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San Francisco Chronicle
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Opera reaches new contract agreement with its orchestra
The San Francisco Opera and its orchestra reached a new agreement just before the close of its 2024-25 season, securing wage increases, enhanced retirement packages and updated healthcare benefits for the company's musicians. The two-year contract with the American Federation of Musicians, the union that represents more than 70,000 professional musicians in North America, was ratified by the orchestra on Thursday, June 26, the day before its first-ever Pride concert. The collective bargaining agreement spans Aug. 1, 2024 through July 31, 2026. 'We're happy to have reached this Agreement and are especially proud that our musicians, along with our healthcare consultant, identified and delivered major cost savings that will benefit the entire Company,' Gabe Young, chair of the orchestra's negotiating committee, said in a statement. 'We look forward to negotiating a longer-term contract in the coming years in collaboration with Opera leadership.' The Opera and its orchestra expect to begin negotiations on a multi-year contract during the next round of talks. The Opera's 2024-25 season opening gala last September was nearly disrupted by unresolved contract negotiations, but the orchestra musician and the company's management were able to reach a short-term agreement just before its performance of Verdi's 'Un Ballo in Maschera (A Masked Ball).' Prior to that, orchestra musicians had been without a contract since July 2024 and were ' deeply concerned ' about stalled discussions with Opera leadership. 'I am very grateful to both the musicians and the staff who worked with great commitment, care, and thoughtfulness to reach this new agreement,' Matthew Shilvock, the Opera's general director, said in a statement. 'We deeply value the extraordinary talents of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and the transcendent music making they realize in both our theater and in the community.' With the new deal in place, the Opera is set to return to the War Memorial Opera House for its 2025-26 season with Verdi's 'Rigoletto' on Sept. 5. Across the street at Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco Symphony labor negotiations have remained tense, with musicians and choristers staging multiple protests over artistic direction, compensation, and financial transparency. Frustrations escalated ahead of the departure of Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, who cited disagreements with the board as his reason for stepping down. The Finnish conductor gave his final performance with the orchestra on June 14. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Ballet, who also performs at the War Memorial, reached a new three-year contract agreement with its orchestra at the start of June, seven months before its previous one was set to expire.
Forbes
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Does Where Music Or Art Is From Matter Anymore?
Everything, including the code to power algorithms, came from someone at some point. Are we as a society forgetting that? Within the rise of artificial intelligence and the age of what OpenAI founder Sam Altman refers to as the time when 'humans go from being the smartest thing on planet earth to not the smartest thing on planet earth,' is a profound contradiction. On one side, there's an acceptance of ceding this so-called superior intelligence to something else, code, algorithms, and supercomputers, because it is claimed to accelerate economic and social progress. On the other hand, it is our intellect and its historical social superiority that created the intelligence on which AI is trained in the first place. We're using our smarts to develop something that replaces some of our skills, so we don't all need to be as smart. All of AI infrastructure, be it microchips that power servers and miners, or the prompts that create songs on Udio or Suno, began as an idea in someone's mind, somewhere, at some time. Over time, through trials and errors, those ideas became chips, art, musical works, or sets of code, each built on top of each other to create something that Altman proclaims will become or has already become smarter than all of us. Yet, wherever this progression leads us, I find this ignorance of forgetfulness, how we got to where we are now, baffling. In an effort to create something smarter than we could ever be, we have, in effect, dumbed down our ability to recognise how we got here. We are forgetting the importance of origin. And it is leading to worrying consequences. NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2024/09/04: The American Federation of Musicians (AFM), a union ... More representing over 70,000 musicians across the entertainment industry, rallies outside of Rockefeller Center as negotiations begin for a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). After a year in which both actors and writers hit the picket lines, many fear another Hollywood strike may be on the horizon. (Photo by Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) The case study that best articulates this is the relationship and politics between AI firms and those who make a living from their creative intellectual property and, therefore, wish to continue to do so. AI is embedded in everything, whether we know it or like it or not, and most content online has been scraped to train models. The time-saving capabilities are profound, from researching complex topics to designing presentations, music-making, and creating effective social media campaigns. But what the AI is trained on came from somewhere, or someone, at some point. And what is being produced is detached from that origin. This flies in the face of how economic and social value is often derived. Take food as an example. In deciding what we eat, origin is marketed and sold as something of additional value, whether farm-raised, hand-reared, or grass-fed. It assures provenance and ensures those who grew the food are compensated. It is also a marketing