Orchestra Concerts for November Called Off

The Louisville Orchestra's season is another month shorter.Concerts for November will not be held as the musicians and management continue to negotiate a contract for the season, which was scheduled to begin Saturday. September and October concerts were previously canceled due to an impasse in the talks.Guest artists who were scheduled to appear with the orchestra this season will be invited back for future concerts.Both sides of the labor dispute are in mediation, but remain far apart. Orchestra management says the only way to operate on budget is to sign musicians on a tiered system, with some playing for 10 weeks and others playing for up to 30. The musicians have offered to play for 35 weeks and to cut the number of full time players from 71 to 60, then rebuild over subsequent seasons.Mayor Greg Fischer has encouraged both sides to accept an anonymous donation to bring in an outside consultant. Orchestra management is expected to decide whether to accept the offer this week.Negotiations also continue between the Kentucky Opera and the musicians union to secure accompaniment for three performances of Carmen later this month.