#812 – Dick Bernard: The Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra "Christmas Party"

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The Musicians Website: here
The “filing cabinet” for all previous posts about the Orchestra Lock-Out here.
Sunday, we attended “A Tschaikovsky Spectacular, Eiji Oue Returns with Jon Kimura Parker, piano and the Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra” at the Minneapolis Convention Center Auditorium. Here is the entire program for this marvelous event: Mn Orch Dec 15 13001
At the conclusion of the afternoon, I tried to “catch” Maestro Oue at 1/30 of a second with my camera.
Such a feat was impossible. This was the best I could do:
(click to enlarge all photos)

Maestro Oue recognizes the musicians at the conclusion of the program Dec. 15, 2013

Maestro Oue recognizes the musicians at the conclusion of the program Dec. 15, 2013


Reflecting on that poor photograph, it probably catches the exuberance of the moment and, indeed, of the concert itself.
Maestro Oue was glad to be back in Minneapolis and Minnesota, visiting from the Orchestra he currently leads, the Barcelona Symphony in Spain, and the Orchestra was in great form.
Words tend to get in the way of the feelings of yesterday afternoon.
At one point, I was remembering the first “Locked Out” concert, in the exact same auditorium of the Minneapolis Civic Center, October 18, 2012.
That date seemed so long ago and far away. Then, near 14 months ago, I think all of us thought this absurd Lock Out would quickly be resolved and the season would resume soon, but it continues, with no end in sight.
For a moment, yesterday, I thought of titling this post, “A Concert by an Orchestra in Exile”, but that isn’t accurate: the Prisoner, now, is the entire Board of the Minnesota Orchestral Association, bunkered down in their fancy, newly renovated Orchestra Hall three blocks from where we were sitting, watching their beloved Pot of Money supposedly to guarantee the unknown future.
Perhaps, I thought, the Board had, rather than locking their orchestra out, locked themselves out, the end game as yet unknown. The band plays on….
At the end of intermission, Principal Cellist and Negotiator Tony Ross, rose to give what has become a customary report on where things stand at the moment, including the schedule of programs for the winter and spring, 2014: Mn Orch Wr-Spr 2013001
He noted that attempts to reach a path of resolution are ongoing, and every day something happens, much (as he said, “thank god”,) not appearing in the media.
Towards the end of his talk Tony said that Maestro Oue had asked him to stop by his dressing room before the previous evenings concert, and, he noted, that such appointments are seldom relished by musicians, who steel themselves to be reminded of some sour note or other…like being called into the Principals office!
This time, though, the meeting was different. Maestro Oue had a gold bracelet, given to and worn by Barcelona’s own Pablo Casals over 50 years ago at a White House concert. Casals daughter had (I seem to recall) given Oue the bracelet as a gift. The Maestro, in turn, loaned the bracelet to Tony Ross for the concert: a charm for the performances. Tony brought the bracelet out of his pocket for all of us to see. It was a magic, totally unexpected, moment, in a magic afternoon.
I wondered, as I have wondered before, where the exalted Orchestra Board would be now if they had decided, some years ago, to have intermission visits with we in the audience about their supposed financial plight, rather than doing their best to keep their real plans a secret from us in those crucial recent years.
But this would presume that they had an interest in saving their world-class orchestra, rather than replacing it with unknown fancies of their privileged imaginations.
The last chapter of this conflict is not yet written, and I am hoping that Tony’s suggestion that there are back-channel and serious talks going on between Orchestra negotiators and the Board is not a fantasy of mine. As witnessed by upcoming programs, the titans of the music world are wanting to come here, and perform with the Locked Out Musicians.
We have a treasure worth keeping; and these Orchestra members who are now doing double and triple duty, only one part of which is making beautiful music, are to be commended.
Play on!
And, audience members, contribute and support in all the many ways that you can, the restoration of this beloved Orchestra as an icon of this community.
Maestro Oue caught at a reasonably quiet instant at the conclusion of the concert Dec 15

Maestro Oue caught at a reasonably quiet instant at the conclusion of the concert Dec 15


SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES
Comment from Jim F. Dec 16:
Sorry, Dick, but I think the musicians themselves have condemned themselves to failure. their last missive, at that meeting, said they are committed to working it out with the present board and getting back to work under that same leadership.
It will not happen. Will not. Will not.
The orchestra itself could be saved, but only if they recognize that fact — that there is no possibility of continuing a first-rate orchestra under that board and that leadership. That board and those leaders will accept nothing other than unconditional surrender, and failure to recognize that and to turn away from that leadership means the orchestra as we know it will die. Or has died.
It’s part of a syndrome that has overtaken the people of this country and is taking the entire country down. It is the belief that nothing can be done without the leadership and approval of the very rich rich. The whole damned population has become dependent on them, is paralyzed without their approval. “Oh, no. We can’t do anything without them.”
from Charles A, Dec 16:
Good morning Dick,
The view here is the the MOA [Minnesota Orchestral Association] and Mr. Henson have encountered a resistance stronger then they anticipated. This resistance might be an immovable force in the form of a musicians union. I have only encountered one published piece that addressed the broad union influence, but I think that it certainly deserves more attention.
I do not think that the MOA truly understood the collective and broad reaching influence of this form of labor organization. In this case, the union is not just a local seeking a contract, but a national and international organization representing artists world-wide.
Because of this lock-out, and until an agreement is reached …
… There will never be a union musician on the Orchestra Hall stage. This “never” includes jazz, Broadway, classical, international soloists and free lance musicians.
… Starting another MOA sponsored orchestra would not be possible should the current ensemble be disbanded. Any young and promising classical musician that would play for such an ensemble would be forever black-listed in a traditional hiring process elsewhere.
As the struggle has continued, this unexpected union presence has brought, and will continue to bring pressure on the MOA, and their ability to meaningfully sustain the newly renovated Orchestra Hall.
It is in this way as audience members that our support of the musicians is a major influence. Selling out their “indie series” concerts is a must!
Thank you for your continued comments and support.
a satirical piece from someone who wishes to go by “a Friend”, Dec 16:
A Satire (probably) (we hope)
BREAKING NEWS:
SOLVING THE ORCHESTRA STAND-OFF!
Today, the Orchestral Association Management and Board responded to concerns of City Hall that they are not fulfilling their obligations to provide cultural programming per promises made when they successfully petitioned for a multi-million dollar bonding bill to renovate the Hall.
After months of locking out the professional Orchestra musicians because unionized labor would not agree to proposed radical artistic changes plus 30% salary cuts, Management announced a contract with a new orchestra. The Alt Kuhschwanz High School Band is eager to begin what will be a short season on January 10th and 11th. This breakthrough will allow music fans to hear the music they love once again! For their inaugural concert, the musicians are preparing a program made up entirely of the works of John Phillip Sousa, the respected American composer.
The Mayor and the City Council of Alt Kuhschwantz, a farming community in the Red River Valley, enthusiastically joined their School Board in supporting the offer to the High School Music Department. In a show of civic pride, the Council committed pay the Band’s school bus expenses for transportation to the Metro area for the entire concert season.
Rumors continue to swirl around the selection of the Alt Kuhschwanz musicians. Some critics wonder why a contract was not offered to one of the larger high schools or community colleges in the Greater Metropolitan Area–perhaps one with a music department large enough to support an orchestra, or perhaps one which had actually won some awards in the recent past.
In response, online social media sites indicate that directors of several orchestras from metropolitan high schools were, in fact, approached about possible contracts. However, deals fell through when directors insisted that they retain artistic control of the programs, rather than leave selection of music to the current Orchestral Association Management. In a Q & A on its website, Management stated, “We’ve already made that mistake with the previous Orchestra. We will design our own concerts to maintain our current audience, and to reach out to younger groups as well. Of course, maintaining artistic integrity is absolutely paramount. It’s the core of our commitment to our community, our patrons, and especially our donors. Our upcoming schedule and reset business model will also assure our return to a positive revenue stream.”
The January concerts will be followed by 4 more performances: February (Music of Rent), March (Miley Cyrus and Friends), April (Prince: A Retrospective), and April (Rap and Hip-Hop: Their Roots in the Baroque Tradition). Concert dates will be announced on New Year’s Day. Barring complications, a full 2014-2015 season is also foreseen.
The Orchestral Association Board has strongly endorsed Management’s solution to the ongoing, sometimes acrimonious impasse. “The money we save on travel, instrument maintenance, full-page newspaper ads of justifications, and soloists will easily allow us to schedule another season, beginning in September,” stated their spokesperson. Management and the Alt Kuhschwantz Band are already soliciting ideas for concert themes.
The Orchestra’s website has information regarding tickets, donating, or suggesting a theme for a 2014-15 concert. Photos & bios of the Alt Kuhschwanz young musicians will be posted soon.
from Maryann G of Save Our Symphony MN, Dec 16:
Thanks Dick. A wonderful, beautiful blog post. We will be posting your blog about the concert on our SOSMN FB page today. Thanks again.
from Andrena G, Dec 16: Wasn’t certain if you knew about this gig tonight.
from David T, Dec 16, re Andrena’s comment, etc: We were at the Dakota last night and the guy who introduced last night’s group was really talking up Peter Kogan. I’ve heard that one of the things that makes the Twin Cities a desirable place for classical musicians in the SPCO, the Minnesota Orchestra as well as other smaller classical ensembles is the opportunities to play other styles of music. Also, there are a lot of commercial opportunities due to the area’s advertising firms.
You just wonder how the whole Minnesota Orchestra thing is going to shake out. Clearly, a big step forward would be for the head of the association to step aside. He’s become the symbol of intransigence. You’d think he’d want to avoid becoming known as the guy who helped kill the orchestra.

#811 – Dick Bernard: "Smooch! Siblings"

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If you’re part of a family, most likely you have siblings. If you were an only child, as many are, “sibling” had another context: nonetheless, likely there was someone in close proximity who played a similar role to sibling for you.
My last surviving Uncle and Aunt, 88 and 94 respectively, never married and have lived their entire lives together. There may be longer lived “siblings”, but my guess is that there are few who have lived their entire life in close proximity most every day. These days they are just a couple of rooms down the hall from each other in a Nursing Home. Being siblings they had their differences. But when my Aunt became the first to move down the hall to the Nursing Home next door to their assisted living, I noticed that my Uncle missed his sister and looked forward to visits with her. That is just how it is. Siblings. Brother and Sister. Now there’s no trip needed to visit each other, and I think they like that.
Into this mix comes a wonderful project, the Smooch! Project, and the Projects first book, “Smooch! Siblings“, brand new, was first released last Saturday in Minneapolis; photographs by Bonnie Fournier, text by Julie Meier.
I came home with seven books, and I’ll get more: my spouse has siblings too, and children who are siblings, and she was very impressed with everything about the books.
You will be too. Perfect for coffee table, for conversation, for sharing memories!
Even my sister, Flo, who has true tales to tell about her four years older brother, me, that aren’t at all complimentary, will, I predict, like the book (she and I are long past the time when I really “got her goat” as a truly obnoxious seven year old (she was three). We were in our tiny dining room, and…well, she’d certainly be willing to finish that story.
These days, for many years actually, we’ve gotten along famously. As siblings universally can attest, there are ebbs and flows…and the older you get, the more likely the flows!
The founder of the Smooch! Project, Bonnie Fournier, is a graphic designer who I first met when she and I worked together in the same building, the Minnesota Education Association, from about 1991-94. One summer she took a leave to do a residency at Yellowstone Park and, until I gave it back to her a year or two ago, a valued possession of mine was a postcard original drawing she had sent from Wyoming.
We were out of touch for many years, then in the early 2000s I saw some of her photo art at a Minneapolis coffee shop and we reconnected. In 2004 a whimsical “selfie” of Bonnie being “smooched” by her twin sister Barbara, launched what has now become Bonnie’s life work. (That first photo is in the book as are many others from among the 4,500 people she has photographed in the past nine years.)
The “Smooch! Siblings book is now on sale at 11 Twin Cities locations, as follows: (Out of area? Or can’t get to these stores? You can order at the Smooch! Siblings internet link)
Bibelot (4 locations) – DEC. 14 BOOK SIGNING! 11am-1pm, St. Paul store (1082 Grand Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105)
Bloomington Drug – DEC. 15 BOOK SIGNING! 1-2pm, 509 West 98th St, Bloomington, MN 55420
Common Good Books – 38 S. Snelling (Snelling & Grand), St. Paul, MN 55405
The Goddess of Glass Shoppe (2 locations)
Live, Laugh, Love – DEC. 14 BOOK SIGNING! 3-5pm, 5019 France Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55410
Paper Hat – 2309 W. 50th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55410
West Side Perk – 7700 Old Shakopee Road, Minneapolis, MN 55438
I took camera along to the opening, but forgot to take a photo….
Bonnie had given each of us an opportunity to pose for some funny shots. Here I make a hideous (she says “hilarious”) Grandpa Face.

