Davies calls on Feds to restore funding to the CBC Radio Orchestra
Vancouver, B.C. - Don Davies, Federal NDP candidate for Vancouver Kingsway, called on the
governing body of the CBC and the federal government to ensure continued funding for the CBC Radio Orchestra.
He also announced that he will be taking part in the National Day of Action, planned for Friday,
April 11th, to protest the decision last month of CBC management to dismantle the Vancouver-based CBC
Radio Orchestra.
"The CBC Vancouver Orchestra has a proud tradition of music-making and forms a vital part of the cultural
heritage of this country," Davies said.
"For 70 years the Orchestra has brought classical music to the people of Canada through live and
recorded concerts on CBC radio. It has also been a champion of Canadian music, providing a national
audience for Canadian composers that is simply not available anywhere else."
Davies also expressed concern about the adverse impact that the Orchestra's axing will have on
the classical music scene in Vancouver and on the livelihoods of classically trained artists.
Davies said that the CBC Radio Orchestra employs musicians "whose outstanding talents put them in the
top ranks of the world's classically trained musicians."
"With the planned dismantling of the CBC Radio Orchestra, Vancouver risks the loss of some of our
most accomplished musicians to orchestras in the US and Europe. We can ill afford to lose the talents of
our local artists and deny the next generation of musicians the opportunity to pursue their careers in Canada,"
Davies said.
Davies also stressed the cultural diversity present in Vancouver Kingsway. He said that its citizens
support the preservation of this mosaic.
"Vancouver Kingsway has a wide array of world music, art and culture. Preserving the classical orchestral
tradition adds to this rich tapestry," Davies said.
Davies questioned the claims made by CBC that the public broadcaster can no longer afford to fund the
Orchestra. Davies countered that "The Radio Orchestra's budget is relatively modest - less than one million
dollars a year. That is a small price to pay for the immense contribution the Orchestra makes to the musical
life of the country."
