Musicians of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra went on strike late Wednesday afternoon, and this evening's WCO concert is cancelled. But on Friday night the musicians will present a free performance of one of the scuttled selections, Beethoven's "Symphony No. 2 in D Major." The concert is scheduled for 9 p.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church, 312 Wisconsin Ave.
"We don't really want to deny the public any music because of the strike," says principal bassoonist Todd Jelen, who is chairperson of the musicians' negotiating committee. Musicians will walk to Bethel directly from the picketing outside nearby Overture Center.
Among the sticking points in the dispute: Musicians say they are not reimbursed enough for travel expenses, and that the chamber orchestra has an inflexible attendance policy for musicians. The chamber orchestra says it has made concessions on wages, pensions and other issues.
WCO musicians juggle obligations with various, sometimes geographically far-flung performing groups. "We're all trying to make a living," says Jelen, who also plays with the symphonies of Akron and Canton, Ohio.
As for future negotiations, "I'm a little bit more optimistic than I was a couple of days ago," says Jelen.
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