“In a passionate and historic appearance, the music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra—Riccardo Muti—joined his striking colleagues at the picket line in front of Symphony Center on Tuesday morning,” writes Howard Reich in Wednesday’s (3/13) Chicago Tribune. “The maestro, who last week issued a statement saying ‘I am with the musicians,’ made good on those words by appearing at a press in conference called by the CSO players, who announced their strike on Sunday evening…. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association announced that all CSOA-presented concerts from Thursday through Saturday are canceled…. Muti is in town to conduct this week’s CSO concerts … But they were preempted by a strike being fought primarily over the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association’s proposal to restructure the musicians’ pension and a dispute over salaries…. ‘I am here with my musicians,’ said the conductor. ‘Some people, they want to read my position with the musicians as against the board. This is not true. I would just like them to listen more carefully to the musicians.’… ‘I think it’s wonderful he’s here with the musicians,’ said CSO concertmaster Robert Chen. ‘Usually, when there’s a labor issue, the music director is nowhere to be found.’ ”
Posted March 13, 2019