Dick, by Bonnie, Dec. 7, 2013

Dick, by Bonnie, Dec. 7, 2013


Don’t worry. You won’t have to pose if you go to the signing! On the other hand, it’s a fun experience.

#809 – Dick Bernard: The 1940 Census. An Advent Opportunity for Dialogue About Government and People Like Us and Relationships, generally.

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UPDATE NOV. 3. NOTE COMMENT FOLLOWING THE POST
Today is Advent for many Christian churches of the western tradition. Some would call it the beginning of the Christmas season culminating with Christmas Day, recalling the birth of Jesus.
At Midnight Mass, December 25, Luke 1:14 will be the Gospel reading. Here is the first part of the text, from my Uncle’s 1941 Bible:
(click to enlarge)

St. Luke, beginning of Chapter 2, from "The New Testament" St. Anthony Guild Press, 1941

St. Luke, beginning of Chapter 2, from “The New Testament” St. Anthony Guild Press, 1941


This is one of the very few times that a “census” is mentioned in the Bible, accompanying the final days of Mary’s pregnancy and the birth of her son, Jesus.
*
A Thanksgiving note from someone I know very well caused me to look back at the 1940 census of a tiny North Dakota town in which we lived for nine years in the 1940s and 1950s. I had printed out the census some months ago just to see who lived there, then.
This time, a sentence in the note caused me to look at this census in more detail. “It’s great to have been raised in the rural upper midwest in a nuclear family of modest means but rich in an extended family, deep faith and devoted to getting up in the morning and going to work during a time when if you didn’t work you didn’t eat.”
This is an example of the “good old days” narrative I often see in those “forwards” of one kind or another: life was so good, then. There is room for a great deal of dialogue within that single sentence.
Reality was much more complicated.
1940 in the United States came at the end of the Great Depression, and before Pearl Harbor forced our entrance into World War II a year later. It was a time between, which people born from about 1930 forward experienced in full, from the disastrous Depression to victory in War (with over 1,000,000 American casualties, over 400,000 of these deaths; 50,000,000 World casualties overall).
Before the Depression came the disastrous World War I, and the following false prosperity of the Roaring 20s; after WWII came the Baby Boom beginning 1946. The first “Baby Boomer” turned 65 in 2011.
In 1940, Social Security was a baby. The Act passed in 1935; the first Social Security check was issued to an American in 1940.
I was born a month after the census taker knocked on my parents door in April 1940, so I personally experienced the time and the values through the experiences of my family and extended family. But I didn’t take time, until now, to get a little better view of who we were, back then.
I think the little North Dakota town I spotlight in 1940 was really a pretty typical slice of the U.S. population, then. Here it is:
272 was the population of the town
There were:
78 households
39 residents had the occupation “housewife”, a very hard job.
113 were employed in “industries” including:
23 in assorted kinds of government sponsored and paid relief as:
14 in WPA*, and 4 more in WPA related NYA*
4 employed in CCC*
1 employed in AAA*
3 were U.S. postal workers (federal government).
9 were employed by the local public school
6 were listed in the separate and distinct enclave of the Catholic Priest and Nuns and Housekeeper. For some reason, the census taker felt a need to separate this group from the remainder of the town population! It was as if these six were part of a separate town within the town.
100 of the people of the town – more than a third – had not been born in the state of North Dakota. Of the population, 26 had been born in 11 different foreign countries; 74 had been born in 16 different states.
And, not to forget, most of the population were children unable to fend for themselves.
If you’re counting, about a third of the working age population was in government employment in 1940.
One of five were on some kind of Federal Relief work projects. Much evidence of these projects still survives everywhere in our country.
The federal involvement in the towns welfare (in a real sense) was essential to the towns survival and the countries recovery from Depression. Of course, even then, some, including relatives of mine, disliked these programs as make-work for “loafers” (as one relative described them); and some detested FDR – it was as it was, then.
And now.
The debate rages similarly today, I suppose.
Looking back, I would say that the biggest difference between then and now was that in 1940 in small towns and neighborhoods everywhere, people were forced to have a greater sense of community. There was not much choice about being isolated. You lived with who was there, unlike todays increasingly fragmented world where we think we can live in our little pods and avoid responsibility for others, or escape some how or other bad times.
So be it.
It is something to consider, and talk about, this Advent season.
Remants of a 1934 CCC tree planting project in rural North Dakota, photo Sep 2013

