Keep Professional Musicians in Regina!
Target:
Regina Symphony Orchestra Board of Governors
Sponsored by:
Whereas: Regina Symphony Orchestra negotiations with the musicians has reached an impasse
and Whereas: The income level of the 11 full-time RSO Principal musicians was 11% above the Statistics Canada Low Income Cut-Off,in 1987, and is now 8% below this poverty line.
and Whereas: For the 50 part-time RSO musicians, their income, including pre-rehearsal individual preparation, is now 33% below the Saskatchewan minimum wage.
and Whereas: The Cost of Living has risen 76% from 1987 to 2008 (according to Statistics Canada), wages have only increased 44%.
We, the undersigned, encourage the Board of Governors to adjust their priorities so that musicians can afford to stay in Regina and continue to perform with the RSO.
and Whereas: The income level of the 11 full-time RSO Principal musicians was 11% above the Statistics Canada Low Income Cut-Off,in 1987, and is now 8% below this poverty line.
and Whereas: For the 50 part-time RSO musicians, their income, including pre-rehearsal individual preparation, is now 33% below the Saskatchewan minimum wage.
and Whereas: The Cost of Living has risen 76% from 1987 to 2008 (according to Statistics Canada), wages have only increased 44%.
We, the undersigned, encourage the Board of Governors to adjust their priorities so that musicians can afford to stay in Regina and continue to perform with the RSO.
Whereas: Regina Symphony Orchestra negotiations with the musicians has reached an impasse
and Whereas: The income level of the 11 full-time RSO Principal musicians was 11% above the Statistics Canada Low Income Cut-Off,in 1987, and is now 8% below this poverty line.
and Whereas: For the 50 part-time RSO musicians, their income, including pre-rehearsal individual preparation, is now 33% below the Saskatchewan minimum wage.
and Whereas: The Cost of Living has risen 76% from 1987 to 2008 (according to Statistics Canada), wages have only increased 44%.
We, the undersigned, encourage the Board of Governors to adjust their priorities so that musicians can afford to stay in Regina and continue to perform with the RSO.
and Whereas: The income level of the 11 full-time RSO Principal musicians was 11% above the Statistics Canada Low Income Cut-Off,in 1987, and is now 8% below this poverty line.
and Whereas: For the 50 part-time RSO musicians, their income, including pre-rehearsal individual preparation, is now 33% below the Saskatchewan minimum wage.
and Whereas: The Cost of Living has risen 76% from 1987 to 2008 (according to Statistics Canada), wages have only increased 44%.
We, the undersigned, encourage the Board of Governors to adjust their priorities so that musicians can afford to stay in Regina and continue to perform with the RSO.
We signed the "Keep Professional Musicians in Regina!" petition!
# 432:
8:32 am PST, Jan 9,
Sarah Gaye, Canada
# 431:
8:05 pm PST, Jan 4,
Jeff Gaye, Canada
A capital city must have a strong and vibrant arts community. Professional players contribute to more than just their Orchestra - they develop young artists, they bring energy and professionalism to a wide variety of projects, and they make Regina an attractive place for touring artists to play. I ask the RSO and its patrons and supporters to commit to high-quality professional music for Saskatchewan's capital!
A capital city must have a strong and vibrant arts community. Professional players contribute to more than just their Orchestra - they develop young artists, they bring energy and professionalism to a wide variety of projects, and they make Regina an attractive place for touring artists to play. I ask the RSO and its patrons and supporters to commit to high-quality professional music for Saskatchewan's capital!
# 430:
7:57 am PST, Jan 2,
Jennifer Gardner, Florida
# 429:
8:31 pm PST, Dec 18,
Amanda Irvine, Canada
The art and music are what soothes the savage beast in all humans... Our Musicians should not only get paid for thier rehersals but practice time aswell, being a musician is a full time job, and The RSO has brought many wonderful proformances to our ears, they've taught our kids who mosart and Bethoven are.. THey are appart of our community and a vital part of Our arts and culture economy, Please feed our starving musicians,
The art and music are what soothes the savage beast in all humans... Our Musicians should not only get paid for thier rehersals but practice time aswell, being a musician is a full time job, and The RSO has brought many wonderful proformances to our ears, they've taught our kids who mosart and Bethoven are.. THey are appart of our community and a vital part of Our arts and culture economy, Please feed our starving musicians,
# 428:
12:43 pm PST, Dec 7,
Glen Dowling, Canada
# 427:
8:55 pm PST, Dec 4,
Janelle Johnston, Canada
# 426:
11:59 am PST, Nov 23,
Janet Craig, Canada
The RSO has a good public presence in the community, but musicians cannot work for peanuts. They have years and years of training... please get back to the negotiation table and pay them what they are worth!
