Musicians’ strike shows we all need to be stronger supporters of the FWSO

The current strike by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra musicians is very sad.

The black pall over the billboard on Forest Park Boulevard where symphony events are usually advertised is very telling.

Musicians study and practice constantly to produce those magic moments when the human ear strains to hear the softest of brilliant notes or that perfect chord, or that tumultuous, energizing crescendo produced by the vibrations of the human voice or from instruments crafted from wood and brass and strings — instruments created and made by more human hands, all devoted to producing that most magic of human experiences, music.

I don’t know the specifics or the internal personal dynamics of the situation at the FWSO. My experience tells me that both sides mean well, but somewhere, somehow, things went seriously wrong in the relationships.

My perspective may be unique in that I am a former singer in the Fort Worth Opera Chorus, Schola Cantorum of Texas and the Fort Worth Symphony Chorus.

I am also a current board member of Botanical Research Institute of Texas. I have sat on the board of many non-profit organizations in Fort Worth.

When I was a chorus member of the opera, there was a financial crisis when the performance of Aida closed in 1985. The opera was several hundred thousand dollars in the red.

The chorus was unpaid for several months, and the director left in a scandal. I eventually became the volunteer manager of the chorus for a couple of seasons, and we helped the Fort Worth Opera survive.

Such crises have repeated themselves over the years.

My wife and I are also the parents of two music majors, one who has a degree in performance jazz from UNT and another who is currently majoring in French Horn at The University of Texas.

My wife sits on the board of the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra.

While we are both musicians, we are both fortunate that our day jobs are attorneys at law.

It is even sadder to think that so many are affected by the current FWSO strike.

Bass Hall is getting no rent for symphony events. Workers from stage hands to valet parkers to the bartenders are not getting paid. And worst of all, no music is being played.

Perhaps it is time to back up and take a look at the big picture.

First, the public wants fine music, but most people don’t want to pay for it. Musicians spend many long hours devoted to perfecting their craft, but from the times of Mozart, Bach and Beethoven, wealthy benefactors had to support them.

In Fort Worth we have been lucky to have some wealthy families support the arts, but they will not and should not do it alone. I admit to being a sporadic season ticket holder at the symphony — and if they come back, I’ll do better.

All of us need to appreciate and be willing to pay musicians. Musicians must appreciate the people who donate money and buy the tickets.

My experience tells me both as one who appreciates the arts and as an attorney trying to solve human disputes that something broke down on both sides. Some trust was perceived to be broken by both sides.

Whatever happened, I hope there is a way for both sides to get to a better place — and let the music be heard again.

This story was originally published December 2, 2016 at 6:09 PM with the headline "Musicians’ strike shows we all need to be stronger supporters of the FWSO."