SYMPHONY NOTES
BY KEVIN JABLONSKI
T
the furlough continues for the Musicians of the Nashville Symphony. All musicians have been without a paycheck since July 1, and the drought could extend into next summer. But we have been busy getting organized on our own, and our efforts have revolved around two main goals. We want to raise money to distribute directly to the musicians to get everyone through this time, and concurrently, we still want to keep performing, teaching, and engaging with our community. People need music now more than ever to be a beacon of positivity, comfort, and hope, so we believe it is essential to serve our community with our talents. While the trajectory of the pandemic will necessarily dictate exactly how we share our music, the virus will not stop us from doing so completely. We will do whatever we can in whatever form is necessary to continue our mission.
Donations are needed
Several exciting developments have been announced in recent weeks on these fronts. In September, the Musicians of the Nashville Symphony established a financial aid fund to provide direct financial assistance to the furloughed musicians. One hundred percent of the donations will go directly to the orchestra musicians to provide some relief in this time of crisis. The collection and distribution of funds is being overseen by the symphony musicians’ 501(c)5 organization — the Nashville Symphony Players’ Assembly (NSPA) — but the Assembly will not receive any funds from these efforts. Since the NSPA is a 501(c)5, unfortunately donations are not tax-deductible. “The musicians are already facing hard choices when looking at their future,” said Brad Mansell, ICSOM Delegate and NSO cellist. “There is an unprecedented amount of financial uncertainty since the ability to 24 THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN
“There is an unprecedented amount of financial uncertainty since the ability to return to work in a normal manner is simply not yet known. As the prospect of a long furlough looms large, we are calling on the generosity of the community to support us through this challenging time.” — Brad Mansell return to work in a normal manner is simply not yet known. As the prospect of a long furlough looms large, we are calling on the generosity of the community to support us through this challenging time.” Donations can be made to the financial aid fund by going to www.musiciansofthenashvillesymphony.org. There will be links to the fund on the Musicians of the Nashville Symphony social media platforms. Also, checks can be made out to Nashville Symphony Players Assembly - Financial Aid Fund and mailed to Nashville Symphony Players Assembly; P.O. Box 40812; Nashville, TN 37204. Another exciting announcement was made in September that gave symphony musicians their first live performing opportunity since the pandemic started. A new monthly concert series, made possible by St. George’s Episcopal Church, began Sept. 19. This new series, titled “Play On at St. George’s,” features Musicians of the Nashville Symphony performing in chamber ensembles. St. George’s generously donated their space and streaming capabilities for the series, and we are grateful for their support. The events are livestreamed and subsequently available for streaming on St. George’s website. These concerts also function as a way to raise funds for the Financial Aid Fund. You can visit www. stgeorgesnashville.org/inexcelsis for more information.
Accelerando continues despite pandemic
The Musicians of the Nashville Symphony are pleased to be able to continue educational initiatives during our furlough as well. In August, AFM Local 257 on behalf of the musicians of the symphony, reached an agreement with the Nashville Symphony Association to continue the important work
of the Accelerando program, which serves young musicians from underrepresented ethnicities. Despite the furlough, orchestra musicians will still be able to teach their students and mentor them along their musical journey. Ten new local students were accepted into the program this year, bringing the total enrollment for the first time to a full capacity of 24 students. A grant from the Mellon Foundation supports most of the funding for the program, and program partners Choral Arts Link and the Blair School of Music played a crucial role in ensuring Accelerando continues this year. The Musicians of the Nashville Symphony are also maintaining their online presence, keeping the momentum going on social media with new videos and stories. In August, we held a virtual Bach festival, where many musicians submitted videos of pieces by the great composer. Selections ranged from solo repertoire to the first movement of Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, which concluded the festival. Our violinists began a similar festival in September dedicated to the works of Fritz Kreisler, with videos released weekly. There is much more content to explore, and you can find all our videos on our website, YouTube channel, and social media outlets. We have also been keeping in contact with our colleagues in other orchestras around the country, and there have been some great dialogues and ideas about how to adapt to our new reality. In July, ICSOM held their annual conference online, and there were some fascinating sessions with lots of pertinent information. It was inspiring to hear from musicians in many other cities who are thinking creatively and finding a way to share music with their communities. We celebrate their successes and are eager to show that we, too, can keep the music TNM playing in Music City.
