Musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra are on strike, which would affect a presentation sponsored by the Diplomatic Corps in the DR. The National Symphony Orchestra is made up of 64 musicians, of which 23 are foreigners. They are requesting a salary increase, a say in the choice of programs, and more say in matters concerning their group. The average salary of the musicians is RD$11,000, which includes a complementary salary paid by the Fundación Sinfonía. The conductor of the Symphony makes RD$27,000. The concert that could be suspended, "Encounter of the Stars," is a benefit for the Fundación Sinfonía. Scheduled for this evening at 8:30 pm at the National theater, guest performers are 22 year old Vilhelmas Cepinskis, a violinist from Lithuania and Yuki Takao, a Japanese pianist. The Consulate General of Lithuania in the DR and the Japan Foundation/Embassy of Japan are co-sponsors of the event. For more information, call 532-6600 or 535-8587.
