Cincinnati Symphony and Musicians Sign New Contract, with Pay Increases

In last Monday’s (8/5) Cincinnati Business Courier, Nikki Kingery writes, “The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has signed a new labor contract with its musicians—one that outlines pay increases and strengthens its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The agreement, which was announced Aug. 1 and takes effect Sept. 9, provides a 23% pay increase over base salary across five years. It comes … as the orchestra prepares to usher in Cristian Mǎcelaru as its 14th music director during the upcoming season. The minimum base salary for musicians in the 2024-25 season is $122,087, the CSO told the Courier. Players with titles, such as concertmaster, receive more. Musicians also receive money for digital media. The contract places the CSO among the top 10 orchestras in the U.S. in terms of competitive salaries for its musicians, according to the release. ‘This five-year agreement underscores a deep commitment from both the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra musicians and management to continue our work to deliver high-caliber, live orchestral music and music education to Cincinnatians and the global community,’ CSO President and CEO Jonathan Martin said … Jennifer Monroe, CSO contrabassoon and chair of the players committee, praised the changes. ‘Both sides worked diligently to find common ground on important issues,’ she said.”