Remants of a 1934 CCC tree planting project in rural North Dakota, photo Sep 2013


*
There are numerous links to talk more about any of these projects.
WPA – Works Progress (later Projects) Administration, established 1935
NYA – National Youth Administration, established 1935, within WPA
CCC – Civilian Conservation Corps, established 1933
AAA – Agricultural Adjustment Administration, established 1933, helped farmers survive the Depression
COMMENT from Rick B, Dec 2: Interesting Read….But, I think one of the key components that Dick misses is he only focuses on the “town” residents relative to the region “residents”. Small towns were the hub for all the rural local farmers which numbers where significant relative to the “town” residents. It certainly was the case during the 1960’s and sure it was the case in the 1940’s.
In the small town school I attended, farm kids outnumbered town kids 2/1.
Our town was around 300 population.
Hence, if you break down the demography of a small rural town community, it should be the entire community. Government and social worker percentage was not what Dick portrays.
RESPONSE from Dick Dec 3: Of course, ’tis true what you say. I could have printed out the census for the surrounding rural townships, but enough was enough for this post!
I was small town North Dakotan for my first 21 years, then came back and taught one year in small town ND, and I’m often back and forth…including a not so simple day of driving yesterday from LaMoure to suburban St. Paul. In fact, in this little town (and all the others we lived in) my Dad was Superintendent of Schools, and often my mother taught elementary as well.
I try to keep my posts within somewhat manageable length, and shorthand always leaves something to be desired.
I got close to expanding on the single Agricultural Adjustment Act person who, of course, impacted on probably all of the local farmers in a positive way. And I thought about bringing in the County Seat of the town which was also an important part of the network bringing the feds to the locals. As was the state, assorted agencies, etc.
My most important point, personally, was to remind readers of the “good old days” school of thought that back-in-the-day lots and lots of common folk depended on programs such as I described during the Depression and War years . The tragic and difficult times seem ‘edited’ out in “good old days” narratives.
In addition, this little town had (in relative terms) a large Catholic school which, as noted in the blog, seemed to puzzle the census taker, and was set apart as something of a town unto its own self. I went to that particular Catholic school for my first five years. (One other year, in another town, I also went to Catholic School, and five of the other years had either my Mom or Dad as one of the public school teachers. So, I sometimes note, I’m a product of Home and Parochial schools.)
Relationships in little towns could be very complicated, indeed, but in the end, usually, if someone experienced a crisis, most would chip in to help.
It was an interesting exercise to look through those eight pages of census data for Sykeston!
POSTNOTE:
After writing the above, I happened across a fascinating television program about those olden days. It’s Jerry Apps Farm Story, and you can watch it on-line here. In my case, I saw it as part of a fundraiser for Minnesota Public Television. It was very interesting.
As I watched the storyteller remember his life on the farm, in context with my own life, and what I had just written, I came to think that these times, particularly the days of horse farming and World War II, were immensely difficult. Some would say they built “character”, but I doubt that even those hardy folks, the now elderly survivors, would recommend them to any one today, nor would many today accept those conditions for themselves. It is todays “illegals” and foreign sweat shop workers who bear the brunt of the backbreaking work and the risk so common in the “good old days”.
There is a pretty profound disconnect, I’d contend, in those who argue the “good old days”, but wouldn’t want to live in those same good old days again….
*
Then, a little later the same evening came a marvelous video about “Worn Wear”, well worth the 28 minutes watching time. The friend who sent it on, Shirley from Chicago area, included this note:
“Dear Friends and kindred spirits alike….
I can’t recommend this video enough! It is impressive on so many levels. Please take the time to watch it.
I hope you are able to find a few moments to watch this profound mission statement from a most reliable enterprise, Patagonia.
For all of us who try to reduce, re-purpose, patch and move towards leaving LESS of a footprint on the planet, I am asking you to pause and reflect. How many of us actually look at a used article of clothing and think about the stories behind the stuff we wear?
To quote just one gentleman in this video: Well worn clothing is like a journal.
Let us take the time to think about creating a simpler life as we embark upon the season of consumption and gift giving.
Watch WORN WEAR. As soon as you can.”
(I wrote Shirley back: my favorite winter coat is now over 30 years old. People who know me will attest…!)

#808 – Dick Bernard: Some thoughts on "Black Friday"

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Yesterday, Thanksgiving, was an especially good day. It included “An Interfaith Celebration of Thanksgiving” at Basilica of St. Mary co-officiated by Ministers of Westminster Presbyterian Church, Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Plymouth Congregational Church, the First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis, the Imam of Masjid Al-Imam, the Rabbi of Temple Israel and, of course, Pastor of Basilica of St. Mary.
It was an inspirational hour. One of the officiating clergy read, early on, a brief but highly inspirational poem, Otherwise, by Jane Kenyon.
“Otherwise” is a very powerful reminder not to take what we have for granted…and not to expect it to be permanent. In particular, note the final sentence of the poem.
(click to enlarge photos)

Pastors at the Interfaith Celebration of Thanksgiving at Basiiica of St. Mary Nov. 28 2013

Pastors at the Interfaith Celebration of Thanksgiving at Basiiica of St. Mary Nov. 28 2013


At the Interfaith celebration. 500 programs were printed, and they ran out long before the service began.

At the Interfaith celebration. 500 programs were printed, and they ran out long before the service began.


