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This is Not an Interview with Roberto Minczuk

8/25/2011

14 Comments

 
Picture
Minczuk declines to comment.
I’ll be making a little trip to Calgary, Alberta, in about ten days. And while there, I was hoping to interview the music director of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Roberto Minczuk.

The name may be known to some readers, in another context. Maestro Minczuk is also the principal conductor of the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra (OSB), based in Rio de Janeiro. In January, the OSB announced that all the players in the orchestra would be “evaluated,” on an individual basis. Clearly many OSB musicians felt their job-security was threatened by this – as far as they were concerned, they were being asked to re-audition for their positions – and a number of the players refused to comply. As a result, about three dozen were let go. In order to replace them, the OSB held international auditions in New York and London, in the spring.


Minczuk, and others in Brazil, may have been surprised when this conflict received international attention. It wasn’t long before blogs around the world were buzzing with news, opinions – and plenty of hostility directed at the conductor. Some soloists sided with the unhappy players of the OSB: violinist Joshua Bell, and pianists Nelson Freire and Cristina Ortiz decided not to perform with the orchestra under Minczuk’s baton.

And when Minczuk recently went guest-conducting in Europe, grumblings of discontent about his handling of the situation in Brazil were heard from orchestral players in Odense, Denmark, and Liverpool, England. (However, they played under him anyway.)

On the other hand, Minczuk’s mentor, the celebrated conductor Kurt Masur, issued a statement of support for the embattled conductor and his work with the OSB. Masur wrote, “I know the current music director, Maestro Roberto Minczuk, as a great and honest human being.”

So I thought Minczuk might welcome the opportunity to sit down with me and explain his side of the story. And at first, that seemed to be the case: when I initially contacted the Calgary Philharmonic, a staffer assured me that Minczuk would be “thrilled to do the interview.” Then, a few days later, I was asked to give some indication of what questions I would like to ask. I complied (departing from standard journalistic practice), and forwarded a list of a dozen questions about the situation in Brazil and also his work in Calgary.

Today I received an email from the Calgary telling me that Minzcuk would speak to me only if the conversation was limited to the CPO. He has decided not to answer questions about events in Brazil. Here’s a direct quote from the email:

“He is not the spokesperson on the situation there and has stopped talking about it to the media. He has often been portrayed as the individual responsible for the evaluations, however it’s not the case; it was actually a board decision and Roberto prefers that questions about it be directed to the OSB rather than to him.”

I got on the phone and called a publicist at the CPO. “I can’t imagine how I could do the interview without in some way touching on the situation in Brazil,” I said. “It’s the elephant in the room. And I’m very open to maestro Minczuk giving his side of the story.”

No, I was told, it wasn’t possible at this time. Maybe later, when the situation is resolved.

So this is not an interview with Roberto Minczuk.

What I can report, however, is that Minczuk’s involvement in the dispute in Brazil has not gone entirely unnoticed here in Canada. Apparently, some musicians in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra made it known to their own management that they would rather he not appear with the orchestra as a guest conductor. The VSO will not confirm or deny this – but Mark Tetreault, director of orchestral services for the Canadian Federation of Musicians, alluded to it in a recent conversation I had with him.

As well, the Canadian Federation of Musicians supported an international boycott of the auditions in London and New York to replace the aggrieved musicians in Rio. But beyond this, there’s been little response, one way or another, from Canadian orchestral players to Minczuk’s problems south of the equator.

“The situation in Brazil is its own situation,” said Tetreault. “Canadian musicians have expressed their concern, but we’re not taking any specific action. The CPO has not suffered the same kind of challenges as the orchestra in Brazil.” Continuing, he explained that no professional orchestra in Canada could ask its players to be evaluated as the players in the OSB were. Such a thing would be a violation of the musicians’ collective agreement.

Has the “Affaire Minczuk” been blown out of proportion? Has Minczuk been misrepresented and maligned? I’d very much like to know – but he won’t tell me.


