The Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians strike is now in its 26th week and the remainder of the season has been canceled.
The New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and many other orchestras around the country have announced their 2011-12 orchestra season, and tickets are already on sale.
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra has not been able to announce its upcoming season because of the current musicians' strike.
Mark Clague says that’s too bad because season subscriptions are an orchestra’s bread and butter.
Clague teaches musicology at the University of Michigan. He says DSO season ticket holders have found new ways to spend their entertainment dollars since the strike began:
"They’ve developed new relationships and new habits. The real question is: Will they go back to the way things were even when the orchestra settles?
Cornelia Pokryzwa has been a DSO season ticket holder for years. She says she will "absolutely" continue to buy season tickets if the strike ends equitably, but she won't support what she calls a '"diminished" DSO:
"If [management] cannot settle with these musicians, and come to terms that are fair and agreeable, I would never step foot in Orchestra Hall again."
The players offered to return to work earlier this month if management agreed to binding arbitration. So far, that hasn’t happened.
A DSO board meeting is schedule for Wednesday, March 30th.
