question than any of us in the public and even more than the vast majority of the RPO itself, having been an RPO musician for almost 30 years and having worked directly with Owens, the board and the maestro over the past two years, posted just this morning that:
"I would also like to debunk the “climate of fear” I keep reading about in this discussion thread, and others, which is used as an explanation about why more RPO musicians aren’t speaking out in support of Mr Remmereit. Some even claim they fear for their jobs. First, we, as musicians in the RPO, have a union contract, and a tenure process. .... I have been a member of the RPO for 27 years, and in that time not one musician has been fired. I have witnessed some of my colleagues try valiantly to be fired with all sorts of fantastic behaviors, but so far during my tenure none have been successful. So I very much call into question the reality of such a position. I would even say that I believe that it is virtually impossible for a musician to be fired from the RPO."
For myself I have asked those who claim the existence of intimidation, harassment or even ugly scowls from Owens, Rice, the board or the RPO administration to step up and provide their proofs. So far the only response has been a deafening silence.
The above being said, the one action of the board which does seem to exude an unpleasant aroma is the timing of the November truncating of Remmereit’s contract. While there is nothing undemocratic in the fact that nominations for January board seat elections must be submitted by the end of October, if Owens, Rice or any other board member knew BEFORE the October deadline that the November action against Remmereit was going to take place then they should have found a way consistent with the RPO’s bylaws that the inevitable opponents to their move would have the ability to compile a slate of candidates. By this means the January election would have been a fair fight and would not have had the appearance of a put up job.
Re: “RPO drama #2”
(With apologies to Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Jule Styne)
The party's over
It's time to call it a day
No matter how you pretend
You knew it would end this way
Now you must wake up
All dreams must end
Take off your make-up
The party's over
It's all over my friend
Re: “RPO drama #2”
(With apologies to Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Jule Styne)
The party's over
It's time to call it a day
No matter how you pretend
You knew it would end this way
Now you must wake up
All dreams must end
Take off your make-up
The party's over
It's all over my friend
Re: “Duffy's smackdown of Warren defies history”
Why the surprise over ex-Republican Bobby's horning into the unfolding of the next mayoral election? After all he hand-picked non-Democrat Tommy to be his Jr. Ass't Mayor and heir apparent. and to have done other than vocally re-endorse him would be interpreted (correctly) as an admission that he made a mistake in backing Tommy in the first place.
Kind of like expecting that Barack will support anyone other than VP Joe for the 2016 nomination.
Re: “PETA bringing campus tour to UR”
I take it we're supposed to guess the date of this event since it wasn't mentioned in the article?