How not to say goodbye

Interesting doings in Indianapolis:

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra ousted its music director, Mario Venzago, on Thursday amid concerns that he didn't spend enough time in Indianapolis and artistic differences between Venzago and Simon Crookall, the orchestra's president and CEO.

The change comes about a month before the orchestra's season starts, and materials have been printed.

Difficulties between Venzago, who came to the orchestra in 2002, and Crookall, hired in 2005, date back beyond the turn of the year, said Cassie Goldstein, Venzago's personal assistant, who was on the ISO staff until she and seven other employees were dismissed in February as a cost-cutting measure.

She said artistic decisions became less and less under Venzago's control, adding that "Simon was calling the shots."...

Crookall told The Indianapolis Star that Venzago's "contract is decided on an annual basis, and we were unable to come to a new agreement. We've been discussing this for some time."

Venzago was informed of his dismissal in an e-mail dated 2 p.m. Thursday, according to Goldstein.

Crookall would not say whether the failure to come to an agreement involved financial or artistic matters and that talks on a contract continued until a couple of days ago.

Goldstein said there were no ongoing negotiations but that Crookall made a single "totally unacceptable" offer and then refused to negotiate further.

Crookall, however, denied that and said several offers were made, the most recent one on Wednesday....

The orchestra learned of Venzago's departure at a Thursday afternoon rehearsal at Hilbert Circle Theatre.

"For a number of reasons, I have decided not to renew Mario Venzago's contract," Crookall said in an e-mail to the orchestra. "Mario will not be appearing during the 2009-10 season, and his concerts will be conducted by other conductors."

No doubt there's a long and deep back story here. But publicly firing a music director a few weeks before he was to conduct the season opener might be a first for our business. And I have to wonder about the "I have decided not to renew Mario Vengago's contract" line. Shouldn't that be a board responsibility?

This is reminiscent of the mess when ensued Philly didn't renew Eschenbach (and didn't have a successor in place). But it's eerily like what's been happening in Milwaukee with the Skylight Opera Theater, where the Executive Director, Eric Dillner, fired the Artistic Director, Bill Thiessen, and created a firestorm of protests (and resignations by artists and board members alike) that appears to be threatening the continued existence of the institution.

It's no secret in our business that some music directors are dragged kicking and scremaing off the podium. But it's really good for everyone if it looks like it's voluntary and that everyone is sorry to see him/her move onward and/or upward. Few decisions, and announcements thereof, are more important in our business then the coming of a new music director and the departure of the current one. Something that important really should be handled better than this.

Comments

[Mr. bob]

The Board meekly concurred with the decision by Simon. The residency thing is a smokescreen excuse hoping a gullible public will accept that and not probe further.

Maestro Venzago was hired by Dick hoffert and the Board to continue to raise the level of the orchestra beyond the point that Raymond Leppard had taken them to. He did that - he is a brilliant conductor and his sound is positively glorious. But, Mario wanted to tour and he wanted to record the Bruckner Cycle with what he considered to be "the finest Bruckner orchestra in America." Simon always had excuses that tours were too expensive and that recording expenses were too costly and time driven to haste. So the support for the maestro was not there.

Whatever, you don't fire a person of Venzago's stature with a simple email message. That's one of the crappiest displays of poor leadership I've encountered in ages. Judging by the skewering the ISO received by the morning's newspaper, this one won't go away quietly. I think in the end, Crookall will need to be sacrificed - especially before he tries to bring in Stefan Deneuve as a hand-picked maestro.

[different Bob]

Very interesting info, Mr. bob. Won't this totally screw up auditions, too? The article mentioned some key spots being open or opening.

[Anonymous]

Who can afford to hire any "key positions" these days? Who can afford to hire a new music director?

[Mr. bob]

Actually, the auditions will likely proceed in a reasonable way. The previous search committee that recommended hiring Maestro Venzago went through a wide search, traveling throughout the world listening to concerts. Mario caught their eye early on but he was so booked, it took more than a year to bring him to Indianapolis to perform two audition concerts.

As part of the CBA with musicians, Indianapolis cannot hire a Music Director without the concurrence of at least 50% of the musicians/librarians - about 90 people.

I had lunch with then CEO Dick Hoffert shortly after he hired the Maestro. The subject came up about whether he would be a force in the community knowing that we would likely share him with another orchestra (Gothenborg hadn't happened yet). The sensing was that he could do community functions if his concerts werre scheduled in clusters - typically four weeks worth. But he was hired to beef up the Orchestra's musical ability and to expand its repertoire and get it out from under the "classical orchestra" concept of its predecessor director. Venzago's concert sound is nothing short of glorious. He is one of the best Brucknerians alive. But there likely was increasing board pressure for him to be more visible in the community. Ticket sales have not been spectacular since the early nineties.

When Mario was hired, Dick Hoffert told me that he would be here no more than nine years - and a two year extensiuon which he sought would have taken him to a nine year tenure. but according to the Indianapolis Star, the contract offered a director who was paid almost $400,000 in 2007 called for a 50% pay cut this year and payment only for his podium time next year. There are low ball offers to be sure, but this one was "in the dirt."

In general, orchestras are larger than one man, no matter how brilliant. But the CEO must also wrestle with the following question: What is the cost to the orchestra of one disgruntled maestro? The answer, in the words of the late W. Edwards Deming, is "unknown and unknowable" but it will be significant.

The problem facing the ISO: Can they find a Music Director of Venzago's prowess who will live in Indianapolis, put up with all of the fund raising schmoozing that has to be done, accept comparable pay and allow the CEO to retain significant control over repertoire. One can only hope.

[Marc Geelhoed]

Wait a minute:

"As part of the CBA with musicians, Indianapolis cannot hire a Music Director without the concurrence of at least 50% of the musicians/librarians - about 90 people."

The ISO isn't that large. 50% of the musicians and librarians should be more in the 45-to-55-person range, right? Unless there's a 15-person squadron of librarians I'm unaware of. Of course, you'd want to have more than a 50% buy-in from the players.

[Chantal I.]

I think perhaps Robert meant the total numbers of musicians/librarians is about 90. (definitely no 15 person squadron of librarians...more like 4 or so!)

Also, to Mr. bob,

Unfortunately the auditions will not proceed until a music director is in place, per the orchestra's contract.

Pretty awful situation, eh?

[Mr. bob]

Yes - misplaced modifier. The ISO is 88 musicians plus 3 librarians (I think those are the numbers) Sorery for the misleading.

Anyway, Mario is a class act. He has called for everyoner to stop the blaming and finger pointing. My gripe is simply the CEO should have gotten on a plane and dismissed him on a face-to-face visit. Firing by email is classless.

[different Bob]

Actually, it's pretty unusual to have that kind of stipulation regarding musician approval of an MD, isn't it? I was recently a member of an ICSOM group that had to fight to get 4 musicians on the search committee, and one was "elected" for us by the exec. dir. Other than that, we had no say.

I only point this out to say that given the broad support of Venzago among the players, it makes it even more remarkable that Crookall would do something this heavy-handed (and classless).

By the way, by "auditions" earlier, I meant for player positions. Doesn't the CBA say that no hiring can happen in an MD's first or last contract year?

[Dan C. Hoffman]

As a patron who appreciated very much Venzago's artistic presence in Indianapolis, I am wondering if someone could suggest a way for me to send a thank you note. I can't find an address, except of agents. Thanks, Dr. Daniel Hoffman