“The Jacksonville Symphony Association and the musicians’ union have agreed to a three-year contract that includes the current season,” reports Will Dickey in Monday’s (12/15) Times-Union (Florida). The orchestra recently announced the appointments of a new music director and a new president. “ ‘All the stars are converging,’ said Martin Connor, chairman of the board of the Jacksonville Symphony Association.… ‘Along with the arrival of Courtney Lewis as our new music director, [the agreement] promises a very bright future.’ Under the old contract, which ended last spring, the musicians’ union had agreed to an 11 percent cut in base salary. The new contract does not restore the old base salary but does provide for raises of 2½ percent this season and next season and 1½ percent in 2016-17.… The agreement comes less than a week after Robert Massey, who had helped rebuild the finances of Orchestra Iowa, was introduced as the Jacksonville Symphony’s president and chief executive officer.” Susan Purdue, chair of the musicians’ negotiating committee, commented, “Having a three-year contract in place will give the orchestra the stability and space it needs to fulfill its musical and fiscal potential.”
Posted December 17, 2014
Pictured: Courtney Lewis leads the Jacksonville Symphony, March 2014
