Instrumentalists for the True Concord Voices and Orchestra rallied outside Catalina Foothills High School in April, calling on management to recognize their union as the group's season wrapped up without an orchestra on stage.

For almost two years, the musicians of True Concord Voices and Orchestra have pushed for unionization, with the two-time Grammy-nominated group filing for a union election in 2024. The group protested the delay in management's recognition of their union in January and published an op-ed about the situation in March.

The musicians are seeking what they describe as industry-standard accommodations, including specialized hearing protection, residuals for commercial recordings, and clarity around who receives contracts and when.

They've also requested pay transparency, clear procedures for hiring, promotion, demotion and firing, as well as a clear schedule of rehearsal and concert times and dates.

On March 31, the National Labor Relations Board ordered an election for the group to be represented through the Tucson Federation of Musicians AFM Local 33. Results will be announced sometime in May.

The April 19 demonstration outside Catalina Foothills High School coincided with True Concord's last performance of the season.

The musicians shared an update to their Instagram prior to the rally.

The post said that since forming their union in 2024, the orchestra has seen a sharp drop in work, including being left off a commercial recording this summer, passed over for a 2027 production of St. Matthew Passion in favor of an out-of-town orchestra, and not yet offered any work for the 2026-27 season.

"True Concord frequently mentions generous pay rate increases for artists; of course, any such pay rate increases are meaningless if they cut our hours," the post said.

Alana Wiesing, president of the Tucson Federation of Musicians AFM Local 33 and principal timpanist for the union-represented Tucson Symphony Orchestra, spoke in support of the musicians.

"That union contract doesn't just protect musicians. It also makes the orchestra much stronger," Wiesing said. "It ensures stability, fairness and a real partnership between musicians and management, so that together we can focus on delivering the highest level of artistry to our community."

The musicians are hoping that once the election is complete and representation moves forward, they'll be able to negotiate their first contract.

True Concord's leadership did not comment during the protest, but provided a letter to patrons ahead of its final performance of the season, signed by board Chair Lendre Kearns. The same letter was previously sent to patrons on April 13.

"True Concord continues to participate in good faith," the letter said, apologizing for any distractions or discomfort the election may have caused. "True Concord's board members are not anti-union or anti-labor."

The letter said unionization by the instrumentalists could cause an imbalance within the group, since vocalists are not represented by a union.

"We are also mindful that the AFM represents the musicians of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, an organization with an infrastructure and budget more than six times larger than True Concord's. Structures and expectations designed by AFM for a much larger institution wouldn't translate effectively to one of our size, scale and practical realities," the letter said, warning that union protocols could restrict the group's flexibility, limit its control over musician selection and tie its schedule to that of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.

That claim has not been confirmed.

"True Concord deeply values the contributions of instrumentalists and appreciates the opportunity to invite them to join our auditioned choir when it is artistically appropriate and financially feasible," the letter said.

This past performance season was the highest-attended and best-selling in the group's 22-year history, according to a post on True Concord's Instagram page.

The protest drew supporters from across the country, including retired Detroit Symphony Orchestra members Robert Williams and Treva Womble, who distributed their own letter to the rallying musicians.

"We have attended four (True Concord) concerts and seen the orchestra once. We want to see this great orchestra that I have heard about but rarely seen," the letter said.

The retired musicians wrote that their union contracts provided them with pensions, health insurance, instrument insurance, disability insurance and minimum pay guarantees — and that collective bargaining benefits management as much as musicians.

True Concord violinist Ellen Ensey has been with the group for two decades, saying that working conditions have not been negotiable.

"Our working conditions are dictated to us as 'Take it or leave it.' There are real safety concerns like hearing protections and even hazardous stage setups, the schedule is never set by the time we are required to commit to the work," Ensey said. "It's true that they have increased our compensation significantly over the years, and yes, our brothers and sisters in the choir are finally compensated at the same rate. … but pay increases for the orchestra are completely meaningless, as our number of concerts has been cut in half over the past two years."

Ensey said some longtime musicians have been dropped from the roster without explanation, and that after years of building the ensemble, they deserve more job security.

Joey Muñoz, who plays trombone for the orchestra, hopes that unionization also includes the recognition of individual musicians.

"Nobody really knows our positions in the orchestra. They've been trying to throw money at this problem for the past five years," Muñoz said. "But that's not why we're out here. We're out here for industry standard breaks. We're out here for hearing protection provided at rehearsals and concerts. We're here for, 'How do I file a grievance? What's the process about that when I'm unhappy?"

Muñoz said pay is a factor, but not the primary motivation for the musicians' organizing effort.

Sarah Bromberg has been playing viola with True Concord for almost a decade and said she feels hopeful about a good outcome under unionization.

She called on True Concord management to respect the election results and move quickly to negotiate a contract.

"We don't excuse union busting here," she said. "True Concord needs to know that the musicians and artists are what makes it a respected institution."

Bromberg said she wants management to work with musicians toward a contract that ensures job security, improves pay and benefits, and respects musicians' rights.

Allies were also present at the rally, including representatives from Jobs with Justice, the Pima Area Labor Federation and members of other local unions.

Local teacher and union member Emily Carroll came to the rally in support of the True Concord musicians, describing their work as "incredible."

"I go to (Tucson Symphony Orchestra) concerts all the time, and I know how pivotal having their union … has been for being able to negotiate for better pay, better working conditions and just fairness with the orchestra," Carroll said. "I want True Concord to be able to do the same."

Pima County District 3 Supervisor Jennifer Allen also addressed the crowd.

"I come from a long line of union workers, and it has been unions that have made my family stronger," Allen said. "The union and the contract is what gives you strong wages, benefits, conditions, but more importantly … it gives respect."

Topacio “Topaz” Servellon is a reporter with Tucson Spotlight. Contact them at topacioserve@gmail.com.

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