Eastern Music Festival Faculty Artists to Hold Free Community Concert and Rally in Greensboro on June 30
GREENSBORO, NC — In 2023, the faculty of the Eastern Music Festival (EMF) voted overwhelmingly to unionize, following more than a decade of stagnant wages and deteriorating working conditions. Negotiations with festival management began in early 2024 and continued for 13 months, but they were consistently unproductive due to management’s clear unwillingness to bargain in good faith. Most importantly, we have sought a commitment to maintaining the current faculty size, continuing the model that has worked so well for decades.
In February 2025, EMF management abruptly canceled the 2025 festival. This decision—a violation of federal labor law—has been met with outrage not only from faculty but also from the wider community. Since the cancellation, EMF has been silent, and we have received an outpouring of solidarity from across the country and around the world—including support from professional orchestras, individual musicians, and countless alumni. We’ve been sharing these messages of support on our social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, website). Their message is clear: they do not support the decision to cancel the 2025 festival or to radically alter the successful educational model that has defined EMF for decades.
To that end, we will gather in Greensboro on June 30, 2025, to present a free community concert, and to urge EMF to resume contract negotiations.