Ohio’s Toledo Symphony and its musicians report that they have signed a contract for the 2013-14 season. The musicians voted to approve the contract on September 19, which includes compensation reductions for musicians, executive and artistic leadership, and administrative staff ranging from 5 to 20 percent. The new agreement reduces the minimum annual salary of core musicians to $23,703, and employer contributions to the musicians’ 403(b) plan are reduced to 1 percent. Toledo Symphony Orchestra Committee Chairperson Georg Klass described it as “a very difficult negotiation,” but added that “the musicians felt it was of paramount importance to provide an uninterrupted season of great live music for our community and focus our energy on working with our board on common goals that will enable us to move our organization forward.” Kathleen Carroll, the TSO’s president and CEO, said, “Our admiration for the TSO musicians has grown immensely during the negotiation process. In spite of the concessionary nature of our talks, evident always was musician regard for the quality of their performances, coupled with an abiding desire to continue to deliver high levels of community service.” Led by Principal Conductor Stefan Sanderling and Resident Conductor Jeffrey Pollock, the TSO performs five programs annually, as well as a regional and neighborhood concert series.
Posted October 1, 2013
