Ever since his appointment in March of 2006, Aspen Music Festival and School president and CEO Alan Fletcher has had a rocky administration up along the banks of the Roaring Fork.
In 2009, he was almost fired. One year later, Fletcher received a non-binding vote of no-confidence by the 150-member Music Associates of Aspen--that governing body composed mostly of Aspen's faculty and staff.
In the end, however, the fest's board of directors (they're the group that actually makes personnel decisions) granted him a five-year extension on his contract.
To wit, composer-cum-administrator Alan Fletcher shall remain in office until December 31, 2016.
Musical politics in The Centennial State aside, Fletcher's opening remarks to this summer's Aspen class is well worth your read. So pressing, so spot on, were they, Classicalite has seen fit to reprint every word of Fletcher's convocation.
"In most European economies, there is very significant government support that fills the gap between ticket revenue and the reasonable expense of running an orchestra or opera company. The U.S. has never had that tradition. Some see this as a failing, but as I watch with complete dismay how Washington is increasingly captive to destructive politics, I know that I would far rather deal with generous individuals who donate money and expertise to running an organization, than be beholden to government bureaucrats themselves beholden to unreasonable political forces.
Government support for the arts, in countries where it has long been taken for granted, is failing, all over the world. Not everywhere, yet, but look at the Netherlands, or the United Kingdom, or Italy. Meanwhile, though many find it troubling that our national government, and, increasingly, our state and local governments, seem to give negligible amounts to the arts, we do have a remarkable system whereby taxes are forgiven to people who make voluntary contributions. Thus the government is in fact supporting the arts, through the charitable deduction. The vast majority of support for classical music comes from philanthropy--something like 75% of our budget here in Aspen is given by generous people either in annual gifts or through gifts to our endowment. Philanthropists have no obligation to give away their money. No one is required to be generous. We should--we must--honor those who choose to give.
Many of the most prestigious European musical organizations: La Scala, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Salzburg Festival, Covent Garden, the Paris Opera--all have philanthropic partners in the U.S. American non-profits do not solicit European governments for support, but government-supported European groups do come here, to learn how we do it.
I haven't yet said anything about the fourth group involved in creating a great classical music culture: the audience. Clearly wonderful musicians are essential, and thoughtful donors, and I would say that truly competent, imaginative, tough, and committed administrators are necessary. But it is what happens when a devoted audience listens that is magical.
Maybe Bette Midler was right in this respect: If anyone won't talk, and won't acknowledge, and won't respect other's roles, then maybe they should be fired, and replaced by someone who will.
At this point, it may seem that I have a long way to go to make these remarks positive and encouraging!
But I think part of the answer to all of this is right here in Aspen.
Not only because your great positive energy, your dedication and ability, is the best possible predictor of a real future for music, but also because, behind the scenes here, we have a unique idea for how to integrate musicians, administrators, and donors.
Some orchestras have the representation of a few musicians at board meetings--generally not voting, and generally just one or two. Here, we have a Corporation with a majority membership of faculty that explicitly sets the mission for the organization. Our Board of Trustees, with fiduciary authority, includes 11 fully voting members of our faculty among its 50 seats. All of the board's standing committees include musicians.
I think we will ensure a much better future for our profession if we start crossing the lines of old-style labor/management distrust, and include musicians at the heart of decision-making. Musicians will see how choices are made, and whether they are motivated in the best interests of the music. Maybe they will understand better the hard work that goes on behind the scenes. Administrators will know that they have an obligation to formulate plans and policies that can be explained and justified in public.
And crucially, in the words of Deborah Rutter, president of the Chicago Symphony, boards will be as close as possible to the music. Being close to the music is what motivates all of us.
So what can we do?
Think about what others do to help sustain our musical organizations. Rather than stoke the heated rhetoric, try to calm things down. Develop genuine relationships with people whose role is completely unlike your own. Don't approach problems thinking about what an organization owes you, whether as a musician, a donor, or a devoted staff member--rather, think how you can build up the organization by building up appreciation for what everyone contributes. Be at the table before there is a crisis. The recent agreement in Pittsburgh is a tremendously hopeful sign. There, musicians had built deep, real relationships with board members, and it proved possible to approach a new contract, in a challenging financial climate, from the shared perspective that musicians matter, the board matters, and an administration can support both.
Meanwhile, you are here to do the beautiful work that is the heart of our whole profession. You have made a profound choice in your lives, a choice for music. You have followed up that choice with an immense amount of hard work. Probably people around you, from wherever you come, are inspired by your dedication to this work. They have supported you and have been essential to the work that has brought you here. Here you will find friends like you, who will challenge you to do your best, who will help you do your best, and who will cheer for you when you accomplish your best. When you come to Aspen, you are affirming your choice for a life filled with music, and you are seeing what a future in music can be like.
I have complete confidence that our profession will endure, and that there is a meaningful role in it for all of us. How we make that happen is up to us. It's what we live for."
FYI: David Zinman could not be reached for comment.