Of course, shortly before this years American Thanksgiving, there were two other happenings of great significance:
1) a breakthrough in the years-long stalemate between the U.S. and Iran signals a chance for progress. Of course, those whose power depends on enemies and potential war are not pleased, but I think the beginnings of an agreement is very good news indeed.
2) and Pope Francis I issued his highly publicized teaching, putting ‘meat on the bones’ of changing the tone of power in the Catholic Church. I haven’t read the entire document as yet; a friend who has, recommends it highly. You can access it here.
Then there’s “Black Friday” that uniquely American Exhortation to Shop to Achieve Business Success (“Profit”) during the “Christmas Season”.
Many have answered the call….
In my corner of the universe, the business Christmas Season began at my local coffee shop about November 1, when Holiday napkins first appeared, and the background muzak began to include a sprinkling of Christmas songs.
Today begins all-Christmas all-the-time, I suppose.
We’ll put up the tree next weekend, Cathy tells me, and it will be, as usual, nice, though it forces me to relocate my favorite chair. Oh well.
But for me the best “Christmas presents” of all have already been received, as noted above.

#807 – Dick Bernard: A Happy Thanksgiving

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Those who will take a moment to read this have a range of knowledge about who I am and what I’ve recently been about: from no knowledge at all onwards….
Two pieces of film sum up 2013 Thanksgiving for me.
Last year, about this time, a friend sent me a 10 minute clip of film entitled Gratitude, by the noted filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg. You can watch it here, wherever your life is, today.
Yesterday, another friend sent another clip of film, from CNN, about Pope Francis and the Disfigured Man. You can watch this clip as well, here, wherever your life is, today.
For me, this day, I recognize Uncle Vince whose life, is in transition, and his sister, Aunt Edith, who began the transition a year ago. All of us who know them can be thankful that we know them; as others can be thankful that they know each of us.
(click to enlarge photos)

April 10, 2013, at Rosewood

April 10, 2013, at Rosewood


Near sunrise outside the farmhouse, 8:30 a.m. Nov. 24, 2013

Near sunrise outside the farmhouse, 8:30 a.m. Nov. 24, 2013


Have a great day.
POSTNOTE:
Five of us worked together to clean Uncle Vince’s apartment a few days ago. He finally had to move down the hall to the nursing home in their North Dakota town, to the same wing as his sister, our Aunt Edith.
Before I left town, I made one last inspection to see if we’d missed anything, and indeed we had: a dreamcatcher and a stained glass cross that had hung for several years in the same place on their living room window. You can see them in the above photo.
I took them down. Here they are, to symbolize for you whatever you wish them to symbolize….
Nov. 24, 2013

Nov. 24, 2013

#804 – Dick Bernard: SOS Mn (Save Our Symphony MN) speaks out on day 415 of the Lockout of the Minnesota Orchestra.

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Roughly 100 of us attended a most interesting and informative presentation earlier this evening.
Presenters were from the recently formed organization SOS MN, Save Our Symphony MN. Mariellen Jacobson, MBA, Treasurer, and Johnathan Eisenberg, JD, Vice Chair presented a well produced power point presentation “The MOA Debacle: Unlocking the Truth”.
The entire presentation is accessible here and speaks clearly for itself. At the end of the presentation are a number of Conclusions and Call to Action requests.
The over 90 slides are worth at least a quick look and were accompanied by little editorial comment this evening. I believe the presenters attempted to be even-handed and in this they succeeded.
Here is a photo of the group in attendance this evening. We were glad we came. Consider making a donation to help this group continue its work. And stay in action yourself.
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SOS Mn presentation November 20, 2013

SOS Mn presentation November 20, 2013


The “filing cabinet” for all posts about the Minnesota Orchestra during the lock out can be found here.
UPDATE Nov. 21 Here is the Minneapolis Star Tribune news report on the meeting. The response is essentially as one would expect. Personally, I thought the presentors were very credible, and acknowledged that they were presenting on the basis of facts that they know (which were considerable). But one of the main problems, here, is the unknown: the information orchestra management has refused to divulge.
From Shirley L in Chicago: Alex Ross in the Nov. 25 edition of the New Yorker: The Minnesota Orchestra cancels and Hillary Hahn stages a festival: here.
From John G: Dick, I cannot thank you enough for this report. It is “spot on.” In my letters to the Musicians’ website, I had reached a few of the conclusions made by these two who are equipped (MBA and JD) to give us the best insight into financial and legal issues and options.

#802 – Dick Bernard: Another Special Evening with the Minnesota Orchestra on the 411th Day of the Lockout.

