Symphony Heads, Players to Meet Again Next Week

After almost a month with no bargaining sessions, musicians and management of the San Diego Symphony will meet next Wednesday, an orchestra representative said Tuesday.

The meeting was called by state mediator David Hart, he said.

The symphony’s executive director, Wesley O. Brustad, confirmed that he had been notified of the meeting and would attend. He said the orchestra’s management has no new proposal to bring to the bargaining table, that he expects “just talk.”

Some of the musicians expressed doubts that the first talks since the cancellation of the winter concert season Nov. 11 are likely to bring about a settlement.

“Personally, I think (the symphony’s offer) will be worse than anything we’ve ever seen,” said French horn player Warren Gref, a member of the musicians’ negotiating committee. “I expect absolutely nothing from (the) meeting. Instead of coming closer, I think we’ll be farther apart. Hopefully, I’ll be wrong.”

Bassist Gregory Berton, the committee chairman, was more optimistic. Berton said he was encouraged by Brustad’s earlier remarks that both sides are now bruised and are ready to move ahead. “That sounds hopeful to me,” Berton said.

He said he assumes that new proposals by the symphony will include scheduling around the San Diego Opera. Scheduling in recent years has prevented most of the musicians from playing for the opera.

“I hope that Wesley Brustad is a resourceful person,” Berton said. “What if he has arranged for two ballet companies to come here,” providing additional weeks of employment. “He may have arranged for three more weeks of employment.”

The symphony has cut expenses by reducing personnel, production and overhead costs, and by refusing to pay the musicians since Sept. 15. But its income also has dried up.

The season cancellation halted ticket income. More than 200 season subscribers have requested refunds, symphony officials say. Additionally, COMBO, the county arts funding group, and the California Arts Council suspended their payments to the symphony last week, pending an agreement with the musicians. The arts council also canceled half of its $50,000 grant to the symphony this year.

The last negotiating meeting was Oct. 31. At that time the two sides were $500,000 apart on wages and differed over a package of proposals involving artistic control of the orchestra.

Since the season was canceled, Brustad has indicated that he felt both parties might be ready to negotiate.

“It’s a whole new game,” Brustad said.