Musicians of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra have publicly condemned the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance’s decision to reduce programming for the 2026-27 season, calling the announcement devastating and describing it as “a gut punch to the professional artists who make Dayton’s cultural life possible.”

The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, which administers the Philharmonic along with the Dayton Ballet and Dayton Opera, announced earlier this month that it would eliminate its SuperPops and Rockin’ Orchestra concert series and reduce the number of Masterworks performances for the upcoming season. The organization framed the reductions as structural adjustments in response to financial pressures.

In a statement released March 25, Philharmonic musicians rejected that framing. “Musicians typically greet a new season with excitement,” the statement read. “This year, that excitement has been replaced by disappointment and frustration.” The musicians argued that the Dayton Philharmonic “is not a luxury” but “a cultural cornerstone,” and that professional artists “should not bear the burden of fixing a financial crisis that is not of our making.” They called on the DPAA for creative solutions rather than cuts.

The American Federation of Musicians Local 101-473, which represents the orchestra’s players, had issued a parallel statement in early March urging the DPAA to halt program eliminations, engage in meaningful financial and artistic planning with its workforce, and negotiate in good faith. The union launched a public petition to protect the orchestra’s programming and appealed to patrons, civic leaders, and donors to oppose the cuts. The DPAA had not publicly responded to either statement as of press time.

Source: OperaWire