An Equality Indicator

Some years ago when I was beginning in the orchestral profession, I was somewhat bemused by some of my older collegues who likened the status of musicians to servants - we wear the same uniform and are regarded with the same respect, with financial rewards and public respect not being what they might be for people who have worked so hard to get to their level in the business. I did not really share this feeling at the time, but some years later I am more inclined to agree.
A friend from the opera recently was telling me about the party thrown for the crew  on Gala night. Everybody was there - cast, chorus, backstage crew, administration, all sorts of hangers on. Nobody from the orchestra was invited. I am sure that many musicians simply want to go home after the show anyway, and admittedly the numbers in an orchestra can sometimes be an issue in situations like this. Do the ‘powers that be’ not have the ability, or the will to have musicians feel part of the team - to find a way to have these musicians represented? In an art form where there is much public subsidy does nobody feel any responsibility to treat those involved with a sense of respect and equality?

New Young Talent.

Interesting week - a young conductor who has not much experience with professional orchestras. It is important to allow new people into the profession in my opinion, and this conductor is certainly showing that he can do the job. Interesting to observe nonetheless the interaction between the experienced musicians and the relatively inexperienced conductor. There is an assumed hierarchical situation with the conductor in charge. What he does not see as he tries to fix our problems, is that the root of the problem is conducting technique which will simply not produce the result he is looking for. How can a chord be together when the technique is unclear. Eventually we ‘get it right’ when either he gets it right, or we decide in an unspoken way to ignore him and do it despite him. There is an unwritten ethic that says we do not tell the conductor he is not doing a good job - that is for him to tell us. Disturbing this principle will lead to tension and will not do the music any favours. Yet observing it apparently perpetuates the problem and the conductor does not gain from the experience, but may simply go away and tell others how ‘slow’ this orchestra is. Any ideas?