© Colin Eatock 2011
14 Comments
Antonio J Augusto
8/27/2011 09:37:57 am

The conductor and artistic director of the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra announced his evaluation project as a holy war against mediocrity, corporativism and towards artistic excellence, in an interview to the Veja Magazine, on 4th of May, 2011. Firing 33 musicians for gross misconducting and calling for a "holy war" can be never understood as a sign of healthy and constructive leadership. Holy wars are always synonymous of intransigence, arrogance and imposition. It reinforces a negative image and is completely out of tune with our times. It reflects a totalitarian and authoritarian mindset which is refuted by all who seek for a society built on justice, freedom and human respect. It shows its violent and narrow-minded basis and reveals a certain “artistic-separatism” which pontificates his speech.
It is unacceptable that, what he called as the first "decisive step" toward artistic excellence is one which crushes the history and the respectability of an orchestra created 70 years ago, an orchestra which is the result of a musical and cultural tradition dating back to the early nineteenth century.
Today, the OSB recognizes the mismanagement of this evaluation process and offers the reinstatement of the dismissed musicians to a new orchestra to be created. Many things remain unresolved and without concrete explanations about the real viability of this agreement, but clearly they recognize their error and consequently contradict the unwise words pronounced by the conductor.


Reply
Peoples Plumber Fulham link
10/31/2013 02:40:24 am

In the post below, we've enclosed the correspondence sent to you on Friday concerning your interview request with Roberto. As mentioned we'd still be happy to place you in contact with the suitable voice at the OSB concerning your questions about their organization. Also, as mentioned, we have a tendency to area unit happy to place you in contact with Roberto for any queries you'll have concerning the CPO.

Reply
João Cabral
8/27/2011 10:39:47 am


Great article, Mr Etock!! But Mr Minczuk is absolutely right when he declined to comment the actual crisis in the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra (OSB). There´s NOTHING about ART , nothing about MUSIC. Mr Minczuk is not alone. There are great guys and companies supporting him and this is not for art´s sake! If you understand the basis of Brazilian culture and the structures of power and politics in this country, you will be able to understand what I mean. So how could Mr Minczuk tell you about his artistic motivations for doing what he did? What could he say? How could he be able to explain his attitudes? Actually he has nothing to say, nothing to explain. BUT, I don´t mean that he is innocent or naive or full of good intentions. I believe if he was not this emotional and psychological disabled person he would have avoided this situation, the MURDER of an orchestra and of a VERY IMPORTANT art institution in Brazil, the most TRADITIONAL orchestra in Brazil. What we have to think about is HOW this kind of person can do that and NOT being banned! No, I am not defending him. I am just saying that there are more things in this story that goes beyond artistic levels. So it´s totally understandable that he declines to talk about that. And the people and musicians in Canada have no reason to be worried about, because in your country you don´t have this kind of structure that would be able to support Mr Minczuk crazy attitudes and thoughts!! The rest is silence.

Reply
Marylou Bennetts
8/29/2011 04:56:30 am

Hi Colin,

In the post below, we have included the correspondence sent to you on Friday regarding your interview request with Roberto. As discussed we would still be pleased to put you in touch with the appropriate spokesperson at the OSB regarding your questions about their organization. Also, as mentioned, we are happy to put you in touch with Roberto for any questions you may have regarding the CPO.

Thank you,
Marylou Bennetts
Director, Marketing & Sales
Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

From: Sheryl Ratcliff
Sent: August 25, 2011 3:22 PM
To: coleato@aol.com
Cc: Heather Slater; Marylou Bennetts
Subject: Interview Request with maestro Minczuk

Hi Colin,

I hope this note finds you well. I was hoping we could speak on the phone today but I haven’t heard from you and I know you’re waiting on our response so I’m sending you a note.

I spoke with Roberto this morning and I have a couple of things to pass on. First, he’s thankful for your interest and that you asked to speak with him. He is open to giving an interview about the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and everything that is happening here, however he doesn’t feel it’s appropriate to talk about the OSB. He is not the spokesperson on the situation there and has stopped talking about it to the media. He has often been portrayed as the individual responsible for the evaluations, however it’s not the case; it was actually a board decision and Roberto prefers that questions about it be directed to the OSB rather than to him.

