September 21, 2024
Greetings, Vallejo Choral Society!
You may have heard in the local news this week that the SF Symphony Chorus went on a union-approved strike 90 minutes before their scheduled performance of Verdi Requiem this past Thursday. As I was once a volunteer singer for the SF Symphony Chorus myself, I have many friends and colleagues who currently sing with the chorus as both AGMA and volunteer singers. I want to share with you a social media post written by Adam Cole, current AGMA union singer for the SF Symphony Chorus, and our Bass soloist for our May concerts of Michael Haydn’s Requiem in c minor:
“Majestic choral works don’t take flight by themselves. Here in San Francisco, they are borne aloft on the vocal wings of 32 AGMA union professionals and 120 skilled veterans who donate their time, talent, and half a century of institutional memory to make music consistently at the highest artistic level befitting a world-class symphony orchestra.
Unfortunately, despite this proud legacy that has reliably drawn packed houses and won multiple Grammy awards, the SF Symphony Board seeks to scale back choral programming by at least half and cut the Chorus’ annual budget by 65-80%, placing the 150-member ensemble on par with one or two orchestral players, in financial terms.
This kind of disproportionate cut would deal a mortal blow not just to our livelihood but to the Chorus as audiences now know it. It strays well beyond prudent or drastic, and into the realm of outright insult.
Professional AGMA choristers have worked without a contract since August, after a summer in which management slow-walked and stonewalled attempts to negotiate a fair contract. The Board’s continued insistence on this ruinous path now jeopardizes this week’s Verdi Requiem performances, as AGMA voted reluctantly but overwhelmingly this week to authorize a strike, also supported by at least 81% of the unpaid singers.
None of us wants to carry a sign rather than sing. Requiems like Verdi’s should enthrall Bay Area audiences, not mark the tragic decline of a celebrated 50-year ensemble reduced to a throwaway line item in spite of its consistently high return on investment.
Yet here we stand on the brink. If you are as distressed by all this as I am, please take a moment to stand with us, let the SFS Board and CEO Matt Spivey hear YOUR voices, and help save our Symphony Chorus by joining our letter writing campaign.”
This is rather drastic. The strike is currently on-going. Their picket line has been joined by an overwhelming number of Symphony personnel from around the organization — from orchestra musicians, and librarians to box office staff and other administrators. They have also been joined by members of the SF Opera, SF Jazz, the SF Conservatory, and other organizations in the area. If you would like to read more about this issue, Kron4, the SF Chronicle, SF Classical Voice, and others have reported on it.
Please consider sending the SFS Board a message — through the AGMA letter writing campaign above, or by calling the SFS Box Office — in support of the SF Symphony Chorus. This Chorus is an important local, national, and international institution, and we choruses should support each other and stick together through times of frustrating leadership like this one.
Wishing you all the best, and please be in touch if you have any questions about the story unfolding.
Warmly and in solidarity with the SF Symphony Chorus!
Julia
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Julia Morris
Artistic Director
Vallejo Choral Society