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Comments are at the end of this post
Ninety years young Stanislas Skrowaczewski led a marvelous Minnesota Orchestra concert at the Ted Mann Theatre last night. Maestro led the Orchestra from 1960-79, and during his tenure the Orchestra changed its name from Minneapolis Symphony to Minnesota Orchestra, and Orchestra Hall was built in downtown Minneapolis.
More after a few important announcements:
(click to enlarge. Printable pdf here: Save Our Symphony Nov 20001
Save Our Symphony Nov 20001
Special Event Honoring Stanislas Skrowaczewski Feb 20, 2014: Skrowaczewski Gala 2-22001
Musicians Fact Sheet about the current status of Negotiations: Musicians Reality Check 001
The Musicians website is not yet updated but according to an announcement from the stage by an Orchestra member last night, their goal at Give to the Max on Nov. 14 was far exceeded, and they are grateful. Check the website for more information, including upcoming special events, including the Christmas season concert with Eiji Oue in December.
Comments included at the end of this post. My blog “file cabinet” for the Orchestra Lockout can be found at August 30, 2013, here.
(continued)
The concert on November 15
Here is the program booklet for the concert: Orchestra Prog Nov 15 13001
I am not an expert in music; I simply love orchestral music, and have great affection for the Minnesota Orchestra for over 30 years now.
Last night was no exception to a long run of quality performance. Maestro Skrowaczewski and the Orchestra were in synch and I marvelled at his endurance at, now, age 90 (October 3 was his birthday). We had seen him about a year ago at the first locked out concert, about two weeks into this unreal conflict. I wrote a bit about it then. You can read it here. Back in those naive days, I think we all felt that this would be a short conflict, none of us imagining 411 days and counting.
I was more attentive to age, last night, than usual. A few days earlier, on Monday, I had to help move my near-89 year old Uncle into Nursing Home quarters in North Dakota. This was not easy. And here was a 90-year old man leading a premier Orchestra.
To my left, last night, were two young women, probably college students, rapt with attention.
To my right was Don, an 84 year old neighbor we’d brought with us, who was absolutely enthralled. He said he had first seen the Minneapolis Symphony under the baton of Dimitri Mitropoulos (1937-49), and he had the autograph of the conductor framed on his home wall. He doesn’t drive, and depended on a ride to get to the concert.
My Uncle, on the other hand, will never see this Orchestra, or any large Orchestra for that matter. But in no way does this diminish him. Last time I saw him, he was playing a little tune on the piano in the Nursing Home, and he has a particular love of music generally, including a still strong and in-tune singing voice.
His Dad, my Grandpa, was a farmhouse fiddler who, for a time, had a small country band. Grandpa had received some training in the violin and used sheet music to play tunes. For as long as I can remember their farm house had a piano, and Grandpa often played his “fiddle”.
One of the most moving moments of my life came 20 years ago at a family reunion, when a cousin played Grandpa’s actual fiddle, and one of my other uncles, now deceased, broke down listening to the music of his father, played on his fathers instrument.
I really don’t know where this is all going to end up, but I applaud the musicians for standing for upholding a tradition now 113 years old.
My “mantra” remains: where does the audience fit into this matter? That old man who was our guest; those students; myself and my wife? People like my Uncle who’ve never been and never can…. It is an important question, and seems to be ignored by the big money and power interests. We are ignored at their peril.
We weren’t supposed to take photos last night, and I followed the rules.
Here are three snapshots taken during “legal” times!

Maestro Skrowaczewski and Orchestra respond to the audience standing ovation at the conclusion of the concert.

Maestro Skrowaczewski and Orchestra respond to the audience standing ovation at the conclusion of the concert.


In the lobby at intermission November 15

In the lobby at intermission November 15


Still no resolution after over a year. Signboard in lobby November 15, 2013

Still no resolution after over a year. Signboard in lobby November 15, 2013


POST NOTES:
During the past few weeks the Minneapolis Star Tribune has carried a number of items relating to the Orchestra situation. If interested, most if not all of the following are accessible simply by search of the Star Tribune archives. Click here to begin.
Nov 5: Short Takes editorial comment
Nov 6: Letter from Mary McLeod
Nov 9: Front Page article by Graydon Royce
Nov 10: James Lileks column
Nov 11: Musicians Marcia Peck, Tony Ross, Tim Zavadil write op ed column
Nov 12: Letter from Karen Bachman
Nov 13: Op Ed column by Lee A. Henderson
Nov 15: Op Ed column by Board member Nicky Carpenter
Nov 16: Three letters, from Rep. Kahn, Patricia Borman, Jeff Becker
UPDATES:
Madeline S, Nov. 16: I was at the Thurs. eve. concert. It was fantastic! I remember in my undergraduate music student days 1964-1968 at the UofM, the Minneapolis Symphony directed by “Skrovie” was changing to the Minnesota Orchestra. The Symphony rehearsed and performed in Northrop Auditorium; the University Symphony rehearsed in a large room downstairs in Northrop and performed on the same stage as the Symphony. There were open Symphony rehearsals we could attend. Some of the Symphony musicians practiced in the same practice rooms we music students used in Scott Music Hall. My cello teacher, former principal cellist, Robert Jamieson, gave me private lessons in a practice room in Scott Hall. Many students studied with Minnesota Orchestra musicians and still do. It is so unbelievable that this lockout is happening.
I also recall the first time I heard the Minneapolis Symphony in a live performance. The Fergus Falls, MN, public school orchestra director drove a few of us advanced string players down to Mpls for a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at Northrop. We drove back in a car in a snow storm. Those were the days when public schools, even in a town of only about 13,000, had orchestra and band programs from late grade school through high school, and classes in art. The orchestra director also directed the local civic orchestra, and the band director played oboe in the civic orchestra.
Greg H, Nov. 16: Read especially third orchestra letter.
Dick, Nov. 17, responding to Greg: Presumably Greg refers to the Jeff Becker letter in the Nov 16 Minneapolis Star Tribune (above). In his letter, Jeff complains about news attention to the Orchestra, because he has no interest in the Orchestra, and most people don’t care either. Essentially, “the only things that matter are what matter to me….” Unfortunately, this is a pretty typical response about most anything by most anybody in today’s U.S. “Me. Now.” is all that matters.
I agree with Jeff to some degree. In fact I wrote about this dynamic on October 1, 2013. Since few care, those of us who care more need to do much more to assure the survival of this Orchestra.
Actually, if Jeff could get past his “me, now” attitude, he would find that his world is full of things that he cares about, that wouldn’t exist had not some small group of people, sometime, persisted in their vision for whatever-it-was that he’d miss if it disappeared.
Margaret Mead said it very well years ago: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” I used that quote to headline a website that is a tribute to two people who were committed to making a difference, and have…. There’s another quote at that page, from Gandhi, which also applies to us as individuals. Take a look.
UPDATE from Dick Nov. 19: There was a particularly interesting and pertinent letter in today’s Minneapolis Star Tribune responding to the Jeff Becker complaint referred to above. I say again, as I’ve said often, the key to all of this is the audience.
Here is the letter:
MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA
If only the paper would be tailored just for me
I relate to the Nov. 16 letter writer who doesn’t want to read articles about the Minnesota Orchestra because he doesn’t care. Here are the things I don’t care about and would therefore like eliminated from the Star Tribune:
• Sports that I don’t follow (pretty much all of them).
• News of the weird, especially anything about Congress.
• Articles about celebrities I’ve never heard of (or wish I’d never heard of).
• Food articles — I am not a cook.
• 80 percent of the comics.
• Classifieds.
• Advertisements.
• Hunting sections.
• Automobile sections. (My car runs. That’s all I care about.)
• Articles about fancy homes I can’t afford.
• Articles about entertainment (except for things I might attend).
• Sunday NY Times Crossword Puzzle — I can’t do it.
• Crime articles — they’re all downers.
• Obituaries — I’m not dead.
• Weather — I just don’t care.
• Letters to the editor by people who disagree with my opinions.
ALICE WILLIAMS, Plymouth

#801 – Dick Bernard: Obamascares. The Insanity of it all.

