A Lima Symphony Orchestra meeting was held Wednesday evening, and one of the items on the agenda was the future of Maestro Crafton Beck as the symphony music director.
Although Your News Now was not allowed in the meeting, orchestra and choir members along with supporters of Crafton Beck were able to address the board at the beginning of the meeting. Spokesperson for the group Anita Skinner, says they had nearly a dozen people come in support and had several other members write letters showing their support.
Beck has been the music director of the Lima Symphony Orchestra for the last 15 years and his supporters hope that the board heard what they had to say. The board met for more than one hour and afterward symphony board president Steve Johnson released this statement.
"The LSO board voted to ratify the decision tonight of the executive committee to withdraw from the negotiations, however out of consideration for the orchestra and the chores members and there value to this community. The board agreed to offer Crafton an opportunity before the beginning of the new orchestra season to meet with board representatives in an effort to resolve the differences."
When asked why Beck's contract was ever under consideration for not being reinstated Johnson said this.
"Keep looking for some kind of hidden agenda, and there is not one. We have not been able to raise funds for the music director to do what he would like to do artistically."
