Dispute Threatens Talks on Merger by Chorales : Pacific Board Endorses Alexander as New Group’s Music Director While Master Chorale Voices Backing for Its Conductor, Hall

A growing dispute over who would preside over a combined Orange County chorale group appears likely to derail merger talks between the Pacific Chorale and the Master Chorale of Orange County.

The Pacific board of directors on Tuesday endorsed its own music director, John Alexander, to head up the new group and rejected the Master Chorale’s recent bid to postpone the merger until the 1990-91 season, instead holding to an earlier agreement to merge the groups for the 1989-90 season.

In response, the Master Chorale’s board voiced its “overwhelming and unanimous support for (its conductor) William Hall.” Board Chairman John Rhynerson said: “If the implication is that a merger will happen with the two chorales only if it is with John Alexander, obviously that is not acceptable to us, and we will only proceed with the merger concept if we go back to the originally agreed-upon concept of the formation of an independent and impartial selection committee. . . . If that is indeed their position, we are back at square one.”

The conflict over the choice of conductor for the new group is the major unresolved issue in the merger talks. Tuesday’s announcement from the Pacific Chorale included its first public endorsement of Alexander as leader of a joint group should the merger take place.

“We feel that there is no problem with the (original) time line (of 1989-90), that it can be done and we don’t want to drag (the merger process) out,” Anne B. Nutt, chairwoman of Pacific’s board, said Tuesday.

“I don’t know if these statements make a merger impossible,” Nutt said. “It would appear (that the merger) became a lot iffier with that extension of dates.”

Rhynerson responded Tuesday that he “was surprised by (the Pacific’s) action,” but added that “it is still my intention to continue with the merger negotiations.”

“I stress once again, that in order to do (the merger) properly, we really feel the 1989-90 season is too soon and unrealistic, and so we feel confident that it makes sense to merge no earlier than 1990-91,” Rhynerson said. “That’s our position.”

Alexander has been music director of the Pacific Chorale since 1971. William Hall was appointed music director of the Master Chorale in November. But sources close to both boards said that the issue of artistic leadership had not been discussed earlier by either chorale.

Rhynerson said the merger committee had agreed that “there would have to be a national search, of which William Hall and John Alexander would be leading candidates, to bring to Orange County the best available candidate for this position.

“The (Master Chorale) board has overwhelming and unanimous support for William Hall, but we have agreed--and still agree--to form an impartial selection committee in our search for the best available director.”

Rhynerson said the artistic panel has yet to be selected.

Nutt declined to characterize her board’s statements as ultimatums, however, although she did call the board’s support of Alexander “almost like a close-out bid.

“(But) no, we’re not saying, John (Alexander) or no merger,” she said. “We feel that he is the right person for the job and are willing to take the risk.”

If the merger falls through, Nutt believes that the Pacific will be able to continue on its own.

“I would certainly hope so,” she said. “We have a quality product and quality artistic direction.”

Nutt said the Pacific board was “just reconfirming” the “original agreement” between the two chorales.

“We voted to stick to the original timetable of merging for the 1989-90 season,” she said. “That was jointly planned. . . . We’re holding to our side of the bargain.”

“I don’t know what happened over there,” she said, speaking of the Master Chorale board’s recommendation for the delay.

Nutt said the Pacific initiated merger talks with the Master Chorale in January, as both organizations faced increasing competition for corporate funds and problems attracting audiences to fill the 3,000-seat Segerstrom Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa.

According to Nutt, no immediate talks with the Master Chorale are planned. “We need to have them make the next move,” she said.