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Last night, while watching the Daily Blathers (some call it “evening news”; a good friend, yesterday, referred to it more precisely and accurately: “CBSNBCABCFOXCNN”), I set to the task of sorting through the paper flotsam and jetsam from my Uncle’s apartment in rural ND.
Like tens of thousands of others, yesterday, and over time, I was trying to sift and sort through mail, receipts, records, etc., that some friend or relative was no longer able to deal with, due to death, disability, or otherwise.
As I sorted, the blather on the evening news programs was about President Obama’s contrition about the (insert your own words) continuing rollout computer problems of (insert your own descriptor), otherwise officially known as the Affordable Care Act.
Just three days earlier my Uncle had made an undesired but necessary move from assisted living, his home in town for the last six years, to the nursing home down the hall. His stuff stayed behind for someone else to deal with: an oft-repeated story everywhere in this country, every day.
In one box was the specific reminder of why he and his sister moved to town in the first place:
Heart Surgery001
It was a folder given to him after successful open heart surgery in April, 2006. The surgery was the only reason he’s still alive, but (in his opinion) that surgery is held as the reason he never fully recovered and could not return to his lifelong occupation of farming. Whether this is so or not can be argued forever. Nonetheless, he held off the grim reaper for what is now an additional seven years. While he couldn’t farm, his general quality of life was pretty good. And at near-89, why should he still want to farm?
Of course, the surgery, and virtually all of the other medical costs for other dilemmas since then, have come under the protective umbrella of Medicare and supplemental benefits of North Dakota Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
What gave him the wherewithal to financially survive, indeed thrive, as an independent farmer was the Medicare program signed into law in the summer of 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson. That earlier version of “Obamacare” was scorned then, too, as socialized medicine, and it was spared withering coverage by the “blathers” of the time by, likely, two main factors: 1) fewer and less technologically advanced news media outlets; and 2) media reporters who were more conscious of reporting news, as opposed to dispensing propaganda.
Now we are engaged in the great unCivil War of simply trying to implement a new imperfect insurance program (and even more imperfect computer program) that will cover more people more efficiently and effectively than the hodgepodge of legitimate and scam “insurance” that now faces America, and excludes from coverage tens millions of Americans, but not my only surviving Uncle and Aunt, who benefit from an assortment of programs which thankfully exist in their time of need.
We’ll get through this hysteria, I hope. For me, a survival strategy will be to quit watching the endless analysis, the faux news, about ACA, at least as portrayed on CBSNBCABCFOXCNN. It is all a bunch of dangerous nonsense.
POSTNOTE:
In the same ‘sifting and sorting’ session last night, we watched an excellent special of CNN on the approaching 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Familiar faces appeared there: Walter Cronkite, Lyndon Johnson, on and on…. Just a short while ago CBS celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 30 minute evening news program inaugurated on CBS by Walter Cronkite in the year 1963. Oh, how things have changed.
COMMENTS: one in the comment box below, and the following as well
from Corky: Just finished my 5 year repeat “internal flushing” of the colon yesterday and apparently good news. Now as to the news pundits who state that all these citizens really like their insurance . Or like the movie , the way we were or something like it.Is America brain dead? When you look at medicare billing and the significant reduced cost by medicare administration and the really miniscule and late payments by the insurance carriers . A $200 Dr. office billing and medicare reduces to $70 and medicare supplement F pays less than $20 (3 months after office visit), shows me the system is very busted and hooray for any proposed changes to health care. Michael Steele GOP guru even said this morning that constructive changes need to be proposed by GOP legislators! Did I hear that comment correctly or am I hearing impaired?
from Tref D: Just a lot of hot air on all sides. Eventually I hope it will work out for many folks.

#797 – Dick Bernard: A School Election

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NOTE: I did a post in the Woodbury Patch that is essentially the same as the below post. You can view it here. A directly related column originally appeared in the Woodbury Patch on October 30, 2013. You can view it here. In addition, a letter of mine on the topic of the Woodbury School Election appeared in the Woodbury Bulletin on October 30, 2013. It can be read here: Woodbury Bulletin Ltr002.
UPDATE Nov. 6: Here are the results of the election as they appear on the School districts website. More details as I learn them.

