Squeezed U.S. orchestras look to musicians for savings

The Minnesota Orchestra was once called the world’s greatest, welcome recognition for musicians outside a top cultural centre. Now its members are locked out of Orchestra Hall, stuck in a labour-management battle.

Across the U.S., symphony and chamber orchestra executives cite flat ticket sales and slumping private support as they seek pay concessions from musicians, who warn about a loss of talent and reputation.

In Minneapolis, the Minnesota Orchestra has already cancelled concerts as negotiators argue over a proposal to trim the average musicians’ salary by $46,000 a year.

A similar standoff is underway across the Mississippi River at the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra has cancelled the first month of its season, and labour troubles are also rumbling at orchestras in Richmond, Va., Jacksonville, Fla., and San Antonio, Texas.

“It breaks my heart,” said Christal Steele, a violinist and assistant concertmaster in Indianapolis, where musicians have gone without pay and benefits for almost a month. “This is my 40th season and, in that time, I have seen nothing but this orchestra rise in quality and in stature. Now, in one fell swoop, they’re trying to erase the last 30 years.”

Last week, musicians and management at the symphony orchestras in both Chicago and Atlanta reached new contracts after contentious negotiations. Atlanta’s musicians went without pay for a month before accepting $5.2 million in compensation cuts over two years, plus reductions in their ranks.

The Chicago deal came after a twoday strike that forced the cancellation of the season’s first show. Musicians wrangled salary increases but agreed to pay higher health-care costs.