A couple more interesting links. The first is a ridiculous editorial that comes to the wrong conclusions with out much research. The second shows how the board and management stopped fund raising early on, giving up before the initial blow.
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/editorials/stories...4EA51KS.html?sid=101
http://www.adaptistration.com/adaptistration/2008/05/columbus-smokin.html

Good links...the first is a sad example of how little the public sector understands the business of running an orchestra. If only all the readers of the Columbus dispatch would follow up by reading the second article. It would go a long way towards educating the Columbus community, and hopefully their support of the orchestra!

In particular, I take extreme umbrage at these lines from the Dispatch - In the section about Tulsa's orchestra.

"The orchestra bills itself as the first in the country consisting of self-governing "executive musicians." Four serve on the 23-member board of directors -- akin to having factory workers on a corporate board of directors."

I, too, wish the Columbus musicians only the best.
A valid point was made earlier in this thread that if they did take the hefty pay cut then who is next? Maybe we all owe these corageous musicians a debt of gratitude for standing firm
against mansgement.
Another disturbing thought that affects all of
us is that a "rock star," male or female, could come to town and make more money in one night than the budget for the orchestra.
Good luck Columbus musicians, we wish you only the best.

I tried to link directly to the Charleston City paper blog on the Columbus situation, but since there is the *F* word in the title, it can't be used on this forum. SOOOOO, go to the link below, and click from there the 6th bullet down. It is John Stoehr, music critic, blog.
http://www.adaptistration.com/adaptistration/2008/05/columbus-around.html#more

Enjoy! Says it all IMO