Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Ratifies Collective Bargaining Agreement Through 2020

The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra has announced that it has ratified its collective bargaining agreement through 2020. It has also been awarded an increased grant from The Howard Gilman Foundation.

"The ratification of this agreement clearly demonstrates our collective commitment to a flexible, thriving Orpheus and bodes well for a busy and bright future," said Orpheus Artistic Directors Laura Frautschi, Alan Kay, and James Wilson. "We are profoundly grateful to our Board of Directors, Salary and Benefits Committee, and administrative staff for their remarkable sensitivity to Orpheus' needs in a complex marketplace."

The Orpheus ratification confirmed:

-Raises in NYC rates of 2.5% per year, restructured rates in various global markets in order to adjust to high demand of orchestra

-The creation of a new Chamber Music scale to support increased presence in NYC and tri-state area

-The creation of a new Community Engagement scale to reflect the orchestra's commitment to broaden its reach in the local community

-Added flexibility to touring rules allowing the orchestra to more easily adjust to complex travel schedules

-Implementation of Artistic Oversight Committee to continually evaluate Orpheus' structure, superior artistic quality and to further add to its unique structure of shared governance

-An augmentation of the Orpheus roster with a new Associate Membership tier, enabling Orpheus to ensure its future into the next generation and hire more musicians with a continued focus on diversity

The Howard Gilman Foundation has awarded Orpheus an increased grant of $175,000 towards general operating support of the orchestra's 2017-18 New York City performance activity. This includes Orpheus' four-concert Carnegie Hall series, featuring collaborations with world-class artists such as André Watts, Truls Mørk, Tine Thing Helseth, and Lisa Batiashvili; the orchestra's annual free performance in Central Park's Naumburg Bandshell; a performance which opened the 92nd Street Y's 2017-18 season with Mischa Maisky on October 5, 2017; the commission and world premieres of two new works by renowned composers Vijay Iyer and Shuying Li; and a new chamber series, Twilight at Tarisio, in partnership with Tarisio Fine Instruments and Bows.

"The Howard Gilman Foundation is delighted to support the always innovative and engaging Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and the expansion of their programming in their hometown of New York City this season, including the Carnegie Hall series," said Laura Packer, Executive Director of the Howard Gilman Foundation.

Orpheus Executive Director Alexander Scheirle responds, "We are deeply grateful to the Howard Gilman Foundation. With this cornerstone of support and significant affirmation of Orpheus' artistry, we look forward to engaging and inspiring more audiences, and to charting a meaningful, achievable course for the future."

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra creates extraordinary musical experiences that enrich lives and empower individuals through collaboration, innovation, and a passion for artistic excellence. Orpheus strives to be the world's premier chamber orchestra by performing music at the highest level, challenging artistic boundaries, inspiring the public to think and work with new perspectives, and building a broad and active audience in New York City and around the world.

A standard-bearer of innovation and artistic excellence, Orpheus was founded in 1972 by a group of like-minded young musicians determined to combine the intimacy and warmth of a chamber ensemble with the richness of an orchestra. Orpheus performs without a conductor, rotating musical leadership roles for each work, and striving to perform diverse repertoire through collaboration and open dialogue. The ensemble has commissioned and premiered over 45 original works. Orpheus's recordings include the Grammy Award-winning Shadow Dances: Stravinsky Miniatures for Deutsche Grammophon, and over 70 other recordings for DG, Sony Classical, EMI Classics, BMG/RCA Red Seal, Decca, and others, including its own label, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Records.

Orpheus presents an annual series at Carnegie Hall and tours extensively to major national and international venues. The 2017-18 Orpheus series in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall features pianist André Watts; Norwegian cellist Truls Mørk in his first appearance with Orpheus; classical trumpet soloist Tine Thing Helseth in her Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage debut; and violinist Lisa Batiashvili in her first appearance with Orpheus. As part of Orpheus' ongoing American Notes commissioning initiative, two new pieces - by Indian-American jazz pianist and composer Vijay Iyer, and award-winning Chinese composer Shuying Li - are additionally featured in the 2017-18 season.

Orpheus has trademarked its signature mode of operation, the Orpheus Process, an original method that places democracy at the center of artistic execution. It has been the focus of studies at Harvard University and of leadership seminars at IBM, Morgan Stanley, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital, among others. Orpheus aims to bring this unique approach to students of all ages through its worldwide education and engagement programs: Access Orpheus-NYC, Orpheus Music Academy, and Orpheus Leadership Institute.

Access Orpheus-NYC shares the orchestra's collaborative music-making process with K-12 public school students from all five boroughs in New York City. While New York is among the cultural capitals of the world, many schoolchildren are underserved in arts participation. Access Orpheus-NYC helps to bridge this gap with in-class visits, invitations to working rehearsals, instrument discovery days, and free tickets for performances at Carnegie Hall.

The Orpheus Music Academy encompasses Orpheus' programs for intermediate and advanced music students. Orpheus musicians share their artistry, expertise, and collaborative approach to music-making through masterclasses with Orpheus musicians and guest artists, side-by-side workshops, and residencies on tour.

The Orpheus Leadership Institute brings the Orpheus Process to the private and nonprofit sectors and educational institutions to empower the leaders of tomorrow through collaborative management training. Teams of all kinds participate in customizable programs to gain insight from Orpheus' democratic process and develop essential skills in communication, collective ownership, and creative problem solving.