Unfortunately for our community, The musicians of Spokane Symphony have been asked to take a pay cut of roughly 12%. This means that each working musician is put at risk of socioeconomic downfall. 12 Ph.D music professors from Whitworth University seek refuge in the security of the Symphony. What ever an artist has to do to make life work while still following his or her passion will be done- even if it means weekends that are filled up. The Spokane Symphony musicians have been on strike to repeal the pay cut.
All of this means that each and every musician from the Symphony have not been getting paid at all. A 100% pay cut has taken place. One thing that remains loyal to the cause, however, are the fans. To make up for lost time, the musicians of the Spokane Symphony threw a series of two benefit concerts for the public to attend. Donations were accepted but the seats were free. The first concert was held at Shadle Park High School. As a witness to the event, I can tell you that the community is 110% behind the musicians. The auditorium was full with standing room only. The event coordinators decided to bring chairs up onto the stage where people could sit. People sat on the stage too. And still, people of all ages lined the auditorium with eager ears to hear Beethoven's 5th Symphony. An estimated 200 people were turned away at the door. I gave my seat up, half way through, in order to let some others off of their feet. As I made my way out of the auditorium, I came upon 50 more people who decided to stay outside the auditorium, if not to just hear the echoes of the beautiful sound.
What was shown in Spokane on that night was a testament addressed to the musicians of the Spokane symphony: "We will not let you down." Supporters of the fine arts are all in the same boat. if 50 musicians cannot play, hundreds of people loose their saturday night plans. Hundreds of people are turned away at the Fox when the Art of Mozart and Beethoven is just behind those doors. A sense of history is at risk of being lost, and i'm not talking about the last 67 years. Art that is appreciated for centuries, such as Mozart's, is done so because it is worth it. Etudes, Sonatas, Symphonies, and many other musical forms could be left in the past. The music played that night was an example of the vast musical forms that we should keep alive as long as we are alive. Though I find Beethoven's 5th to be quite impressive, it wasn't about Beethoven, it was about musicians of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, impressionistic, expressionistic, and 20th century. Spokane Symphony is the tool we use as spectators to look back in time and feel what millions of people felt. Such a concept cannot be priced. This was a worthy demonstration of how important the arts in general are to our culture, and ultimately for our world.
I'm so glad that the benefit concerts were so well attended. When I heard them play Beethoven's 6th last fall, the Fox was full, but not exactly overflowing. Symphony organizations really rule the lives of their musicians, who work so much on top of their role in the symphony by teaching students individually or in group classes elsewhere; and their pay is comparable to that of a Target employee. I agree that a sense of history is at risk of being lost - but it is all the more refreshing that Spokane supported its symphony (which is really, really wonderful to see) so loudly and strongly. Thanks for the picture of protesters, too.
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