Phoenix Symphony Board, Staff and Musicians Meet to Salvage Suspended Season

One day after laying off its musicians, the Phoenix Symphony brought all sides back to the table. Representatives of the orchestra's Board of Directors, staff and musicians met on Nov. 2 to discuss the institution's future, according to a joint statement issued by the participants.

The meeting produced two concrete outcomes. First, the parties reviewed fundraising progress made over the past week. Second, they discussed a plan to resume performances — possibly as soon as this month.

The musicians attended under the banner of Local 586 of the American Federation of Musicians, the union representing orchestra players. All three groups also agreed to collaborate on fundraising to support the Symphony.

What happened before the meeting?

The meeting came in immediate response to a drastic decision. The Symphony had previously announced it would suspend its season following its Nov. 1 performance, with musicians laid off starting Nov. 2. The cause, the organization said, was a financial shortfall.

At the time of the suspension announcement, Mo Stein, Chairman of the Board of The Phoenix Symphony, was blunt about the stakes:

"This is the most difficult decision this Board has faced, and we did not make it lightly. We have diligently pursued measures to close the gap between operating costs and revenues, and our efforts have not yet been enough. Continuing the season without the cash flow to meet our immediate obligations would put the institution's future at greater risk. Our responsibility now is to minimize further losses, create a robust restructuring plan and build a financial foundation that will last."

What does this change for the orchestra?

For now, nothing is formally reversed — the season remains suspended. But the Nov. 2 meeting signals that all parties want a way back rather than a wind-down. The conversation, per the participants' statement, was "respectful, constructive" and conducted in a "spirit of cooperation," and it ended with "a feeling of encouragement."

The mechanism now in play is straightforward: raise enough money quickly, then restart concerts. The three-way agreement to fundraise jointly gives the effort a single channel rather than competing appeals from the board and the union.

The timeline is the pressure point. A resumption "as soon as this month" would require near-immediate cash commitments, and Stein's earlier language — restructuring, minimizing losses, building a lasting financial foundation — suggests the board sees the shortfall as structural, not a one-time gap.

What comes next is a test of whether goodwill converts into ticket revenue and donations fast enough to put musicians back on stage before the suspension hardens into something longer.