tool. Knowing where your food comes from is a privilege worth paying for if one can, and tracking its journey, from field to fork, is a profitable business. There's a premium attached to origin, which often means that knowing where your food comes from means that your food costs more. It's not just food; this belief is everywhere. The concept of 'Made in A Place' remains an effective and fought-over political tool. This is why there remains a political conversation focused on onshoring manufacturing. Being from somewhere still matters. Now, there is far less importance attached to where an artist comes from, because an AI LLM can recreate their voice in any bedroom with a Broadband connection. With AI, origin is unprofitable. It is too human, too messy, and to be avoided. Where something is from doesn't matter. All that matters is that it has been ingested and can be used and manipulated. Where this leads, this decoupling of origin from human culture and creativity, is having adverse consequences. The origin of creativity, from brain to book, film, canvas, or ProTools, is less valued or seen as unique, because the same thing can be done anywhere, by anyone. Now, it does not matter where the coffee comes from or if it is fair trade, because we can all be satiated by mechanically produced caffeine, no matter where we are. Creative engineering, vintage illustration of the head of a man with an electronic circuit board for ... More a brain, 1949. Screen print. (Illustration) This could be seen as democratising, but this comes at a cost. In the pursuit of creating something smarter than us, we're dumbing down the value of making without AI. Therefore, attributing a financial value to an origin, recognising that a person, in a place, is an originator and thus deserves to be recognised - financially or otherwise - is being downgraded as server capacity has been upgraded. This fuels a narrative claiming copyright is old-fashioned and restricts progress. What's lost is not simply a forgetfulness, but a lack of understanding that the forgetfulness creates a system where the more this content is distributed, the less the original labour is valued. The more we hear, the less we realise where the first sounds were made. It is seen as smarter, or more efficient, to pay more for a ChatGPT or MidJourney membership than a music or design subscription, because ChatGPT, or other LLMs, can create the music and design for us. And with every search, every new piece of work that began somewhere but now lives nowhere, we lose the value of origin and with it, a recognition that societally, we are all tied to where we're from, a trait that should be understood and respected by everyone. If we value origin so much in what we eat, why don't we do the same with anything else we consume? AI advancement is welcome, but it should be tied, legally, to respecting origin and remunerating originators, rather than what's happening now. Instead of attributing what LLMs are trained on and compensating those for their usage, we're left with not just a mass theft of creativity, but also the theft of what it means to be from somewhere.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A change in tenor: Springfield Symphony, union announce labor contract
SPRINGFIELD — Finally on the same page of music after years of labor strife, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and Local 171 of the American Federation of Musicians have reached a new two-year collective bargaining agreement. The new contract starts in the upcoming 2025-26 season and extends through the 2026-27 season, the union and the orchestra said in a joint statement Monday. The deal calls for a minimum of eight symphonic concerts and an education concert in the upcoming seasons. The Springfield Symphony Orchestra is the largest Massachusetts symphony outside of Boston. The new contract for the 67-member orchestra does include pay increases over each of the two years. The union and management declined to specify the increase. The announcement this year had a different tone from the last contract negotiations. The orchestra and its union reached a two-year deal in 2023 only after three years of negotiations, complaints to the National Labor Relations Board and the intervention of Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. The musicians also formed an independent orchestra, called the Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, at one point. Paul Lambert came in as president and CEO of the orchestra in February of 2023, toward the end of protracted negotiations. He noted the change in tenor. 'We work together very closely,' Lambert said. 'We've worked hard to build trust. We've worked very hard to try and include everybody' Beth Welty, president of Local 171, said the agreement is a positive step. 'We look forward to continuing to work with Paul Lambert, the staff and the board toward the goal of expanding the orchestra's outreach and service to all of Western Massachusetts.' Lambert, in an interview, said that while the contract has called for a minimum of eight performances for a few years now, the orchestra typically does 10 to 12, depending on funding. 'We try all the time to find ways to bring in new audiences,' said Lambert, who formerly was an executive at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. 'New, younger, diverse audiences.' Over the past two years, that's meant featuring the Latin jazz ensemble the Mambo Kings; 'Bugs Bunny at the Symphony'; annual MLK Jr. celebration concerts; and the Fearless Women Awards, honoring local women leaders in the community. 'Just be flexible,' Lambert said of the house ethos. The orchestra hosted its third Juneteenth concerts — concerts that are free to attend for the community. The orchestra played its second youth education concert of the last few years. And it hosted 2,000 fourth graders in March at Symphony Hall. 'Great fun for all concerned,' Lambert said. Two quintets — winds and brass — from the Springfield Symphony Orchestra will perform at the Forest Park Amphitheater in Springfield on Sept. 18 as part of the city's free concert and movie series. Lambert said he's grateful to the city and the Parks Department for reaching out. The concerts will be similar to ones the orchestra performed two years ago that The Big E. Musicians in the Springfield Symphony orchestra are part-time with the orchestra and paid according to the number of their performances. 'What do businesses hate?': Mass. employers navigating uncertainty and fear MGM Springfield reports gambling take for May Cannabis workers at Holistic Industries in Monson ask for vote that could end union Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Eddie Vedder and Neil Young speak out in support of Bruce Springsteen amid Trump attacks
Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder has defended Bruce Springsteen during a concert amid attacks by Donald Trump on the legendary singer. Vedder spoke out in support of Springsteen during the band's show at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, saying: '(Trump's) response had nothing to do with the issues. They didn't talk about one of those issues, they didn't have a conversation about one of those issues. They didn't debate about any one of those issues. All that we heard were personal attacks and threats that nobody else should try to use their microphones or voice in public or they'll be shut down.' He continued: 'Now that's not allowed in this country that we call America. Part of free speech is open discussion. Part of democracy is healthy public discourse. The name-calling is so beneath us. Bruce has always been as pro-American with his values and liberty, and his justice has always remained intact. And I'm saying this now to be sure this freedom to speak will still exist in a year or two when we come back to this microphone.' Springsteen previously called Trump's administration 'corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous' during the opening night of his European tour on 14 May. In response, Trump ranted online about Springsteen, calling The Boss a 'dried out prune' and threatened the musician by saying Springsteen 'ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back into the Country.' The American Federation of Musicians responded to Trump's comments, with the organisation's president Tino Gagliardi saying: 'Musicians have the right to freedom of expression, and we stand in solidarity with all our members.' Since then, Trump has called for an investigation into Springsteen and his support for Kamala Harris. He also criticised Beyoncé and Bono. Adding his name to list of Springsteen defenders is veteran American legend Neil Young, who previously shared his fears about being barred from returning to the US after criticising Trump. Yesterday (20 May), Young shared a new blog post on the Neil Young Archives website, where he defended Springsteen and Taylor Swift, who Trump has also slammed. 'Bruce and thousands of musicians think you are ruining America. You worry about that instead of the dyin' kids in Gaza. That's your problem. I am not scared of you. Neither are the rest of us.' He continued: 'You shut down FEMA when we needed it most. That's your problem Trump. STOP THINKING ABOUT WHAT ROCKERS ARE SAYING. Think about saving America from the mess you made.' 'Taylor Swift is right. So is Bruce. You know how I feel. You are more worried about yourself than AMERICA. Wake up Trump!! Remember what the White House is?' He finished his blog entry by writing: 'You are forgetting your real job. You work for us. Wake up Republicans! This guy is out of control. We need a real president!' Neil Young is set to return to Europe this summer as part of his 'Love Earth' world tour, which includes dates at Glastonbury and a headline slot at BST Hyde Park.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bruce Springsteen Releases Live EP, Including His Anti-Trump Speeches
Bruce Springsteen, who has been fiercely criticizing the Trump Administration on a nightly basis on his European tour with the E Street Band, will release an EP from the opening night of the tour titled 'Land of Hope and Dreams.' Recorded in Manchester, England on May 14, the EP features four songs and two of his introductions to those songs, which were fiery enough to provoke the ire of President Trump himself, who first insulted Springsteen (shortly after insulting Taylor Swift) on his Truth Social platform, and then called for a federal investigation into baseless rumors about whether Springsteen and several others were paid to appear at fund-raisers for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. More from Variety Trump Demands 'Major Investigations' Into Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé, Bono and Oprah, Repeating Baseless Rumors Superstars Were Paid Off to Support Kamala Harris Bruce Springsteen Biopic 'Deliver Me From Nowhere,' Starring Jeremy Allen White, Lands October 2025 Release Date Trump Calls Bruce Springsteen 'Not a Talented Guy,' 'Dried Out Prune' and 'Dumb as a Rock,' as American Federation of Musicians Denounces Presidential Attacks on Springsteen, Taylor Swift The full tracklist appears below; all songs are Springsteen compositions except Bob Dylan's 'Chimes of Freedom.' The EP is expected to be available Wednesday morning on all major streaming services. Trump was angered by reading reports that Springsteen, without referring to the president by name, had criticized the administration in a Manchester concert. There, the rocker said, 'The mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock 'n' roll, in dangerous times. In my home, the America I love, the America I've written about, and has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration. Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experience to rise with us, raise your voices against the authoritarianism, and let freedom ring.' Springsteen's message came as an introduction to a performance of 'Land of Hope and Dreams.' Land of Hope & Dreams EP Land of Hope and Dreams (Introduction) Land of Hope and Dreams (Live) Long Walk Home (Live) My City of Ruins (Introduction) My City of Ruins (Live) Chimes of Freedom (Live) Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