Nov. 5, 2013 Woodbury MN

Nov. 5, 2013 Woodbury MN


This is being written and will be posted on November 5, 2013, before any voting counts in my School Districts election of five school board members, and decision on three referendum questions before the voters.
I’m writing early to avoid pre-judging reason(s) for outcomes. That can come later.
Personally, I’ll be most interested in the voter turnout. We are a generally very prosperous school district, but in the two preceding school elections, in 2009 and 2011, the turnouts have been dismal:
2009 – 6%
2011 – 8%
2013 – ?
Nov. 5, 2013

Nov. 5, 2013


There are many good reasons to expect a much higher turnout this round; but there were plenty of good reasons the last two rounds as well. In a district where about 18% of the population (17,300 or 94,000) is enrolled in public school, we should do much, much better. And this in a state where the voter turnout in the last few elections was as follows:
2006 – 61%
2008 – 78%
2010 – 56%
2012 – 76%
I’m betting our district was at least as high as the state average voter turnout, if not higher.
I suppose there are rewards for not voting but I’m not sure what they might be.
I know there are consequences, whether one wins because of a low turnout, or loses. We, the people, are always the losers in the long run.
School districts are people organizations.
Not voting at all is always a very powerful vote, never in the non-voters best interest.
When you read this, the election will be over, and quite certainly the results will be easy at a link on the school district website.
When you’re looking at the results ask yourself what you know about each of the Board members just elected, as well as the other incumbents remaining on the Board.
These are the people who will be in charge of making the policy affecting our children for at least the next two years. The Board members who approved the three referendum questions took an action for your children. For some, taking this action might have been considered a political risk.
My business was public education, both as teacher and teacher representative, so my acquaintance with school boards, school board individual members, and school districts goes back many years and hundreds of meetings in diverse (and usually physically uncomfortable) settings with an interesting assortment of Board members.
In my office is an old curriculum booklet with which I was involved, which was used beginning in 1971-72. In that first year, the Board of Education members (Anoka-Hennepin #11) are listed. At the time, Anoka-Hennepin was already larger in enrollment than my present day South Washington County ISD 833.
These were the Board members that year of 1971-72: Carl Swenson, Nils Sandell, David Spencer, Alton Drury, Robert Gordon and John Weaver (yes, no females. A typical profile then…) (In todays election, 9 of the 17 candidates are women – though two of the men and one of the women showed no evidence of actually campaigning for their position.)
I still remember all of these: there was, let’s see, an insurance executive, a physician, a corporate manager; a farmer; a Minneapolis teacher; and a businessman. In a former year, one member was a rural letter carrier. One Board member later became a state legislator.
In those years there was no partisan politics allowed. I’d say five of the six were typecast as pretty conservative (including the teacher member), but all of them took their responsibility of representing all the children of the school district very seriously. They were a good Board, as were almost all of those that I saw in action over the years.
Likely the upcoming Board in my district will be a decent one too, but there needs to be much more active involvement by local citizens in both selecting and monitoring the actions of school board members.
Our children (and grandchildren) deserve our attention.
Nov. 5, 2013

Nov. 5, 2013

#796 – Dick Bernard: Green Card Voices

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Today was one of those days where the unexpected trumped the average and ordinary, and in a positive way.
There were a couple of items on todays agenda. They were accomplished, but they were also rans in terms of interest value.
I stopped, first, at my 92 year old friends house. He invited me to go upstairs to see what workmen there to install insulation recently found in the attic. It was an attic difficult to access, so the treasures had been there for years, and since his wife had first lost her memory, and then passed away, There was no active memory of what had been stored up there.
Among the treasures, in one of the bedrooms:
(click any photo to enlarge)

Immigrant chests found in an attic.

Immigrant chests found in an attic.

These chests, likely used for trans-ocean passage from northern Europe to the United States over 100 years ago had been packed full of assorted items. They were now empty, but the visual effect itself was pretty powerful. (They’ve been assigned to family members as keepsakes.)
The man with whom I was meeting then told me about a meeting he was invited to at two p.m. at a library in south Minneapolis. It was an event, he thought, to honor a Bangladeshi man who owns a well known Indian restaurant, Gandhi Mahal, in south Minneapolis.
I had another meeting to go to, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get to the library event, but all worked out, and at 2 p.m. I was at Hosmer Library at 36th Street in Minneapolis (just east of I-35W) for their free fall concert series: “Nikolai Kolarov: Cello Music from Bulgaria and Eastern Europe.” It wasn’t what my friend had thought would happen at 2:00, or so I thought at the beginning. Nonetheless, the concert was very good.
Hosmer has a tradition of wonderful free concerts at the library most every Saturday. Here’s Mr. Kolarov:

Nikolai Kolarov at right, Nov. 2, 2013

Nikolai Kolarov at right, Nov. 2, 2013

Here’s the upcoming printable fall schedule: Hosmer Libr Conc Fall 13001
Then came the program my friend had invited me to see.
It was presented by a brand-new twin cities based organization called Green Card Voices whose mission is to highlight the stories of immigrants to this country from everywhere. As their brochure says: “We’re all here. We all play a role. We all have a story.” As its brochure declares “41% of all fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or children of immigrants…the United States is home to 40 million immigrants…They represent 13% of the total population.”
As we all know, immigrants (like the folks who brought their belonging in those trunks pictured above) have always played, and still play, a very significant role in our country. We are a country of immigrants.
As advertised, Ruhel Islam of Gandhi Mahal told his story about being part of America since 1996. Niolai Kolarov told his story. As did two ladies, one from Slovenia; the other from Ethiopia.
No one said anything unexpected. Nonetheless, it was refreshing to hear the stories told by real people, and see the approximately 40 of us in the room be engaged in the conversation.
The folks of Green Card Voices have a great thing going. I hope to learn more about their work.
Ditto, to Roy Woodstrom and the folks at Hosmer Library, whose Saturday programs have become a south Minneapolis tradition.
It was a great day.
It was a good reminder of the need to engage in the conversation about immigration policy reform in Washington as well.

The Panel of Immigrants from Bangladesh, Slovenia, Ethiopia and Bulgaria November 2, 2013

The Panel of Immigrants from Bangladesh, Slovenia, Ethiopia and Bulgaria November 2, 2013

Roy Woodstrom (standing at left) librarian at Hosmer Library Minneapolis, recognizes Nikolai Kolarov following his cello performance.

Roy Woodstrom (standing at left) librarian at Hosmer Library Minneapolis, recognizes Nikolai Kolarov following his cello performance.