RSO Musicians

The New York Times has this article about Zankel Hall. They discuss how the reconfigurable features of the hall not only increased it’s initial cost, but also actually limit the use of those features. It costs $10,000 to modify the hall’s confiugration for a performance and then return it to it’s normal configuration.

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The city of Richmond, Virginia is number 5 on the latest list of most dangerous cities:

1. Camden, New Jersey
2. Detroit, Michigan
3. St. Louis, Missouri
4. Flint, Michigan
5. Richmond, Virginia

Richmond beat out Baltimore, Maryland; Atlanta, Georgia; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Gary, Indiana.

Is Richmond really this dangerous? Is it ALL of Richmond, or just the “bad” parts of town?

Here’s the press release from Morgan Quitno; and an article on CNN.com.

Four more of the VAPAF’s leadership have resigned: “Booty” Armstrong, John Sherman Jr., Judy Ford, and Michelle Walter. Armstrong also withdrew his family’s pledge of up to $1M to the foundation.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch has an article.

Below is the full text of the press release from the Mayor’s office:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, November 11, 2005

CONTACT: Linwood Norman
646-0434

MAYOR APPOINTS COMMITTEE ON THE PERFORMING ARTS

Mayor L. Douglas Wilder will appoint a committee to be tasked with addressing the City’s long-term performing arts needs at the Carpenter Center and the Thalhimer’s block on Broad Street.

The committee will have nine members, including Jean Boone, Tom Farrell, David Fisk, William H. Goodwin, and James Ukrop. The Mayor will be announcing the other members shortly.

“I have wanted to be able to support a realistic endeavor to accomplish the stated ends and am pleased we have been able to come this far,” said Mayor Wilder.

Foundation Chairman James Ukrop concurred, stating that “We are confident that this committee will find exciting and realistic ways to make our vision a reality. A city as rich in culture and history as Richmond deserves an unparalleled venue to showcase its unique collection of performing arts groups. We owe it to our region’s many talented artists and the generous patrons who support them to work together constructively in creating a performing arts center we can all be proud of.”

Under Phase One, members of the committee will focus on the future of the Carpenter Center. Included in its analysis, the committee will review the outstanding request from the Virginia Arts Foundation for reimbursement of $4.4 million in expenses (along with its supporting documentation) and will determine the feasibility of any payment thereon. Nothing herein or hereafter to be considered by the committee is intended to preclude the Foundation from complying with the building code of the City as may be applicable. Under Phase Two, committee members will consider how best to make use of the balance of the block bounded on Broad at 6th and 7th Streets for the performing arts. The committee will make an interim report by no later than May 1, 2006 with a final report by no later than Dec. 31, 2006.

Any agreement arrived at through the recommendations of this committee will take precedence over any and all other understandings between the City and The Foundation.

In the interim, the foundation has agreed to landscape the block, consistent with construction needs, which will be held for public use.

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“It was a routine inspection” according to city spokesman Bill Farrar in this Times-Dispatch article. After Mayor Wilder’s representative Paul Goldman met on friday with Arts organizations explaining his proposal to re-open the CCPA by Fall of 2006, the routine inspection of the Carpenter Center shows that the mayor is already acting on his plan.

CBS News is carrying an AP story which reports that the musicians of the Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas spectacular have begun their strike. The stagehands for the show, members of Local 1 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, honored the strike and did not cross picket lines. The famous Rocketts also honored the strike wednesday.