♪
♪ ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ >> SYMPHONY IS OFTEN LOOKED AT
AS A CULTURAL JEWEL OF ANY
CITY. BUT IN SAN ANTONIO, THE
SYMPHONY IS SILENT AND THE
MUSICIANS ON STRIKE. I HAVEN’T
HAD A PAYCHECK OR INSURANCE
FROM THE SYMPHONY.
>> SINCE SEPTEMBER.
>> LOW RISK ALSO HAS PLAYED
WITH THE SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY
FOR 10 SEASONS. AND I SPENT MY
WHOLE LIFE.
PREPARING TO DO THIS JOB.
BUT ON SEPTEMBER 27TH 2021
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS STRUCK
YET ANOTHER WRONG COURT.
IT WAS AN EASY DECISION TO GO
ON STRIKE. THEY’RE PLANNING
TO ESSENTIALLY FIRE 30 OF US
AND REHIRE THOSE PEOPLE BACK
AS PART-TIME WORKERS. I’M ONE
OF THOSE PEOPLE.
THAT’S NO LONGER AN ORCHESTRA
LIKE HER FELLOW MUSICIANS, LARS
BEEN MAKING ENDS MEET BY
TEACHING MORE. YOU NAME A
SCHOOL IN THIS TOWN. I’VE BEEN
THERE GIVING A COATING AND
TRAVELING TO PERFORM.
I PLAYED WEEK WITH CHARLOTTE
SYMPHONY.
>> I HAVE.
>> 2 OR 3 WEEKS WITHOUT OPERA.
JUST TRYING TO COBBLE TOGETHER
ENOUGH TO MAKE A LIVING.
AND IT’S, YOU KNOW, IT’S IT’S
TIGHT. THE PLAYERS HERE ARE
THE SYMPHONY SOCIETY OF SAN
ANTONIO REPRESENTED BY THE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND
MANAGEMENT. THAT’S BEEN REALLY
>> CHALLENGING AND STRESSFUL
AND
DIFFICULT TIME AND THE YOU GET
THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF
MUSICIANS NEGOTIATING ON ITS
BEHALF ARE UNION
REPRESENTATIVES AND A SELECT
GROUP OF SYMPHONY MUSICIANS.
THE 2 GROUPS NEGOTIATE A
CONTRACT EVERY FEW YEARS, BUT
THEIR MOST RECENT DEAL WAS
DIFFERENT.
>> IT ALLOWED FOR THE 3RD YEAR
OF A THREE-YEAR CONTRACT TO
BE REOPENED FOR NEGOTIATION
BECAUSE OF PANDEMIC
UNCERTAINTY. DURING THAT
NEGOTIATION, THE SYMPHONY
SOCIETY MADE A LAST BEST AND
FINAL OFFER. SEPTEMBER 13TH
THAT OFFER WOULD CUT THE NUMBER
OF FULL-TIME SYMPHONY MUSICIANS
FROM 72 TO 42 DECREASE THE
SYMPHONY, SEASONED LENGTH FROM
31 WEEKS TO 26 WEEKS AND SLASH
THE SALARIES OF MUSICIANS FROM
ROUGHLY $36,000. A YEAR TO
24,000. THAT’S AFTER SOME
MUSICIANS SAW AN 80% PAY CUT IN
2020. IT WAS A COMBINATION OF
PANDEMIC-RELATED FURLOUGHS AND
LIMITS ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
WHO COULD PERFORM TOGETHER ON
STAGE. ALSO WITH THAT LAST BEST
FINAL OFFER, SOME MUSICIANS
WOULD BE HIRED AS PART-TIME
AND PAID $11,000 A YEAR.
AND THEY’RE PROPOSING, OKAY.
WELL, THAT’S WHEN THE 11,000
PEOPLE THAT THE AND THE BT WILL
COME IN AND FILL US OUT.
>> WE’LL HIRE SUBS. WE’RE NOT
GOING TO BE HERE. WE’RE NOT
GOING TO STICK AROUND FOR A IT
WASN’T A PROFESSIONAL
ORCHESTRA. IT WOULD DESTROY THE
SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY. WE COULD
NOT BE.
>> PART OF OUR
OWN DESTRUCTION.
>> QUICK INTERMISSION HERE.
