BASS TO LEAVE S.D. SYMPHONY JOB

The San Diego Symphony’s executive director announced this week that he will resign.

Saying it is time for “someone else to take the reins,” Richard Bass said he will step down as the orchestra’s chief administrator within 90 days, according to a symphony press release dated Thursday.

“With a wonderful new Symphony Hall, improved financial status and a continually increasing level of artistic excellence, I hope that the future of this fine orchestra holds nothing but glory,” Bass said in the press release. Hired in 1984, Bass presided during a period of upheaval in which the symphony bought and converted the Fox Theatre into Symphony Hall and then faced the realization that it could not wipe out the debt through normal fund-raising activities. In February, the symphony’s board of directors threatened to file for bankruptcy if an emergency fund-raising campaign failed to generate $2 million.

One reason cited for the symphony’s financial troubles is the turnover of its top managers. Bass’ replacement will be the 13th chief executive in 18 years. Bass had served as symphony general manager from March, 1977, to May, 1978.

“I was surprised and disappointed,” symphony President M.B. (Det) Merryman said of Bass’ resignation. “We regret Dick’s decision to leave the orchestra.” Merryman said a search committee will be formed next week to find a replacement.

Bass’ departure comes at a critical time. The orchestra will soon begin negotiating a new contract for its 89 players. The existing three-year agreement expires Aug. 31.

Musicians’ representatives charged the symphony with poor management during the recent financial crisis, when the players were asked to take a 10% annual pay cut. The musicians are the lowest-paid major orchestra players in the country, according to the union’s national publication.

Although union officials have said Bass was one cause of poor relations between the players and management, a local union official had only kind words Friday.

“I feel sorry that these things resulted in anyone’s resignation,” said C. Patric Oakley, secretary-treasurer of Local 325 of the American Federation of Musicians. “As I look backward, I see the immense pressures” on management.

The day after the symphony passed its emergency $2-million fund-raising goal in March, Bass said that he looked forward to managing without a $1.8-million debt around his neck.

“The first 18 months I’ve been here I’ve just been putting out fires,” Bass said at that time. “I haven’t been actually able to manage the orchestra. (Now) I’ll be doing virtually everything differently.”

Bass said he has no specific plans for what he’ll do next. He would not comment on whether he will be involved in negotiations with the musicians.

Bass is not the only symphony officer to resign in the wake of the fiscal crisis. Merryman announced last month that he will resign his volunteer post in early June, three months before his two-year term expires Aug. 31.

Merryman is resigning early to “provide continuity” so that his successor, attorney Herbert J. Solomon, can take part in the musicians’ negotiations.

Oakley, who was told by the symphony that negotiations would begin June 16, said he does not expect that a pact will be reached before the current contract expires. “That seems to be the trend,” Oakley said. “Outside of the opera, I’ve never known of (a negotiation) that was completed in the proper (90-day) period.

Despite the emergency campaign that raised more than $2.5 million, the symphony’s financial future is still in doubt. The emergency funds were used to retire a $1.8-million debt, with the surplus reserved for an anticipated operating deficit for the current fiscal year. Various symphony projections of the deficit have ranged from $116,000 to $820,000.

The symphony still must raise more than $600,000 to meet its $8-million annual budget.