columbus recording its own memorial

Sad, but true:

Douglas Fisher
Member, Columbus Symphony Orchestra
President, Local 103, AFM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 26, 2008

Columbus Symphony Musicians Vote To Allow Live
Recording

Next week’s Columbus Symphony Orchestra program will be recorded live for the international recording company Denon, which will release it on compact disc. At the personal request of Music Director Junichi Hirokami, the Musicians voted to allow this recording under a new national recording agreement which allows live recordings to be produced for a tenth of what a normal studio recording of the same program would cost.

“Although the Musicians will be paid far less than usual for this recording, we want to memorialize the artistic summit achieved by the CSO, which has taken decades to reach, before it may be destroyed next season by controlling members of the CSO Board and Executive Director Tony Beadle, who are publicly advocating the firing of 22 Musicians at the end of this summer”, said Douglas Fisher, a member of the orchestra and President of the Central Ohio Federation of Musicians, the Musician’s Union.

Most of the recording expenses will be personally underwritten by former CSO Board Chair Gene D’Angelo. “We are most grateful to Gene for his long standing support of the CSO”, said Jim Akins, Chair of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra Committee, which represents the Musicians. “Gene personifies the high degree of passion and commitment for the orchestra that the present leadership lacks, and which is so desperately needed.”

The CSO will record Symphony No. 5 and the Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture by Peter Tchaikovsky for the Denon release. George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue will also be recorded for possible release in the future.

For further information please contact Douglas Fisher at 614-783-3684 or Jim Akins at 614-361-1481. Also, please visit www.symphonymusicians.com, the official website of the CSO Musicians.