Chicago Sinfonietta musicians say pause in programming came as 'shock to everyone' and amid audience declines

Members of the Chicago Sinfonietta are facing an uncertain future following the organization’s public announcement Thursday that it will pause programming until 2027 and lay off administrative staff amid financial challenges.

Some musicians say they were blindsided by the decision when they were informed on Wednesday. They will play their final concerts this weekend in Naperville and Evanston.

Represented by the Chicago Federation of Musicians union, the approximately 60 instrumentalists had a four-year contract with the orchestra that was due to end on Aug. 31, and they do not know if they will be re-hired. Beyond taking a financial hit, some in the group say they are concerned about the direction of the orchestra, which played a vital role in supporting diverse musicians and composers, and in reaching underserved audiences.

“It was a shock to everyone,” said Bobby Everson, of Elgin, who has played timpani with the orchestra since its inception nearly 40 years ago. “There have been rumors floating for months that the orchestra had financial problems. But management never said this is a problem.”

Also a board member of the Chicago Federation of Musicians, Everson said the musicians should have been given an opportunity to work with management on a stabilization plan.

“We could have played fewer concerts or played each concert with fewer rehearsals,” he said. “Instead, they just canceled everything.”

In the past, the orchestra has played concerts and offered classes and other programs in schools. The Chicago Federation of Musicians, the local 10-208 branch of the American Federation of Musicians, has plans to meet with Chicago Sinfonietta management next week. President and CEO Sidney Jackson is the sole full-time employee following the layoffs.

“As a musician myself, I feel deeply what these musicians are going through after hearing this news,” said Jackson in a statement to the Sun-Times. “The choice to take the renewal period was only decided upon last week. It’s not a decision we took lightly, and recognize that it may have come as a surprise.”

He said he was looking forward to the return in 2027: “We know how important this organization and its mission is to the city of Chicago, and we need this time to be able to return in a stable and sustainable way to protect that mission.”

“It's really devastating for the community,” said BJ Levy, president of the Chicago Federation of Musicians. “The Chicago Sinfonietta is unique among our local orchestras in that it makes a point to both hire from underrepresented communities and perform the works of composers from underrepresented communities. There’s social justice work associated with musical performance.”

Levy said the arts sector was under threat “more than ever,” given cuts to federal arts funding and economic strain on potential audiences.

“This particular ripple effect in underrepresented communities is particularly concerning,” he said. “Many times, those communities get hit first when we see these types of changes in the economy.”

Longtime Chicago Sinfonietta cellist Edward Kelsey Moore said the organization is a leader in championing diverse voices.

“The Sinfonietta is a great step ahead of all of the other classical music organizations in the city in terms of representing minority and women composers, and having diverse personnel on the stage," he said. "[It] has been a part of my life for most of my life, and it’s heartbreaking to see it go. I sincerely hope that they’ll find some way to bring it back for the new generation of players and for the new generation of audiences.”

Chicago Sinfonietta violist Vannia Phillips praised the organization's support of diverse talent through programs like its Freeman Fellowship, which develops emerging musicians, conductors and administrators.

“The Sinfonietta has helped to launch the careers of a lot of young musicians with these projects to diversify the world of classical music,” said Phillips, of Evanston, who has played with the orchestra for more than 25 years. “It's so great to play for an orchestra that looks like the city of Chicago. The diversity that you find in the city, you find with us.”

Phillips said she will try to supplement the loss of income with teaching opportunities.

“We're all devastated about this,” she said. “This just took us by surprise.”

In a statement, Chicago Sinfonietta leadership said its concert attendance and audience contributions had not returned to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels. After moving its concerts from Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center to The Auditorium, a larger venue, the orchestra drew a “meager” audience, Everson said.

“If we're playing to a couple of hundred in a room that holds several thousand, the optics are bad,” he said. “This audience is not generating the amount of money needed to sustain an orchestra like this.”

Decades ago, the orchestra decided to offer more experimental programming, such as combining classical pieces with hip-hop or tap dancing, Everson said. Though some of that experimentation waned, it may have had a lasting effect, he said.

“I don’t know if it was the pieces we were playing or the marketing or the fact that our venue kept changing,” he said. “I don’t know why audiences didn’t come back, but they didn’t. The Sinfonietta hasn’t found its spot yet.”

Everson said the other groups he plays with, including the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Philharmonic, have fared better playing traditional pieces or accompanying pop artists and films.

“They're both playing full houses and seem to be thriving,” he said.

Everson said he was worried when the Sinfonietta’s leadership said “future seasons and programming may look different” in its public statement. He is also concerned about the financial effect on his colleagues.

“We all took a lot of pride in being in the Sinfonietta,” he said. “I have other work. But for a lot of people, this is one of their only jobs. This is going to impact them, big time.”

The orchestra said in a release Thursday that it plans to relaunch public programs in 2027, which marks its 40th anniversary. It will also present a fundraising event tied to MLK Day.