Conductor Bill Eddins, never one to mince words, weighed in yesterday on the ongoing dissolution of the Minnesota Orchestra, which has just lost two more key players: assistant concertmaster Stephanie Arado, who is taking a teaching position at Interlochen, and principal French horn player Michael Gast, who is coming to the New York Philharmonic during a year-long leave of absence.

"Congratulations are due to the Board of Directors of the Minnesota
Orchestra and their esteemed Executive Director, Mr. Henson. They have
achieved their goal, and nothing that could be announced in the next
couple of weeks can change that. They have effectively ripped the
beating heart out of one of the best orchestras on the planet, all in
the name of ……. I don’t even know what. Money? A 'reset?' What does that
even mean? This orchestra, an ensemble with so very much promise, has
been eviscerated. The depressing thing is that the people who have led
this travesty, by their own admission, will not be able to tell the
difference."

Says the boilerplate on the orchestra's website: "We regret to report that the Minnesota Orchestra and the Musicians' Union have not been able to agree on the terms of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Concert performances are cancelled through August 3, 2013."

Is there any hope left for the recovery of this exceptional institution?

Hat tip to Musical America for the latest news. Here's more from Pamela Espeland in the Minnesota Post.