MEMBERS of the National Symphony Orchestra have lost confidence in the artistic decision making of management in RTE's music department, according to the musicians' union representative, Mr John Swift of SIPTU.
Mr Swift has issued a statement criticising RTE's decision to extend the contract of the principal conductor, Mr Kasper de Roo, as this decision was made "without prior consultation with the orchestra".
He pointed to "the continuing exclusion of an input from the orchestra into music programming" as "another example of management's high handed and insensitive attitude to the orchestra".
Mr Swift said NSO members are eagerly awaiting the implementation of the PIANO report, which recommends establishing the NSO as a body independent of RTE.
RTE's Head of Music, Mr Cathal MacCabe, confirmed that the extension of the principal conductor's contract to mid 1998 was carried out without consulting orchestra members.
Mr de Roo, he said, had been "a very satisfactory conductor". The orchestra's artistic committee meets regularly with the Head of Orchestras and Performing Groups, he said, and, along with the wishes of the principal conductor, guest conductors and the requirements of Naxos recordings, the orchestra's representations were taken into account.
