Orchestras Canada

This fall, Orchestras Canada is partnering with the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres to undertake a national compensation study of senior personnel in Canadian theatres and orchestras.  The results will be used to make sector-specific compensation data available to Canadian orchestras and update The Human Resources in the Canadian Theatre Report last published by PACT in 2003.  The survey will capture compensation data for senior artistic and administrative staff and is being administered by the Association Resource Centre, a firm with extensive experience in conducting research for associations.  Individual results are kept confidential:  only summary data will be published.

An invitation to participate was sent to voting members of Orchestras Canada late last week, and the deadline for response is December 4.  If you believe that you should have received an invitation – and didn’t – please let Jennifer Caines at Orchestras Canada know.  You can reach her at info [at] oc.ca

This study is made possible, in part, through the support of the Canada Council‘s Flying Squad program.

The Orchestre symphonique de Québec has announced the appointment of one of its executive committee members to the board of the National Arts Centre. M. Claude Gauvin, a chartered accountant and partner at Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton was appointed to the NAC board on October 27. 

In honour of the Canadian Music Centre’s 50th anniversary, the CMC has chosen to publicly recognize 50 outstanding Canadian performers and conductors who have played exceptional roles in shaping the Canadian music scene.  It’s a terrific list that includes many, many stellar figures from the current and past membership of Orchestras Canada, including Mario Bernardi, Robert Cram, Victor Feldbrill, Peter Gardner, Gwen Hoebig, Gary Kulesha, Veronique Lacroix, Eduard Minevich, Alex Pauk, Olga Ranzenhofer, Bramwell Tovey, Alain Trudel and Lorraine Vaillancourt.  Congratulations one and all!  For the complete list, you can visit here.

Orchestras Canada and the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres have announced the appointment of Diann Missal as our (shared) Conference Marketing and Logistics Associate.  Ms Missal is a recent graduate of the Arts Administration – Cultural Management program at Humber College, and she will divide her time between PACT and OC until March 31, 2010.  The position has been made possible through the Youth Internship Program of the Cultural Human Resources Council.  You can reach Diann at OC by phone at 416-366-8834 x223 or by email at diann [at] oc [dot] ca.

The Professional Association of Canadian Theatres presents “The Artistic Case for Health & Safety: Be Safe Now…Not Sorry Later” on October 21, 2009 at the Grand Theatre London, Ontario. The workshop, presented by Janet Sellery, Canada’s leading expert in health and safety in the arts, will focus on the unique health and safety challenges that arise in the performing arts and will explore how health and safety can allow artistic ideas to be more fully expressed. As promised in the promotional material for the event, “we’ll look at the process of hazard identification and control. We will develop a shared vocabulary for advocating health and safety in the workplace, empowering everyone to approach health and safety with confidence. Whether your company is big or small, you’ll leave this session with a fresh perspective and practicale’ll look at the process of hazard identification and control. We will develop a shared vocabulary for advocating health and safety in the workplace, empowering everyone to approach health and safety with confidence. Whether your company is big or small, you’ll leave this session with a fresh perspective and practical steps you can use to create or refocus your health and safety program.” Registration fee for non-PACT members is $300 and includes lunch and all materials. For more information, please visit here. 
 
A number of provincial safety councils have combined their efforts to provide – free of charge – an on-line course on “Preparing for H1N1 – Employer Responsibilities”.  You can find out more – and sign up on-line - here.
 
January 7-9, the Canadian New Music Network will present its annual forum in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  The program features a concert by Symphony Nova Scotia (among many others), along with panel discussions, national and international guests.  For more information, please visit CNMN’s website here.