Brief thoughts on the March 3 concert
It was wonderful to see so many of my colleagues, and to make music with them again. Thanks again to Aaron Hufty and the committed, generous people who made this concert happen.
But I was struck as much by the faces that I did not see as by those that I did. Quite a few of our colleagues were not on stage with us because they are out of town by necessity, earning money to support themselves and their families. Had this concert been last week instead of this week, I would have been among the missing.
Music is not our hobby. It is our joy, yes, but it is also our livelihood. We have honed our craft over many years, with a massive investment of time, effort, and resources. If we can’t support ourselves in our profession in San Antonio, we will go elsewhere. It is that simple.
-Mary Ellen Goree
Principal Violin II
Chair, Negotiating Committee