The musicians of the San Francisco Symphony will present a solidarity concert in support of the locked out musicians of the Minnesota and St. Paul Chamber Orchestras at 7 p.m. April 29, in St. Ignatius Church, Parker at Fulton.
SFS principal bassoonist Stephen Paulson conducts the program, which includes Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, Holst's St. Paul’s Suite, and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5.
Tickets — $15 to $100 — are available from musiciansofsfs.brownpapertickets.com or by calling (800) 838-3006. Funds raised will go to the musicians of the Twin Cities orchestras, some of whom will participate in the concert.
Cathy Payne, a member of the SFS Musicians' Negotiating Committee (who had expressed dissatisfaction with the new San Francisco contract when it was announced on April 12), said:
While we have a new contract, these world-class musicians in Minnesota have been locked out nearly seven months. This season, many orchestras have faced lockouts, strikes, and devastating cuts in personnel, wages and benefits.It is important that we remain in solidarity with other musicians and support their efforts to maintain world-class music in Minnesota.
Tim Zavadil, chair of the Minnesota Orchestra Negotiating Committee, said:
The Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra are deeply grateful for the support of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra musicians, as well as all of our colleagues throughout the country, for the support they have shown us during our continuing seven-month management-imposed lockout.Furthermore, we congratulate the entire San Francisco Symphony on achieving an agreement that continues to invest in the artists that create the music.