MAYBE SYMPHONIES AREN’T YOUR
THING. MAYBE YOU’RE WONDERING
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE WHEN PEOPLE
GO TO ANY PERFORMANCE. THEY
OFTEN SPEND MONEY SOMEWHERE
ELSE LIKE IN A RESTAURANT OR
PARKING THEIR CAR OR GOING OUT
FOR DRINKS. WHEN COMPANIES LOOK
TO EXPAND TO A CITY, THEY
FACTOR IN THE LOCAL ART SCENE
IN THEIR DECISION. THE ARTS ARE
CONNECTED TO THE ECONOMY.
PLUS, IT’S JUST SOMETHING THAT
BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER. OKAY.
NOW LET’S GET BACK TO THE SHOW.
♪
>> MARY ELLEN GOREE HAS PLAYED
WITH THE SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY
SINCE 1988. SHE’S PART OF THE
NEGOTIATING TEAM FOR THE U GIFT
AND HER FELLOW MUSICIANS.
IT’S NOT JUST THAT WE WON’T
AGREE. WE CANNOT AGREE TO
SOMETHING THAT DESTROYS THE
ORCHESTRA. YOU CANNOT CUT THE
PRODUCT. AND WHEN YOU HAVE A
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, THE PRODUCT
IS THE ORCHESTRA. THE PRODUCT
IS THE MUSICIANS. EVERY
BUSINESS OWNER KNOWS THAT.
WHEN YOU START CUTTING YOUR
PRODUCT, YOU START ON A SPIRAL
DOWNWARD THE UNION AND
MUSICIANS ARGUE THAT THESE CUTS
WILL DRIVE AWAY TALENT AND MAKE
ANY NEW PERFORM. FIRST
RELUCTANT TO AUDITION. HOW DO
WE?
>> COME BACK ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THIS.
>> AND NOT CONTINUE TO LIVE
BEYOND OUR MEANS, WHICH WHICH
IS WHAT WE’VE AS AN
ORGANIZATION THAT WE AS WHAT
WE HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST
10, 20 YEARS, WELL DOCUMENTED
AND COREY COWART HAS BEEN THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SAN
ANTONIO SYMPHONY SINCE 2019.
HE SAYS TO UNDERSTAND THE CUTS
PROPOSED FOR THE ORCHESTRA’S
FUTURE, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND
IT’S PAST MY.
>> THE FIRST DAY, THE FIRST
WEEK ON THE JOB
>> REALIZE THAT WE HAD ABOUT
$275,000 OF CASH THAT WE HAD
AVAILABLE TO US. AND THEN 10
DAYS LATER, WE HAD TO MAKE OUR
FIRST ARE LIKE MY TO MAKE MY
FIRST PAYROLL. AND THAT WAS
$180,000 THAT, WELL, IT WAS
AN ORGANIZATION GOING PAYCHECK
PICTURE. THE SYMPHONY IS A
NONPROFIT GETS FUNDING IN 3
WAYS FROM EARNED REVENUE.
THAT’S THINGS LIKE TICKET SALES
OR BEING PAID TO PERFORM FOR
OTHER GROUPS LIKE AN OPERA OR
ABOUT LATE.
>> CONTRIBUTED REVENUE. THAT’S
DONATIONS, GRANTS OR PUBLIC
FUNDING. FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY
OF SAN ANTONIO HAS GIVEN
ROUGHLY 2.7 BILLION DOLLARS TO
THE SYMPHONY OVER THE LAST 6
YEARS. THEN THERE’S INVESTMENT
INCOME LIKE AN ENDOWMENT, A
DONOR OFTEN IN THE FORM OF A
TRUST OR A PRIVATE FOUNDATION
MAKES A LARGE CONTRIBUTION AND
THE RECIPIENT GETS TO USE THE
MONEY MADE OFF OF INTEREST FROM
THAT DONATION. TODAY, THE SAN
ANTONIO SYMPHONY HAS A 2.2
MILLION DOLLAR ENDOWMENT AND AN
OVERALL BUDGET OF ROUGHLY
5 MILLION DOLLARS. WE TOOK A
LOOK AT OTHER SYMPHONIES ACROSS
TEXAS. THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY HAS
AN ENDOWMENT CAMPAIGN UNDERWAY
TRYING TO GROW THAT FUND FROM
70 MILLION DOLLARS.
>> TO 100 MILLION BY THE END OF
THIS YEAR, AN AUDIT SHOWS THE
ORGANIZATION ALSO HAD NEARLY
28 BILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE
IN 2021, A QUICK LOOK AT THE
DALLAS SYMPHONY WEBSITE SHOWS
CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH
BIG NAMES LIKE TOYOTA AND
AMERICAN AIRLINES OUTSIDE OF
TEXAS IN NASHVILLE, FOR
EXAMPLE, THAT’S A CITY SIMILAR
IN MARKET SIZE TO SAN ANTONIO
SYMPHONY. THERE ROUGHLY
11 MILLION DOLLAR ENDOWMENT
AND SEVERAL CORPORATE SPONSORS
BACK HERE AT HOME. FROST BANK
IS A CORPORATE SPONSOR OF THE
SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY, BUT
GETTING OTHERS SAYS SYMPHONY
MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING
BECAUSE OF A HISTORY OF SHAKY
FINANCES GOING BACK DECADES.
