Allen County -
The Lima Symphony Orchestra is searching for a new conductor.
After 15 years, the executive committee of the Board of Directors is letting go of maestro Crafton Beck. His one-year contract will end in June of 2013. Board President Stephen Johnson says budget issues and not a demand for more money is the reason for Beck's dismissal. Johnson also says Beck didn't seem to take into consideration the orchestra's limited amount of resources.
"An artist wants to do more and that's understandable, but we're within the restraint of what we can raise in a budget," said Johnson.
Beck on the other hand was utterly shocked to hear budget issues were the problem. He says he's been ultra sensitive to the orchestra's financial woes and can name ways in which he's saved the board money.
"It was my suggestion 3 years ago that we would start cutting the rehearsals that it takes the orchestra to put together our product. The Board did not ask for that. I went to the Board and made that suggestion. So for anyone to try and make a case that it's a budgetary issue, it simply cannot be made and I'm shocked," said Beck.
Since Beck thinks the issue is not fiscal, Your News Now asked him what it could be. Beck says when he and the executive committee of the Board were discussing contract negotiations beyond 2013, there was one thing they didn't agree on. Beck did not tell us what the disagreement was over, but he did say he's hopeful they can work something out.