The RSO has a good public presence in the community, but musicians cannot work for peanuts. They have years and years of training... please get back to the negotiation table and pay them what they are worth!
# 425:
5:28 pm PST, Nov 13,
Stacey Ulrich, Canada
# 424:
11:29 am PST, Nov 13,
Maureen Voss, Canada
Without professional musicians for our orchestra, or the excellent teaching they provide to upcoming professional musicians, where will our city be? There is more to the world than sports! Why do athletes get paid millions, while PROFESSIONAL musicians are on or under the poverty line?
Without professional musicians for our orchestra, or the excellent teaching they provide to upcoming professional musicians, where will our city be? There is more to the world than sports! Why do athletes get paid millions, while PROFESSIONAL musicians are on or under the poverty line?
# 423:
8:01 am PST, Nov 10,
Joanne Wehrle, Canada
# 422:
1:12 pm PST, Nov 7,
Thomas Cosbey, Canada
# 421:
8:29 am PST, Nov 7,
Tracy Smith, Canada
music is the fruit of the soul......
music is the fruit of the soul......
# 420:
4:43 am PST, Nov 7,
David Rose, New York
# 419:
1:56 pm PST, Nov 5,
John Jacob Karwandy, Canada
Please accept my signature for your cause. Having worked as a professional violinmaker/repairman in Montreal,Vancouver,Edmonton, China,and Korea I chose to set up a shop here in Regina, not far from where I was born. I have met and worked with the best musicians in every city and know what the professional musicians make. I make my living serving these talented people and if the musicians are not paid adequately then we begin to see a degradation of the sonic quality of the orchestra in general, as these people take up other occupations to make ends meet. Invariably some take up working on musical instruments as amateur repairmen and ruining the sound of an orchestra as well as damaging instuments that rightfully are owed better service than what an amateur could ever offer. These instruments deserve professional care as do the musicans playing them. I whole heartedly support your fight to be recognised and payed as the professionals that you are. It is truely a shame and a black mark on the govt.not to address this unfortunate funding arrangement. Having played stringed instruments since the age of thirteen I cannot possibly count the number of hours of practice and playing I have been engaged in over the last 35 years but surely a lawyer does not put in nearly the time to gain the bar and be paid an adequate salary. What, lawyers are worth more in society than musicians, say it ain't so. Please count me in. The professionals should be paid as such, so I too can make a living. I make beautiful instruments and my repair work is professional. I would like to thank Curtis and Cameron for their support and look forward to dealing with you in the near future. JJK
Please accept my signature for your cause. Having worked as a professional violinmaker/repairman in Montreal,Vancouver,Edmonton, China,and Korea I chose to set up a shop here in Regina, not far from where I was born. I have met and worked with the best musicians in every city and know what the professional musicians make. I make my living serving these talented people and if the musicians are not paid adequately then we begin to see a degradation of the sonic quality of the orchestra in general, as these people take up other occupations to make ends meet. Invariably some take up working on musical instruments as amateur repairmen and ruining the sound of an orchestra as well as damaging instuments that rightfully are owed better service than what an amateur could ever offer. These instruments deserve professional care as do the musicans playing them. I whole heartedly support your fight to be recognised and payed as the professionals that you are. It is truely a shame and a black mark on the govt.not to address this unfortunate funding arrangement. Having played stringed instruments since the age of thirteen I cannot possibly count the number of hours of practice and playing I have been engaged in over the last 35 years but surely a lawyer does not put in nearly the time to gain the bar and be paid an adequate salary. What, lawyers are worth more in society than musicians, say it ain't so. Please count me in. The professionals should be paid as such, so I too can make a living. I make beautiful instruments and my repair work is professional. I would like to thank Curtis and Cameron for their support and look forward to dealing with you in the near future. JJK
# 418:
3:41 pm PST, Nov 2,
Carole Sirois, Canada
Music makes better human beings!
Music makes better human beings!
# 417:
10:16 am PDT, Oct 30,
Lorraine Weidner, Canada
Please negotiate in good faith with the musicians. I'm a regular attender at the symphony, and have nothing but good to say about the orchestra. It's a valuable resource that should be protected and cherished.
Please negotiate in good faith with the musicians. I'm a regular attender at the symphony, and have nothing but good to say about the orchestra. It's a valuable resource that should be protected and cherished.
