By Matthew Heller, Una Voce editor

Few saw it coming, and those who did saw no way around it: as of 2024, the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony (KWS) would cease to exist. Founded in 1945, the KWS had been a pillar of the arts community in a thriving region known as a tech hub with two prestigious universities.  

Its implosion came as a shock to everyone outside of the KWS boardroom. A catastrophic cash shortage forced them to cancel the  season, followed by bankruptcy proceedings. But this sad story had a twist: musicians and community members rallied to restore their orchestra. They rushed to safeguard its most valuable assets, both human and physical. They reversed the course of the bankruptcy. A tragic end became a comeback story. 

All of this made Kitchener the obvious site for the Organization of Canadian Symphony Musicians’ (OCSM) annual conference. We heard from KWS musicians Kathy Robertson and Rebecca Diderrich, new Board Chair Bill Poole, and AFM Symphonic Services Division (SSD) Canada Assistant Director Richard Sandals, all of whom have played essential roles in the ongoing recovery. Their story was an emotional roller coaster, with lessons for musicians and organizers everywhere:  

• Put in the effort to connect with your communities and develop allies, before a storm hits.  
• Take a careful look at your players association bylaws, which just might be the glue that holds the ship together.  
• Don’t underestimate the quiet ones, musicians who keep a low profile but have incredible resources in times of need.  

Several KWS musicians besides Kathy and Rebecca joined us during the Conference, and connecting with them was a highlight for all of us non-Kitchenerites. KWS Principal Bass Ian Whitman, who has been serving as Outreach Coordinator, was there and has contributed a piece on initiatives to maintain their presence in the community. 

Equity and harassment in the workplace

Over the past season, many in our industry have been engaged in conversations about how we treat women in the symphonic workplace. Our conference in Kitchener was an opportunity to have this conversation with musicians and union leaders from across Canada.  

We invited Jaime Martino and Michael Mori, co-founders of Women in Musical Leadership, an organization dedicated to supporting women and nonbinary conductors. They prompted a discussion about attitudes that still permeate our culture, and how we can shift the ways we talk about leadership to make our industry more welcoming. As Jaime asked us, “How can we make the future of our art as varied and interesting as possible?”  

This led to a presentation by OCSM Legal Counsel Michael Wright and Attorney Danielle Stampley about the role of unions in cases of non-artistic dismissal, including those pitting orchestra members against one another. We have a duty to represent all our members, but that doesn’t absolve us of complex choices about how to pursue justice.  

SSD Director Rochelle Skolnick, a labour lawyer herself, gave a presentation on misconduct and sexual harassment in the symphonic workplace. We considered why healthy boundaries can be difficult to maintain in our workplace – and how can our policies and practices better address these challenges? These are tough conversations, but vital ones. 

Welcome to Ethan, farewell to Liz

Throughout four days of discussions, our Delegates showed themselves to be inquisitive, passionate, and dedicated to making our orchestras the best they can be. For those of us who have been to several OCSM Conferences, hearing fresh perspectives and ideas from new Delegates is always a highlight. We also welcomed several managers to share perspectives and join the conversation. 

OCSM 1st VP Elizabeth Johnston, a Canadian Opera Company violinist, ended a stretch of 11 seasons on the OCSM executive. Liz has been a fantastic advocate for musicians, a voice for clarity and understanding, and the person who made sure the contracts were signed and the Conferences would actually happen. OSQ violinist Ethan Balakrishnan was elected to take over as OCSM 1st VP. 

Of course, we addressed many other topics: government affairs, the Musicians Pension Fund of Canada, venue concerns, management quality, promotional and audience recording of performances, and more. This season, we will devote space in Una Voce to many of these topics. 

We dedicated the conference to two Canadian union leaders we recently lost, Alan Willaert and Dave Jandrisch. Their legacies are a reminder that the work we do as musician advocates extends far beyond the meeting room, onto the stage, and out into our communities.