Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Musicians to Receive Pay Rise

The new labor agreement will see the musicians receive a pay increase of 23% over the next five concert seasons

The new five-year labor agreement between the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) management and the American Federation of Musicians Local 1 will provide CSO musicians a base salary increase of 23% over the duration of the contract. 

Starting on September 9, 2024, the new contract will also enable flexible scheduling, audition and tenure practices, plus see the CSO fall in the top 10 American orchestras with competitive salaries for its musicians. 

Additionally, guided by the National Alliance for Audition Support (NAAS) and the Black Orchestral Network, CSO’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts will include the advancement of Sphinx Orchestral Partner Audition (SOPA) winners to the semi-final round of auditions. 

Further outcomes will include implementing protections against conflicts of interest in auditions, a formal evaluation process based on job-related criteria, as well as more support systems for musicians during the tenure process. 

The new agreement comes as conductor Cristian Mǎcelaru is set to begin his tenure as CSO’s 14th music director from the 2024/25 season. 

According to the Cincinnati Business Courier, the CSO’s previous three-year labor agreement between its musicians in November 2021 provided a base salary of $108,565, in the 2021/22 season, with annual raises of 8% by the end of the contract.

“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. The stability that this agreement provides will enable the organization to be 100% focused on the implementation of our strategic plan and help ensure the success of Cristian Măcelaru’s launch as our new Music Director in 2025,” said CSO’s President and CEO Jonathan Martin in the press release. “I commend our musicians and the management negotiating team, led by CSO Chief Operating Officer Robert McGrath, for their hard work that yielded this exceptional collective bargaining agreement.”

“The identification of shared priorities early in our discussions, such as improvements to the audition and tenure process and a desire on both sides for a longer-term contract, established a collaborative spirit that carried throughout the entire negotiation,” added CSO Contrabassoon and Chair of the Players Committee Jennifer Monroe. “Both sides worked diligently to find common ground on important issues. The Players Committee is grateful to Paul Frankenfeld, President of the American Federation of Musicians Local 1, and musicians’ attorney Barbara Jaccoma and management’s attorney Joanne Bush for their important contributions to the negotiation process. We are also grateful to CSO management for their willingness to understand the musicians’ needs and concerns in finding creative solutions together.”

"These conversations between the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra musicians and management have strengthened our sense of partnership and set a new benchmark for what we can achieve together,” commented CSO’s COO Robert McGrath. “This successful collective bargaining agreement is a testament to our decades-long collaborative relationship, and I applaud the efforts of our Players Committee, our respective attorneys, and the rest of our management negotiating team for their valuable contributions. As we prepare for our next chapter with Cristian Măcelaru at the helm of our Orchestra, we do so together with confidence as well as a renewed and focused commitment to serving our community and beyond.”