Symphony's Alsop could show CEOs how to lead
Good piece by the Sun's Tim Smith Monday on how the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is keeping afloat through tough times, unlike some other area arts organizations. The group is solvent, active and excelling. And here's how they did it: For the recession everybody gave up something significant to cut the BSO's annual expenses by almost $4 million, or 13 percent.
Musicians took furloughs and pay cuts that came to a 12.5 percent reduction in compensation. Administrative folks took pay cuts of up to 15 percent. But none of this would have worked if music director Marin Alsop hadn't also sacrificed. She had already donated $100,000 to start the BSO's OrchKids educational program, Smith reports. Recently she kicked in another $50,000 as part of a program in which the community would contribute funds proportional with concessions made by the orchestra.
True, she can afford it. For the fiscal year that ended a year ago, BSO paid her more than $700,000 in salary, benefits and artist fees, records filed by the BSO with the IRS show. But donations of $150,000 still represent a substantial dent in her net compensation and substantial resources redirected to the orchestra and the organization. And Alsop, truth to tell, was underpaid. The Philadelphia Orchestra needs a new music director, and I can't imagine they didn't highly consider Alsop before she re-upped with the BSO this year. The Philadelphia Orchestra's previous maestro, Christoph Eschenbach, was pulling down almost $1.6 million a year, IRS filings show.
Doubt Alsop will make that much in her new contract, although she probably got a raise. By sticking with Baltimore and an orchestra she helped build and by giving back substantial dough in tough times, she showed that it really is the art and not the money that matters in the last analysis. That kind of example from the top is a lesson corporate CEOs could profit from. And the whole scenario of shared sacrifice ought to make donors and patrons confident that their money is being spent wisely.
Comments
Marin is an incredible conductor and businesswoman. I had the privilege of singing for her in an ensemble in Colorado, and she was one of the best conductors I've ever worked with. She is incredibly well-regarded in many parts of the classical community, and to think that BSO members were initially in a snit about her hiring shocked me. Kudos to the entire orchestra organization, though, for providing a good example of how to effectively make sacrifices without sacrificing their integrity as an ensemble. Thank you, Jay, for recognizing a true leader.
Posted by: Laura | September 22, 2009 8:31 AM
What isn't being mentioned at all is Alsop's actual musical responsibility, and truth be told, she is a mediocre musician and conductor at best. To call someone "underpaid " while she makes over 700k in compensation for perhaps 10 weeks of conducting per year is laughable.
She certainly has political and business acumen, but her conducting abilities are not at the level one might expect from an institution like the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
Posted by: dora | September 26, 2009 9:37 AM
I second Ms. Alsop's musical mediocrity. While the BSO might have suffered more with the recession with her, she hasn't brought a single ounce of artistic interest to the stage and the audiences have been much smaller than they were with Mr. Temirkanov and Mr. Zinman. Ms. Alsop will prove to be impressive when she starts filling seats. Until then, I think that she is all hype. Her interpretations of modern music really haven't brought much to the community. It's too bad, I thought that she would bring some excitement, but instead she has made me wish to shy away from what should be an incredible orchestra.
Posted by: Steven Serler | October 2, 2009 9:21 PM