The Long Beach Symphony Orchestra has a contract with the local musicians union and will take the stage next month after a year and a half of silence.
The Long Beach Symphony board voted this week to require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations for all concertgoers, approved a new contract with the American Federation of Musicians Local 353, and announced its schedule 2021-22.
The next season will start on October 23.
“I am thrilled to hear that the Long Beach Symphony is reopening this fall,” Mayor Robert Garcia said in a statement, “and commend them for taking a leadership role in requiring proof of vaccinations in order to keep our residents safe.”
The board approved the vaccination requirement and new union contract on Tuesday, September 14.
Under the inoculation policy, the Long Beach Symphony will not accept a negative test in lieu of proof of vaccination, said Kelly Lucera, president and CEO of the organization.
As of Monday, Sept. 13, 78% of all adults in Long Beach have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine and nearly 65% of residents of all ages have received at least one dose, according to city data. .
The new collective agreement, meanwhile, still has one step to go.
The symphony orchestra and the union reached a tentative agreement late last week and the board ratified it on Tuesday.
But the union must also vote on this.
About 80 musicians perform for the symphony in a variety of venues, making it the organization’s single largest expense. The previous union contract expired during the coronavirus pandemic.
The tentative agreement includes a pay rise and partial payment for concerts canceled due to the pandemic. The number of musicians who will participate in the various performances and the number of paid rehearsals are also part of the agreement.
The symphony survived the 18-month shutdown in surprisingly good condition, Lucera said — but not without help.
“On behalf of our Board of Directors, we would like to thank our loyal base of donors and patrons whose continued support has enabled us to endure this extraordinarily difficult period,” said Board Chairman Roger Goulette. “We are eternally grateful.”
The symphony’s focus, Lucera said, now turns to the performances.
The Long Beach Symphony released its next schedule on Thursday morning, September 16, with the first concert scheduled to be a POPS! at the Long Beach Arena on October 23. It will feature the music of legendary band Queen.
The Terrace Theater will reopen on November 13 for the first classical concert under the direction of musical director Eckart Preu. Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Ordinary Man” and Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 7” will be performed.
“I look forward to making music again with this extraordinary orchestra,” Preu said in a statement, “and I look forward to welcoming back our wonderfully supportive audience to experience the power and healing of live music. “
Healing plays a central role in the rescheduled “Violins of Hope: Strings of the Holocaust” concert, which is due to begin Jan. 8. The concert will feature restored Holocaust violins and other stringed instruments.
The other classical concerts of the season are:
- February 5: Two concertos for two pianos with the Israeli piano duo Sivan Silver and Gil Garburg.
- March 12: A focus on fairy tales and folklore from Norway and Russia, including the ever-popular “The Firebird Suite” by Igor Stravinsky.
- April 30: Musical drama, with Pepe Romero performing “Medea” by Manolo Sanlúcar. Johann Sebastian Bach and Pieces by Franz Joseph Haydn are also on the program.
- June 4: The season finale will feature a new piece, “Global Warming,” by Michael Abel and Israeli-American cellist Inbal Segev. The final to the final will be “Scheherazade” by Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov.
The Long Beach Arena will host holiday POPs! concert on December 18, with the Long Beach Camerata Singers joining the symphony for Christmas favorites, carols and more. Dr. James K. Bass, Music Director of Camerata, will be on the podium.
The 2022 part of the POPS! The series premieres Brass Transit’s Musical Legacy of Chicago on February 12, and bandleader Paul Shaffer – longtime sidekick and musical director of Dave Letterman – will explore symphonic renditions of his favorite songs, with Motown legend Valerie Simpson, March 26. ! the season ends May 21 with a celebration of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.
Information or ticket purchase: 562-436-3203 or LongBeachSymphony.org.
