Plans call for The Music Man concerts to be rescheduled
Jacksonville, Fla. – Nov. 13, 2007 – The Jacksonville Symphony Association announces the cancellation of five (5) performances of The Music Man prompted by an impasse in union contract negotiations. The concerts were scheduled to occur November 15, 16 and 17. These performances have been rescheduled for May 29, 30 and 31, 2008. At this time, no concerts after November 20 have been cancelled.
The Jacksonville Symphony Association and the Musicians’ Union have been meeting since the beginning of September to negotiate terms of a new contact. The Orchestra’s previous contract expired August 31, 2007. “The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra is an integral part of the cultural fabric of this community, and we must take the necessary steps to preserve it for the future,” said Jacksonville Orchestra Executive Director Alan Hopper. “Because the JSA has experienced several operating deficits in past years, we are implementing a proactive plan for future financial stability. We are working to reach a responsible settlement that ensures the financial stability of your Orchestra for the future. The contract with the Musicians’ Union must reflect the Association’s and the community’s current economic realities. Recent local government funding cuts have redefined our funding landscape on many levels. In response, we have developed an aggressive plan that relies on robust donor commitments and reductions in many parts of the budget. We have identified extraordinary donor commitments, many of which are contingent on a new union contract. The Jacksonville Symphony Association is committed to achieving financial stability to sustain operations and continue serving the community with wonderful concerts and community experiences.”
The Symphony Association is asking Music Man ticket holders to retain their tickets until operations resume. A letter outlining options is being mailed to all Music Man ticket holders, who will be notified in writing of the rescheduled performances.
Patrons can receive the latest information on performance cancellations via the Symphony’s ticket holder hotline (904) 354-5547 or jaxsymphony.org.
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