Source : Globe & Mail

Says funds will go to commissioning new works

VANCOUVER -- The CBC Radio Orchestra, the last radio orchestra in North America, is being dismantled at the end of November. CBC executives flew out to Vancouver, where the orchestra is based, to deliver the news at a closed-door meeting yesterday afternoon.

"Really, it's straight up a case of economics," said CBC spokesman Jeff Keay. "We couldn't afford to maintain the orchestra.

"Basically, the orchestra was currently doing like eight concerts a year, and for the money that we're spending, we can't afford to do that to get just eight concerts a year."

Mr. Keay would not give specifics of the orchestra's budget beyond saying it was under $1-million.

But he maintains the move will save no money for the CBC. Instead, the funds will go toward commissioning works from other orchestras across the country.

He also insisted that the dismantling of the orchestra is not related to the move away from classical music on CBC Radio 2. "No, no, not at all," he said.

"[The commissioned works] will be orchestral music [and] will be very much a part of what we're doing as we go on."

CBC Radio 2 recently announced it would play less classical and more pop music in the important morning and afternoon drive slots.

The CBC Radio Orchestra is part of Vancouver's history. It was formed in 1938, and up until today, it was able to boast that it was "a legacy of the days when radio orchestras were to be found all over our continent."

Its website says the orchestra's mandate is "to make engaging musical radio programs, commission and perform works by Canadian composers, showcase Canadian performers and conductors, and discover and expose Canadian excellence."

The orchestra has about 45 members, including core and occasional players.

The news was met by the music community with shock and sorrow.

"The demise of the CBC Orchestra would be a tragedy," said Richard Kurth, director of the School of Music at the University of British Columbia, who was still having trouble believing the news.

"I think it is a sad day for the CBC, which has a history of contributing in a very vital way to the musical life of the country in terms of performance of classical music and programming of classical music."

He said the news will be devastating to the orchestra's musicians.

"It's a very important part of their artistic life, not to mention their income. This is really going to hurt many, many people who as performing artists are already underpaid, grossly underpaid."

While Mr. Kurth wasn't willing to dismiss outright the notion of commissioning musical opportunities to other orchestras across the country, he did express some skepticism.

"One would want to be sure that they would deliver on that to feel confident about that. I do think that having its own orchestra and preserving the autonomy of that orchestra is a very special thing to have."

Ian Morrison of the CBC watchdog group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting said he believes the decision to dismantle the orchestra resulted partly from the integration of the radio and television services, and the eradication of the position of vice-president, radio, after the retirement last year of Jane Chalmers.

"Until now, somebody - I would assume Jane Chalmers and her predecessors - have somehow protected this special jewel in Vancouver ... and now it too has been zapped."

Mr. Morrison warned that more cuts are likely ahead at the CBC, especially if the Stephen Harper Conservatives win a majority in the next election.

"It's too bad, but it's what you get when Philistines run the government of Canada."

The demise of the orchestra is also more bad news for CBC's Vancouver operation, which this year is losing key radio shows Sounds Like Canada and Disc Drive.

The cancellation of both network shows (SLC on Radio One; Disc Drive on Radio 2) was announced in recent weeks.

"Obviously, all big decisions in the CBC are made in Toronto and Ottawa," Mr. Morrison said.

"Much of it is becoming a Toronto Broadcasting Corporation."

© Globe and Mail