The locked-out Jacksonville Symphony musicians have reached a tentative settlement with the Jacksonville Symphony Association today. Concerts will resume immediately. For details, surf on over to Drew McManus’ Adaptistration blog for a look at the official players’ press release.

On the face of it, with three years of a wage freeze at current levels, then one year at 2.5% increase, then a 3% increase in the fifth and final year, it’s hard to know if the players will ever make up the lost income from the lockout by the end of the five year pact.

Under this agreement the players look to be much more involved in fund-raising activities, including benefit concerts and radio marathons, all under the umbrella of a musician proposed support organization, the “Friends of the Jacksonville Symphony”.

Chamber Music Northwest is offering free tickets to college students from around Oregon and SW Washington for their upcoming Carter-Messiaen Project concerts, coming up this January 25 - 27, 2008 at Kaul Auditorum at Reed College. For additional info, check the CMNW website or call their ticket office at 503-294-6400.

Interested full-time college students should surf over to www.cmnw.org/students and fill out the form. A pass will then appear on screen - simply print it out and bring it, along with a current student ID to the ticket table at the concert, and you’ll be inside for all the fun, absolutely free!

David Schiff, noted professor, composer and writer, has prepared an essay about the works presented during this project - click here to download a pdf file to print and read at home.