Atherton Plans Stand on Symphony : Conductor Tells L.A. Musicians He’ll Try to End Impasse

San Diego Symphony Music Director David Atherton has told musicians in Los Angeles that he planned to take a leadership role in attempting to end the labor impasse that has all but killed the symphony.

In a meeting attended by union officials, musicians and top management of the Los Angeles Philharmonic on Jan. 20, Atherton assured those present that he will attempt to get the San Diego Symphony Orchestra Assn. to drop its demand for artistic concessions.

Although Atherton is the symphony’s artistic leader, the 43-year-old conductor has not taken a public position in the labor dispute since contract talks began in June.

Messages left for Atherton at his San Diego home Thursday and Friday went unreturned.

Asked whether Atherton had made any proposals at Tuesday’s board meeting, San Diego Symphony President Herbert J. Solomon said the maestro had given an account of the meeting but said there would be no further talks.

“We’re beyond that now. We’re not negotiating now,” Solomon said. “The negotiations are over. The orchestra is over. They’ve rejected our last final offer.”

Reminded that the symphony had agreed after its “last final offer” to submit to binding arbitration, Solomon said: “Of course they’re willing to reach an agreement on their terms. The orchestra no longer exists. The musicians haven’t left me with any alternative.”

The tone of the Los Angeles meeting was “very, very constructive,” said Vince DiBari, union vice president of Local 47 of the American Federation of Musicians. The meeting, held at the Local 47 union hall, was called by Philharmonic musicians, who had received a letter listing alleged abuses attributed to Atherton by San Diego musicians. Atherton conducted a series of concerts by the Philharmonic at the Music Center last week.

DiBari said the meeting was called so that Atherton could give his version of what was going on in San Diego. The musicians queried Atherton for almost two hours about the allegations. “Good questions were asked. Good answers were given,” DiBari said.

In a related matter, 84 of the Philharmonic’s players signed a petition, which they submitted to management, that states that they would play under Atherton only “under protest” in view of his part in the labor crisis that has pushed the San Diego Symphony to the brink of bankruptcy. Philharmonic officials and musicians said it was the first time they can remember that the musicians have protested playing under a conductor by petition.

“We did play under protest,” said Roland Moritz, a veteran flutist and chairman of the Philharmonic’s orchestra committee, which represents the players in dealings with management. “The petition was in support of the musicians of the San Diego Symphony and also because of the general impression that Atherton has been part of the problem.”

The meeting was attended by Atherton, Los Angeles Philharmonic Executive Director Ernest Fleischmann, General Manager Robert Harth, orchestra manager Nancybell Coe, Moritz, Local 47 President Bernie Fleischer, DiBari and two other members of the orchestra committee. Los Angeles Philharmonic officials declined to discuss the meeting other than to acknowledge that it occurred.

Moritz said another reason for the meeting was to “explore what kind of positive role he (Atherton) might play. Can he be a part of the solution?”

Fleischer, who attended the first hour of the meeting, said he was encouraged by the candid nature of the exchange. “The meeting was progressing very, very well, with some of the doubts of the committee being resolved. . . . Mr. Atherton had given some pledges to get some movement toward a resolution” of the San Diego labor impasse, Fleischer said.

According to DiBari, Atherton said “he would do his level best . . . to get this off the ground.”

Most significantly, Atherton indicated to those at the meeting that he would attempt to persuade the association to drop its proposals for a change in auditioning and firing procedures. “We assumed that what management was proposing was important to him,” Moritz said. “If he’s willing to bend, they would go along with him.”

The San Diego musicians have long maintained that the association’s proposals for changes in auditioning and firing procedures have been the chief obstacle to reaching an agreement.