October 12, 2015: Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians Vote On One Year Contract

The Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians have voted to accept the outline of a new one-year contract today so that the 2015-2016 season can continue without interruption for all the music lovers in Philadelphia and around the world who treasure the sounds of the internationally acclaimed Philadelphia Orchestra.

This one year contract provides for a 3% weekly salary increase effective November 30, 2015, and the restoration of one full time musician to the Orchestra next year. After this raise, the salary of the musicians will be 12.7% less than that of the New York Philharmonic, 15.5% less than the Boston Symphony and 19.6% less than the Chicago Symphony. The additional musician will make an orchestra of 96 full time musicians, which is nine less than the full strength of the Orchestra.

Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians should be compensated as well as other great American orchestras so that the current world-class status of the orchestra may be maintained. Several members of the Philadelphia Orchestra have recently left, and more are planning to leave, in search of better opportunities elsewhere.

We believe that the Philadelphia Orchestra needs an unbiased outside evaluation of its operations and we welcome and support the hiring of Michael Kaiser to conduct an open and transparent evaluation of our beloved institution. In the meantime, in order to continue making music for our public, and to continue the artistic excellence we have been achieving under our dynamic Music

Director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, we have decided against a work stoppage. We hope that, for all of our sakes, the picture will be much better a year from now.