In writing your email to the board, you may want to consider the following points:
The musicians of the CSO live and work full time in Charleston. We play in your schools and churches, we teach your children, and we provide the greater Charleston community with more than 50 performances annually. We want to stay here and see the CSO playing and thriving again!
Our current annual base salary is $18,888. This is based on an annual budget for the CSO of $2.4 million.
The CSO board recently made a proposal to the musicians in order to get the CSO playing again. This proposal (which was rejected) included an annual base salary of $3,600 and was based on an annual budget of $1.35 million.
One of the many reasons for this proposal being rejected is that the CSO has been able to raise more than $2 million in annual revenue every year since 1997. We're confident that this trend can continue, given the right leadership.
Please visit our "press" section on the home page for more detailed information regarding the CSO's suspension of operations.
You may also wish to read two reports analyzing the CSO structure. These reports were conducted by arts experts not associated in any way with the CSOA or the musicians.
In Harmony Report, May 2, 2008
Curtis Long Report, February 23, 2009
The following CSO Board member has requested to be removed from the distribution list for comments posted here by those concerned about the future of the CSO and therefore will not receive your feedback.
Andreas Maas
Related reading: The Board Member's First Duty: Accountability
Below is the list of CSO board members that will receive your message:
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Ted Legasey, President
Loren Carlson, VP Finance
Ellen Dressler Moryl, VP Artistic
Barry Goldsmith, VP Education
Charlie Cumbaa VP Marketing
Randy Gilmore, VP Development
Leo Fishman, Past President and VP Long Range Planning
Margaret Strauss, President CSOL
Clay Grayson, Secretary
Bratton Riley, Youth Orchestra of the Lowcountry Liason
DIRECTORS
Quentin Baxter
Daniel Beckley
R. Bruce Copeland
Mary Hewlette
Clyde Hiers
Fred Himmelein
Sola Kim
Marty Klaper
Mariano LaVia
Lee Pringle
Robert Schlau
David Simmons
Libby Smith
John H. Warren,III
Bright Williamson
TRUSTEES COUNCIL
Roger Ackerman
Andy Anderson
Van Campbell
John Dinkelspiel
Richard Friedman
Ted Halkyard
Fred Kelsey
Jim Martin
Walt Rosen
LIFE MEMBER
Margot Freudenberg
Laura Hewitt
Max Hill Jr.
Marianne Mead
Eloise Pingry
Burton Schools
Ed Sparkman
EX-OFFICIO MEMBER
Marty Besancon
Gwen Gilmore
Joseph Jenrette, III
Valerie Morris
Norman Smith