Cleveland Orchestra's Management and Musicians Ratify New Trade Agreement

The musicians will receive pay increases over the next three seasons

Negotiations between the management and the players of The Cleveland Orchestra have now wrapped up successfully, with the two parties ratifying a trade agreement for the 2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26 seasons.

The new agreement allows for pay rises of 4 percent, 3 percent, and 3 percent in each of the respective seasons. In addition, the players will receive a one-time agreement ratification bonus of $5,000 each. The players' dollar contributions toward healthcare premiums will increase each year of the agreement.

The Orchestra Committee was led by Kathleen Collins (second violin), and comprised Elayna Duitman (second violin), Eliesha Nelson (viola), Emma Shook (second violin), and Isabel Trautwein (first violin) — represented by attorney Kevin Case and Leonard DiCosimo, President of the Cleveland Federation of Musicians.

"In the midst of challenging macroeconomic conditions and lingering post-pandemic uncertainty, both parties approached these negotiations with a constructive mindset, a willingness to problem-solve creatively, and a genuine desire to tackle important institutional challenges realistically," said André Gremillet, Cleveland Orchestra President and CEO.

"At the end of the day, our musicians are at the heart of everything we do, and we are confident that this new contract is both fair and beneficial for our Orchestra and its people. I look forward to continuing our partnership and journey together as we build an ever-stronger future for our treasured organization."

"Ensuring that Northeast Ohio and the city of Cleveland continues to have America’s finest orchestra is always the top priority of the musicians of The Cleveland Orchestra," said Kathleen Collins, Chair of the Orchestra Committee, which negotiates on behalf of the musicians. "To that end, we were pleased to be able to obtain solid wage gains, address inflation, and retain our excellent healthcare plan so that our compensation package remains competitive. We were able to work collaboratively with management to find solutions which helped both sides."