# 416:
11:15 pm PDT, Oct 29,
Theresa Huntington, California
"Music is the universal language of mankind." ~Longfellow. Classical music is a decent, divine, and special gift that should be shared.
"Music is the universal language of mankind." ~Longfellow. Classical music is a decent, divine, and special gift that should be shared.
# 415:
12:20 pm PDT, Oct 29,
Janell Ranae Rempel, Canada
Please do whatever you can to pay RSO musicians so they can live and thrive in Regina, and to attract other high-quality musicians to the RSO...why not make the RSO the ENVY of orchestras and cities across the country (and the world)? We want and deserve to have a great orchestra here in Regina, and the musicians we have now certainly deserve to be paid well for their efforts and dedication to bringing us high calibre music. "Where there's a will, there's a way."...we have the will, so let's find a way to keep the RSO great, and keep making it better. Thank you.
Please do whatever you can to pay RSO musicians so they can live and thrive in Regina, and to attract other high-quality musicians to the RSO...why not make the RSO the ENVY of orchestras and cities across the country (and the world)? We want and deserve to have a great orchestra here in Regina, and the musicians we have now certainly deserve to be paid well for their efforts and dedication to bringing us high calibre music. "Where there's a will, there's a way."...we have the will, so let's find a way to keep the RSO great, and keep making it better. Thank you.
# 414:
9:01 am PDT, Oct 29,
Joanne Farmer, Canada
Please reconsider and pay these musicians a salary that reflects their years of training and hours of dedication to their profession.
Please reconsider and pay these musicians a salary that reflects their years of training and hours of dedication to their profession.
# 413:
8:30 am PDT, Oct 29,
Jeff Nye, Canada
The RSO's dedicated musicians deserve more than poverty in exchange for their talent and time.
The RSO's dedicated musicians deserve more than poverty in exchange for their talent and time.
# 412:
8:04 am PDT, Oct 29,
Theothecla Crowe, Canada
I think a world without music it's as stark as a world without sun...we need it for humanity, freedom, and harmony in our lives; to endure the hardships and remain humble and courageous in the face of adversity. Classical music in particular plays a major role in educating the next generation in compassion and equality while respecting the gift of life.
I think a world without music it's as stark as a world without sun...we need it for humanity, freedom, and harmony in our lives; to endure the hardships and remain humble and courageous in the face of adversity. Classical music in particular plays a major role in educating the next generation in compassion and equality while respecting the gift of life.
# 411:
6:59 am PDT, Oct 29,
Linda Gunningham, Canada
# 410:
10:24 am PDT, Oct 28,
Sheila Dowling, Canada
What better way to celebrate the RSO's centenary than paying the musicians a living wage?
What better way to celebrate the RSO's centenary than paying the musicians a living wage?
# 409:
10:22 am PDT, Oct 28,
Alisa Van Alphen, Canada
# 408:
5:24 pm PDT, Oct 27,
Name not displayed, Canada
# 407:
4:24 pm PDT, Oct 27,
Jennifer Bradford, California
# 406:
12:17 pm PDT, Oct 27,
Alan Burnham, Canada
You must keep this orchestra going and pay the musicians a living wage. Saskatchewan is not broke, even now, and can afford to pay its artists properly.
You must keep this orchestra going and pay the musicians a living wage. Saskatchewan is not broke, even now, and can afford to pay its artists properly.
# 405:
11:55 am PDT, Oct 27,
Theodor Constantinescu, California
Art and culture is the identity of a Country. It is the food that feeds the soul and makes us more sensible, better people, and brings us closer to God.
Art and culture is the identity of a Country. It is the food that feeds the soul and makes us more sensible, better people, and brings us closer to God.
# 404:
8:08 am PDT, Oct 27,
Imelda Grimes, Canada
# 403:
7:20 pm PDT, Oct 26,
Amy Laing, Canada
# 402:
3:39 pm PDT, Oct 26,
Brent & Carol Flaten, Canada
We presently subscribe to the Pops Concert series. We would be willing to pay a small increase in our ticket prices (for example: 10%) in order to give the musicians a raise.
We presently subscribe to the Pops Concert series. We would be willing to pay a small increase in our ticket prices (for example: 10%) in order to give the musicians a raise.
# 401:
2:49 pm PDT, Oct 26,
Name not displayed, Canada
Please keep profeeional musicians in Regina and the on-going negotiations necessary to improve the status of wages according to the cost of living ie. above the poverty level.
Please keep profeeional musicians in Regina and the on-going negotiations necessary to improve the status of wages according to the cost of living ie. above the poverty level.
