Dear Mssrs. Graham and Fogel:
The NHMF administration is breaking my heart! My husband and I are long-time subscribers, and modest annual fund donors, and we care greatly about the future success of the festival and its orchestra. We believe your new approach of asking these serious, experienced musicians to reapply for their positions, submitting CD portfolios and multiple written essays, is demeaning and insulting. We believe it will quickly jeopardize the future success of the festival.
Most of these musicians have years of playing and teaching experience in their home communities and the wider world. Subjecting them to this highly unusual process implies lack of respect and trust in what they can and have accomplished. Not surprisingly, it has left the musicians believing your unstated agenda is to eliminate the present orchestra. The Patterson’s poignant farewell at the opening concert, and the audience’s remarkable response to their courageous effort, indicate how threatened the musicians feel.
The NH community loves the beautifully trained, cohesive group we now see before us each week. We appreciate the effort they have made under Maestro Polivnick and the high standard they have achieved together. Why tamper with their morale? You as the administration should inspire and support their professionalism rather than undermine it. Please stop ignoring the needs of the musicians and their supporting audience!
We sincerely hope you will quickly rethink the hiring process for 2010 before more damage is done. We hope you will use common sense and sensitivity in selecting musicians for the coming year in a manner that supports and respects the outstanding achievement of the current orchestra and exhibits trust that they will help you in achieving whatever goals you hold for coming years.
Unless changes are made and quickly announced to the musicians and the public, my husband and I will not be renewing our tickets for next year, nor will we support your annual fund.
Please, please act before it is too late!
Sincerely,
Elisabeth T. Falk
Holderness, NH