President Lee Letter on Shreveport Symphony Orchestra

April 8, 2008

Shreveport Times

Shrevport, LA

Dear Editor:

On behalf of the tens of thousands of members of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada, I am writing to express my support for the talented and dedicated musicians of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra. It is a great disappointment that these terrific musicians are in a situation where their ability to earn a suitable living is threatened by the orchestra’s management. If implemented, the proposal to significantly cut the musicians’ salaries will negatively impact both the orchestra and the community. It is no secret, as evidenced by mountains of data, that a healthy performing arts community provides immediate tangible benefits to a city’s prosperity. It attracts families and businesses and develops a sense of pride and community.

A decision to slash the wages of orchestra musicians is the ultimate blow to the growth of an orchestra. It creates a barrier to effective recruitment of talent in the future, demoralizes the remaining musicians, and weakens the spending power of those musicians. Keep in mind that these musicians are highly trained and highly educated artists. They have spent decades of countless hours a day perfecting their craft. To treat them with such disregard is unconscionable.

I strongly encourage the orchestra management to rethink its proposal and ask that the community and supporters of the arts join the AFM in supporting these fine musicians.

Sincerely,

Thomas F. Lee

President

AFM