Farewell concert for locked-out musicians

Locked-out musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra will perform a farewell concert in Minneapolis Friday featuring four players who are leaving Minnesota for other cities.

The concert at St John's Episcopal Church in Minneapolis is sold out.

Clarinetist Burt Hara recently won a position at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He says that after 25 years at the Minnesota Orchestra, he has mixed feelings about leaving.

"I haven't actually signed on the dotted line yet. We are still in discussions with that," he said. "But no, I'm committed to going to the Los Angeles Philharmonic at this point. I do have a year leave of absence, but it is my intention to move forward with this new chapter in my life."

"Those of us who are leaving wanted to say, 'thank you,' to be able to say, 'thank you for all the support we have had through the years,'" he said. "I have been in Minneapolis since 1987 and just have a lot of people who we care about very much so we wanted to say goodbye."

The concert will also feature violinist Gina DiBello, cellist Pitnarry Shin, and viola player Tom Turner in an evening of chamber music.

The lockout began Oct. 1, and there are no negotiations scheduled between Minnesota Orchestra players and management. Orchestra management says on average, three musicians a year ask for leaves to go to other orchestras.