Orchestra Returns to Court Tomorrow, Reorganization Plan Due

The Louisville Orchestra is due in court again tomorrow for a bankruptcy hearing.Under the ensemble's Chapter 11 filing, orchestra management has to submit a plan for reorganizing operations. Officials have declined to comment on the content or status of the plan, but the management had previously sought to reduce the number of full-time musicians.That proposal first came up in talks to renew the musicians' contract late last year. Musicians said a smaller orchestra would not be artistically or financially successful, and countered with new ideas for fundraising. When the talks broke down, the Chapter 11 filing was made.The players' contract expires this week and talks have resumed outside of court. Both sides have been silent about the negotiations.At tomorrow's hearing, the management could take any number of actions. First, they could submit a reorganization plan for the judge to consider. They could also decide not to submit a plan and instead ask for more time to put a plan together. The judge could either grant that request or end what's called the exclusivity period. That would allow other parties in the case to submit their own reorganization plans. The judge could also dismiss the Chapter 11 filing or convert the case to Chapter 7. That would effectively end the current orchestra by requiring it to liquidate its resources.