Minnesota Orchestra must now recover from ‘a huge hit’

Now that it's put an end to 15 months of bitter arguments and stalled negotiations, the Minnesota Orchestra can get back to the job of making music.

But, according to conductor and music writer Bill Eddins, the orchestra's reputation has taken "a huge hit" artistically:

"Orchestras function on a multi-year cycle, planning things far in advance," Eddins said in an interview with Morning Edition's Cathy Wurzer. "If you're the Minnesota Orchestra calling up management for some soloist or some conductor saying we'd like to book them for October, that management is going to look at you and go 'you're crazy! You're not even playing, we're not going to hold this week for you.' There's this whole process of getting back up and rebuilding a reputation with those people and with your community at large. There's going to be a whole lot of hard work ahead of the organization - I wish them the best, but it's going to be a slog."

Eddins says it's crucial that the orchestra find an artistic leader that the artists and the community can rally around "to settle the ship after these incredible storms." Whether that person will be Osmo Vanska is not yet known.

Musicians will return to work on Feb. 1.

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