Recently he asked to be released from the position of Artistic Director there; he is now only Principal Conductor and that was something he asked for so that he could concentrate on only the music. The crisis there is nearing the point of being resolved and he would prefer to talk about the future now rather than go back and rehash what has happened.

So, I’m sorry that the answer isn’t exactly what you were hoping for. In a nutshell, he would love to meet with you and talk about the CPO if you’d like, but if you would like a story on the OSB, we will give you a contact name there. You are most welcome to pursue the story however Roberto will no longer talk about it; this is in their management’s hands now.

If you are still in Calgary and want to meet with him, we’d be most happy to send the two of you out to dinner on us, and give you tickets for our Season launch concert on September 8th. We’re doing a 10th anniversary tribute to 9/11.

Thank you for contacting us Colin. We do appreciate your patience in waiting on our response and would be happy to accommodate you if you’re still interested in talking with Roberto. Please let me know what you wish to do.

All the best,

Sheryl

Sheryl Ratcliff
Publicist
Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Reply
Marek Postdam
8/30/2011 08:30:55 am

Short note here, the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra is back on stage and performing much better than before, there is no reason to complain.

They just performed under Lorin Maazel's and Minczuk's Baton and the public loved, both in São Paulo, the biggest and richest city of South America and in Rio de Janeiro.

If Minczuk had a plan to revamp the orchestra he had succeeded, kudos for him.

Now, you will always hear about one thing here and there but I can tell you that Minczuk has done a great Job in Brazil and I am very proud of having him in Calgary.

Reply
Andrea Cachiolla
8/30/2011 10:04:40 am

"And the people and musicians in Canada have no reason to be worried about, because in your country you don´t have this kind of" musicians we have in Rio de Janeiro, a gang of mediocrities, experts in maligning conductors and banish them. They don't have respect for Maazel, for Masur, anyone. They thought a place for life. No, it's only for those who can play well.

Reply
Antonio J Augusto
8/31/2011 07:08:28 am

Adopted 2011 ICSOM Conference Resolutions
(Adopted August 20, 2011 in Dearborn, Michigan)

Resolution #14 – to offer support for the Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira
Whereas, The Fundação Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira (FOSB) of the Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira (OSB) sought and procured a major increase of federal funding in 2010 to develop a world class destination orchestra for the purpose of substantially improving musician salaries; and
Whereas, In January, 2011, rather than increasing musicians’ salaries, the FOSB ordered that every player submit to artistic re-evaluation by Music Director, Roberto Minczuk, who promised to dismiss everyone who refused; and
Whereas, The FOSB simultaneously scheduled auditions in New York, London and Rio to replace those dismissed musicians during a five months suspension of the OSB season and attempted to force the OSB Youth Orchestra to replace the suspended professional musicians (in other words, those students’ teachers) during this transitional phase; and
Whereas, The FOSB ultimately sacked 33 from their complement of 82 musicians, including both officers of the local Rio Musicians' Union; and
Whereas, Following months of local and international outcry, and after the Brazilian Labour Ministry and Immigration Board refused to issue work permits to foreign musicians hired to replace those illegally terminated musicians, the FOSB finally began initiating steps to address this injustice when they announced a reduction of Roberto Minczuk's responsibilities from Artistic Director to that of Staff Conductor; and
Whereas, A new committee named by the FOSB to assume Roberto Minczuk’s artistic authority has begun in earnest to negotiate with the local union to find a rational and amicable solution to the current crisis; and
Whereas, An agreement was reached and ratified in early August, to re-integrate all 33 musicians without re-audition, in a newly created Chamber Orchestra that is not under the direction of Minczuk; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Delegates to the 2011 ICSOM Conference express their support for their colleagues in the Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira and condemn and deplore the actions of the FOSB Chief Executive and former Music Director as a blatant attempt to destroy the rights and livelihoods of the musicians of the Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira; and, be it further
Resolved, That, while recent negotiations between the FOSB’s newly appointed Artistic Direction Committee and the local musicians’ union resulted in a newly ratified agreement, a number of sensitive issues remain that should be handled in a fair, equitable and transparent manner; and be it further
Resolved, That the FOSB additionally investigate and consider implementation of the same audition, tenure and termination procedures commonly accepted by most major Western European and North American orchestras rather than the oligarchic and arbitrary termination practices demonstrated this year by the Music Director and board.

