In Wednesday’s (4/8) Salt Lake Tribune (Utah), David Burger reports, “An anticipated budget shortfall is forcing the administration and musicians of the Utah Symphony | Utah Opera to take pay cuts of 10 percent or more—in addition to programming cuts and other economic measures—as the organization reacts to the recession. This fiscal year, USUO will cut nearly $1 million in operating costs from its $19 million budget. At the same time, orchestra officials are pursuing strategies to remain financially viable in the 2009-2010 fiscal year, they said Tuesday. Melia Tourangeau, president and CEO, and music director Keith Lockhart volunteered to take a 10 percent salary cut, while the musicians of the Utah Symphony on March 26 voted to give back 11.5 percent of their salaries and benefits for this fiscal year, which ends on Aug. 30.” Erich Graf, USUO principal flute and president of the local chapter 104 of the American Federation of Musicians, “likened the situation to the auto unions in Detroit, which have had to make concessions to help keep companies in business.” Eight administrative staff positions have also been eliminated or left unfilled.
Posted April 9, 2009
