And the music plays on... orchestral musicians in times of crisis

The Philadelphia Orchestra - These are hard times for many orchestral musicians. Cuts and redundancies in large, prestigious orchestras are commonplace, and, with its low wages and flexible contracts, the sector is vulnerable. In her PhD research, Heather Kurzbauer analyses the vulnerabilities affecting orchestral musicians' employment and the labour law issues arising from this. From prestigious symphony orchestras in the US to the finest orchestras in Europe, the first decade of the 21st century has brought about harsh changes in employment for orchestral musicians. PhD candidate Heather Kurzbauer: 'At a time when the great Philadelphia Orchestra also announced its bankruptcy, things went downhill for orchestras all over the world. In Germany, for example, there was a reorganisation and merger between two famous orchestras. In the Netherlands too, drastic cuts in the wake of the financial crisis led to an unprecedented number of consolidations, closures and redundancies in the Dutch orchestral sector.' On 1 June 2022, Heather Kurzbauer will be awarded a doctorate on the theme of employment of orchestral musicians in times of crisis, a subject that is close to her heart.