Reply
Martin Wuppertal
9/1/2011 10:23:59 am

“A memorable encounter” – O Estado de São Paulo’s review, published on August 16th.

JOÃO MARCOS COELHO

It was a memorable “Heroic”, in a remarkable and unforgettable lesson in conducting. That’s what the outstanding audience in the gray Sunday late afternoon at Sala São Paulo had the privilege of sharing with Conductor Lorin Maazel, in great shape at 81 years-old. While watching the maestro in his playing a full command of the art of conducting the 60 musicians on stage, I remembered the response of the English violinist Nigel Kennedy to a journalist three years ago, when he was asked if he felt that conducting was like art: “Why would someone be waving a baton on the podium if he could play an instrument?” At the time, Kennedy was at war with the self-centered superstar conductors, more interested in money and prestige than in developing an authentic musical relationship with the orchestra.

Yes, despite the mercenaries and the very inflated egos, conducting is really an art. And, when practiced at the level that Maazel showed last Sunday, it is indeed miraculous. The elegance of the gestures, the accuracy of the guidelines, the times when, his left hand resting on the podium, he used the baton almost like a sword pointing to the entries. In addition, the righteous conception of the times of each course of the Heroic Symphony (which replaced the Fifth with advantages, despite several “ahs” and “ohs” that hatched in the audience who had come to enjoy the beats of destiny).
And above all, the way the 33 holder musicians and the remaining three dozen temporary ones were electroplated by the magnetism and musicality of Maazel (I’m not sure about the exact number of musicians on stage, because from where I was seated I could not even see the pianist’ hands and was not able to see all the musicians). To the effective members, he showed that the orchestra needs to end the predicament at once, wake from its lethargy and focus on what musicians should obviously know how to do: music. As for the freelance musicians who were there just to earn an extra pay, they happily embarked, committed, on an exciting Beethoven “trip” – although the horns and wooden instruments had hobbled at crucial moments, such as the Scherzo.

Too bad the twelve foreigners who passed the contest to fill vacancies have to wait for the scholarly research of the Minister of Labor, which should be out there in Brazil looking for what he described as “domestic similar musicians” – if they are not found, the 12 ones may become effective in an atrocious surrealism.

So this was not the first concert of the OSB in Sao Paulo and a potential sign of its rebirth from the ashes, it was only the memorable encounter of an extraordinary conductor with a group of musicians who were seduced by his art. To be reborn, the orchestra needs to do a concert of excellence with its holder conductor.

The first part showed an Egmont opening that was already on the right track, but still half asleep, far from the standard execution of the Heroic in the second part. The Ukrainian pianist Valentina Lisitsa had a proper participation in concert # 3.

Reply
Rembrandt Thorpenssen
9/2/2011 06:21:47 am

Beautiful OSB concert in Rio de Janeiro, last August 24.2011 with a Canadian violinist, Lara St. John. Check this out:

http://youtu.be/qTAxS_bdCms

Reply
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7/1/2013 06:02:47 pm

Maestro Roberto Minczuk is conducting so many concerts in the 2013/2014 season which is a nice opportunity for their fans to meet him soon.

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    Eatock Daily

    I'm a composer based in Toronto – and this is my classical music blog, Eatock Daily.

    When I first started blogging, Eatock Daily was a place to re-post the articles I wrote for Toronto’s Globe and Mail and National Post newspapers, the Houston Chronicle, the Kansas City Star and other publications.

    But now I have stepped back from professional music journalism, and I'm spending more time composing.

    These days, my blog posts are infrequent, and are mostly concerned with my own music. However, I do still occasionally post comments on musical topics, including works I've discovered, enjoyed, and wish to share with others.


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