The Board of Directors of the Symphony Society of San Antonio announced the dissolution of the San Antonio Symphony. The decision is the board’s answer to an ongoing strike from symphony musicians that began in September 2021 after an impasse was declared in contract negotiations between the Symphony Society of San Antonio and the local chapter of the American Federation of Musicians.
The press release says: « By unanimous vote, the Board has initiated the requisite steps to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The assets of the Symphony now lie in the hands of a Trustee who will liquidate them, pay what creditors remain, and close the doors. »
The Board members also explain their view of the situation. « Labor negotiations for what would have been the 2021-22 season began in January of 2021. The last bargaining session between the Symphony Society and the Musicians’ Union took place on March 8, 2022 after which the Union declined to return to the bargaining table, despite efforts of federal mediators and the Symphony. The Musicians’ Union has made it clear there is no prospect of the resumption of negotiations, absent the Board agreeing to a budget that is millions of dollars in excess of what the Symphony can afford. The absence of a labor contract has effectively forced the Symphony to shutter its operations. »
The Antonio Symphony was founded in 1939.
