After a five-hour meeting last night, the radio committee of Sudwest Rundfunk decided to postpone to September any final resolution on the future of its symphony orchestra in Freiburg/Baden Baden.

The plan had been to merge the ensemble with the organisation’s main orchestra in Stuttgart, but regional discontent and international protests – including a last minute appeal from local resident Pierre Boulez – prompted a delay for reocnsideration.

SWR is running low on money and will have to raise the license fee next year. It has been told it needs to save 166 million Euros by the year 2020. Any suggestions?