Musicians Union May Blacklist Mozart Camerata

The Orange County Musicians Assn., Local No. 7 may blacklist the Mozart Camerata, having rejected a settlement proposed by the local union president involving musicians who were barred from a Camerata rehearsal last month.

Camerata officials asserted that violinist Tanya Bovaird and violists Dmitri Bovaird and Miriam Meyer were barred because they had not been hired to play the group’s next concerts. The musicians filed a grievance with the union, asserting that they had verbal agreements with the Camerata to play for its full season.

Local president Frank Amoss and Camerata counsel Harvey Berman agreed that the matter, which involves $370 per musician, could be decided in small claims court. But the union executive board rejected that and, according to Amoss, now awaits legal advice as to how best to proceed.

Amoss said the union is looking into placing the Camerata on a “do not perform for or with” list given to union members. Or, he added, the issue simply might be submitted to arbitration.

Amoss said he sent Berman a letter informing him of the board’s decision. Berman could not be reached for comment.