>> THE SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY
DECLARED BANKRUPTCY DURING ITS
2003, 2004 SEASON DURING THE
2018, 2019 SEASON. THE SYMPHONY
HAD ROUGHLY 5 MILLION DOLLARS
IN REVENUE. BUT 8 MILLION
DOLLARS IN EXPENSES OVER AND
OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
>> THE MUSICIANS HAVE BEEN
ASKED TO GIVE UP THINGS TO GIVE
UP SALARY TO GIVE A WEAK
SUPPORT, TO GIVE UP BENEFITS,
TO A PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS.
AND AND ALWAYS WITH THE PROMISE
THAT IF WE JUST HELP THEM GET
THEIR HOUSE IN ORDER, THINGS
WILL BE BETTER GOING FORWARD.
WE HAVE A KIND OF A GOING
CONCERN. DISCLOSURE ON OUR ON
IT, WHICH MEANS THAT OUR
INDEPENDENT OUTSIDE AUDITORS.
>> THINKS THAT THERE’S A
REASONABLE CHANCE THAT WE
WOULDN’T BE IN BUSINESS WHEN
THEY COME BACK TO HAUNT US
AGAIN IN A YEAR. THE SYMPHONY
BOARD ARGUES THAT THE PROPOSED
CUTS ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION
TO ADDRESSING POOR FINANCIAL
MANAGEMENT THAT’S BEEN
NEGLECTED YEAR AFTER YEAR.
BUT THE MUSICIANS WE TALKED
TO WONDER WHY FUNDRAISING ISN’T
THE ANSWER. WE JUST ARE
CONSTANTLY TOLD. IT’S NOT YOUR
TIME. YOU KNOW, DON’T
FUNDRAISER THAT IT’S NOT YOUR
TIME. YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR.
>> SOLID FOOTING. BUT THAT
MEANS THAT HAPPENED. THAT’S
WHAT’S GOING TO GET US TO A
SOLID FOOTING. YOU WOULD BE
ADDRESSING FINANCIAL PROBLEMS
WITH FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS.
THE SYMPHONY’S MOST RECENT
AUDIT SAYS MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN
ACTIVELY SOLICITING AND
RECEIVING DONATIONS TO SUPPORT
OPERATIONS BUT ITS HISTORY OF
SHAKY FINANCES HAS CREATED
PUBLIC DISTRUST, ESPECIALLY
AMONG DONORS, SAYS COWART.
WE’RE A COMMUNITY THAT WE
>> DID NOT VALUE LIVE
ORCHESTRAL MUSIC.
THIS ORGANIZATION WOULD HAVE
BEEN GONE LONG AGO. SO I THINK
THE COMMUNITY HAS STATED THAT
WE MUST HAVE IT OR WE HAVE TO
FIGURE OUT HOW WE REBUILD THAT
TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY TOO
THOUGHTFULLY MAINTAIN AND GROW
THE ORCHESTRA OVER TOWN.
>> A FEDERAL MEDIATOR IS NOW
INVOLVED IN THE NEGOTIATIONS.
THE 2 SIDES ARE AT THE TABLE
AND THAT BOTH SIDES AGREE IS
PROGRESS. I HAVE TO HOPE THAT
THERE IS A PATH FORWARD WITH AN
AGREEMENT AT THE END. BUT THERE
ARE NO GUARANTEES IN THIS KIND
OF THING. I’M
>> CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT.
WE WILL BE BACK TO CONCERTS AND
BE BACK TO LIVING OUR MISSION
IN THE COMING MONTHS.
>> SO NOW.
WE WAIT TO SEE IF THIS STRIKE
WILL BE THE CRESCENDO OF THESE
NEGOTIATIONS. WE KNOW WHAT
WE’RE
FIGHTING FOR.
>> IS WORTH THAT SACRIFICE BOTH
IN TERMS OF OUR RIGHTS
AS WORKERS AND WHAT WE KNOW
THIS IN THE CITY DESERVES FROM
ITS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
♪
♪
♪ ♪ ♪