What people have forgotten, Fogel said, is the fact that the merger occurred in the middle of an economic slump. "The economy started on its downturn in March 2001, then Sept. 11 happened. And when did the merger take place? Right in the middle of all this."

But at the same time, no one can say things would be better today had the merger taken place in the 1990s. "Problems happen elsewhere, too, where there was no merger."

Fogel praised the efforts of US&O management and the symphony musicians for implementing recommendations by consultant Thomas W. Morris. "(Task force chairwoman) Pat Richards is to be commended. She has taken her commitment very seriously."

ASOL has 900 member orchestras, of which 350 are professional; the rest consist of youth, community and semi-professional organizations.

Fogel has spent some 40 years in the performing arts in various management and board capacities. Prior to his ASOL appointment, he was president of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association for 18 years.

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E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com