Pops: We don't pay musicians

Carson Valley Pops Orchestra music director Danny Yale wants to clear up what he says is a misconception that musicians are paid.

"We have no salaried people in the orchestra," he said. "There never has been in eight years."

Yale made the comments in response to the Jan. 3 Minden Town Board meeting concerning the nonprofit orchestra's agreement with the town to use the CVIC Hall for free.

"I just want to stress how doggone devoted the people in the orchestra are and they ask for nothing, as God is my witness," Yale said.

Town board members expressed concern last week that the 40-member orchestra paid fees to use the St. Gall Pastoral Center for concerts, but expected to continue their arrangement with the town of rehearsing and performing at the hall for free.

The orchestra submitted a letter to the town board that estimated the Pops' value to the town at $32,700.

The estimate was based on what the orchestra might charge for admission to concerts, and how much musicians would earn if they were paid professional scale.

No one from the orchestra attended the meeting, and town board members voted to drop the agreement until they hear from the musicians.

"We do have featured artists and guest performers that are compensated," said Pops vice president and musician Tony Chieffo.

"For example, we don't have a drummer, so we hired someone to come in from Sparks and paid him $150 for his expenses for the number of times he drove to Minden to rehearse and perform."

Yale and Chieffo said the stipend was a fraction of what professional musicians would be paid.

The orchestra is funded by private donations.

"We're not in the business to make money," Chieffo said. "We don't charge for our concerts and we would not be able to pay the town for our weekly rehearsals or our performances."

Chieffo said for the last two years, the Pops board gave all the musicians a $50 bonus.

Yale said he has been compensated $200 per concert for the last two or three years.

Yale serves as conductor, does the arrangements and puts together the performances. He and his wife Cecilia, a violinist, are the orchestra's librarians, storing and categorizing all the music.

"It's a token gesture for all the work we put in," he said.

Yale and Chieffo said they hope to continue the orchestra's relationship with Minden.

"We want to give the best we can musically to the Carson Valley," Chieffo said. "The Town of Minden has supported us from the beginning."

The item is expected to be back on the agenda for the Feb. 7 town board meeting.

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Carson Valley Pops Orchestra

www.CarsonValleyPops.org