...He was usually polite to the Board, but would get angry when they got involved in planning the music for a concert, or where musicians should be seated. He believed, that HE, as CONDUCTOR, had the sole right to select what works to perform. We had lunch, and I calmed him down, saying, "The Board Members are all very active in the Community. People probably tell them what works they would like to hear, and the Board does raise the money to pay you, and us." He calmed down a bit, but there was still friction. I got the Board to create a "Performance Committee, and it had the Conductor, Members of the Board, and Musicians on it. I was asked to be the Leader, and did. So, we would actually go on a weekend retreat after the end of a season, and discuss how the year had been attended, and discuss, and select the works for the next season.
...The Board decided to 'TERMINATE' the Conductor for obscure reasons. I was arguing against it, their reasons seemed to be that he was RUDE to them, and didn't take their suggestions of what to perform. I did a slide show of our finances, and showed that we were bring in so much money, that we were actually paying for private lessons for young people, so that they could develop their skills to play at our level, and awarded scholarships to those who went to college to major for music. The discussion got very heated at times, and once I overheard some businessmen saying that they should never have allowed a musician to be on the Board. "She just doesn't understand business" they remarked. I almost went Panther, but didn't, I just ignored them. I had a Financial and Law degree after my name, and two professional licenses, and budgeted and put my signature on checks for seven figures for the business I worked for. But...in their minds...
...I was female...and just a cellist...I should just stay home, practice my cello, and walk barefoot into the kitchen every evening and cook cornbread and pork chops for my family.

Actually, looking back, that could have been nice...I REALLY LIKE cornbread and pork chops. I always bought those thick, meaty pork chops, I tried the thin ones, but they just didn't have the taste of a big pork chop. I did walk barefoot in the kitchen at times...(My Ex and I had a fun 'sex game' we played...not gonna spill the details...

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...The Board did fire the Conductor, and he consulted me, wanting me to sue the PANTS OFF of the Board. I told him that I couldn't do that, even if I resigned from the Board, it would be unethical. So, the Orchestra went on strike, and we had a concert coming up in two weeks. I told the Orchestra that I thought that we had an obligation to perform, since tickets had been sold...but they disagreed...and I was voted out as President...and became the VP. The strike was going to continue. I was split in my emotions, I was very fond of the Conductor, he even included me in a couple family outings to his seaside property in Vancouver, but I didn't want to destroy the Orchestra. Of course, the whole thing was in the local newspapers...I ducked all of the calls that came into my Law Office, and just stayed home.
...I did speak, privately, to a number of musicians, and...we planned a concert. I resigned from the Board, and as President of the musicians, announced that we would perform a concert. The Board said that they wouldn't pay for it, and would want a refund of the $150 they had paid to reserve the Hall. I paid the deposit out of my own funds, and did an interview for the newspaper saying that the Orchestra disagreed with the Boards action, but that some us would would perform a Chamber Recital for those who had bought tickets. I then went "PANTHER BITCH ATTORNEY" on the Board, and told them that we wanted ALL of the proceeds from the Concert, that we would pay all expenses, and that I would look over the accounts after the Concert, and if funds had been withheld...we would sue ALL OF THE DIRECTORS...PERSONALLY!!! They were all big shots, and tried to dismiss us, saying, "What Lawyer would take such a case?" I snorted, and said, "Talk to the Judges in your town, they all know me. And, at times like this, I work for what I can collect from the other side...and my hourly billing rate is very high. After we get a Judgement against ALL of you, I will be happy to spend a day, with, EACH OF YOU, going over, in detail, your personal finances, and will decide which bank accounts I am going to levy upon. And, I will think about the cute little sailboat that I have been wanting to buy, and think about how nice it will be to get it out onto Lake Tahoe."
...We performed our Chamber Concert, and...IT WAS SOLD OUT!!! There were a lot of interviews by local TV and newspapers of those musicians, and they said that they disagreed with the Board, but felt an obligation to the audience. One actually had said, "If you agree that "D" should no longer be the Conductor, then don't attend our recital, that will show the Board what you, the paying customers think, and we won't take any offense. If the public really wants "D" out, then we will just sit out the rest of the season, we all have other obligations in our lives."
...Half of the Board resigned, after the SOLD OUT concert, and the newspapers reporting on what the musicians thought.
..."D" did resign two years later. The Board was still in an uproar, and even me, as a Mediator, couldn't fix it...certain businessmen hated me as much as they hated "D". I handed off the legal issues to an attorney who I usually fought. (He was a plaintiff attorney, I was the defense), but we respected each other, and liked each other, personally. But, we attorneys are actors at times, and anyone seeing us in the Courtroom would think that we hated each other. He would insult my intelligence, and I would calmly tell the judge that he could handle a simple 'rear-end auto accident case', once he got someone to help him figure out which front of what car had hit the rear of the other car, but just couldn't comprehend the subtle aspects of business law, and should take a remedial course in business law at the local Junior College. He would raise his voice at me when I did that, and the Judge would pound the table.
...(Finish below, promise...I should have written this essay, before starting to post it...

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