In Friday’s (3/27) Star-Tribune (Minneapolis), Graydon Royce writes about budget cuts made by the Minnesota Orchestra Association. “Staff was told Friday that the budget would be reduced by 7 percent based on a projected budget of $32 million in 2009-10. That includes an existing $1 million cut, an additional $300,000 in this budget year and $1 million in fiscal 2009-10. The orchestra is the state’s largest arts organization by budget. The cuts include: Salary reductions of 10 percent and 7 percent respectively for Music Director Osmo Vänskä and President and CEO Michael Henson. Vanksa’s compensation was listed at $786,274 in 2007 tax returns; reductions of 5 percent for senior staff members and 2.5 percent for managers. … The wage cuts and freezes will be effective from April 2009 through the 2009-10 season, ending August 31, 2010. Unaffected by the cuts is the contract with the Orchestra’s musicians that was signed in fall, 2007 and runs through 2012.”
Posted March 30, 2009