“The Kansas City Symphony is feeling the financial effects of Covid-19 and is trimming its expenses by 25% [via] salary reductions for musicians and other positions, trimming some administrative staff and leaving eight vacant orchestra positions unfilled,” writes Leslie Collins in Thursday’s (7/30) Kansas City Business Journal (MO). “The symphony amended its current musicians’ contract, which continues through the 2023-2024 season, and will require musicians to take a 19% salary cut for the 2020-2021 season. Salaries will rise to 8% below normal levels when the orchestra begins hosting ticketed performances … at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. The symphony … didn’t reduce musician salaries during the first five months of the pandemic…. Executive Director Danny Beckley said [the orchestra] is hosting outdoor performances … in parks and neighborhoods [and is] devising plans for a ‘robust offering.’ … The symphony previously announced it would move this year’s Classical, Pops and Family concerts to next year…. It plans to announce more details in August about socially distanced concerts…. The symphony now is considering hosting multiple performances throughout the week to cater to smaller audiences and adhere to social distancing guidelines. Some concerts also will be available to watch online.”
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