Created in 1959, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra(MSO) has a budget of $16.5 million and employs 88 musicians for 39 weeks ayear. The players earn an annual base salary of $55,000.
“This is the youngest of the first-tier orchestras, sonaturally we have one of the smallest endowments,” says Chris Abele, chairmanof the MSO board of directors. “Last year we took a financial hit like everyoneelse, but we’re holding our own.”
The MSO receives its largest contribution from theUnited Performing Arts Fundto the tune of $2.4 million, down from a high of$3.5 million.
The MSO has broadcast on national radio for nearly 30years, and is a pioneer in offering Internet downloads of live performances.MSO concerts are also carried statewide on commercial and public television. Famous past conductors include Lukas Foss andDoc Severinsen; Marvin Hamlisch currently leads the Pops. Edo de Waart, aconductor of international stature, has just completed his inaugural seasonwith the MSO. Known for building good orchestras into great ones, de Waart hasled the Rotterdamand Hong Kong Philharmonics.
Where Others Stand
n TheKansas City Symphony was born following the financial demise of the Kansas CityPhilharmonic in 1982. The 80 full-time musicians work a 42-week season,including work with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and the Kansas City Ballet.The Symphony offers a base salary of $44,000, and the orchestra’s endowmentstands at $40 million. The orchestra has released recordings in each of thelast two years, taped two nationally broadcast PBS television specials andperformed on National Public Radio.
- TheIndianapolis Symphony, founded in 1930, offers a 52-week season, with its 87musicians earning a base salary of $72,000 a year. The orchestra’s budget isnearly $29 million. Past conductors include Raymond Leppard and Pops conductorErich Kunzel. It closed last season with a $2.8 million shortfall, but theowners of two of the city’s professional sports teams are joining to help thesymphony raise $100 million in an effort to build its endowment. In the 1970sthe orchestra sometimes performed in Milwaukeeas the MSO played in Indianapolis,a sort of “sister city” orchestra arrangement.
- Based in Minneapolis, theMinnesota Orchestra played its first concert in 1903. The symphony has anannual budget of nearly $30 million, employing 98 musicians who make a healthybase salary of $111,000. The organization recently imposed a 7% budget cut,with musicians agreeing to a pay freeze, to cover a larger than expecteddeficit. The orchestra tours with regularity, both domestically and abroad.Minnesota Public Radio regularly broadcasts live performances, and publictelevision broadcasts are routine. Several famous conductors have led theorchestra, including Eugene Ormandy, Dimitri Mitropoulos, Sir Neville Marrinerand Edo de Waart. The Twin Cities also supports the Saint Paul ChamberOrchestra, an ensemble with an international reputation.
Other Midwestern orchestras include the ChicagoSymphony, one of the country’s highest-paying ensembles, starting at $127,000,the St. Louis Symphony and its $77,000 salaries, and the Columbus Symphony,which currently offers 36 weeks of work for $41,000 (though next season’scutbacks will force a 25% reduction in work and salary).
Some orchestras have recently experienced seriousfinancial difficulties, like the Philadelphia Orchestra, which nearly declaredbankruptcy earlier this year. Others, like the Charleston and Honolulu Symphonies, have goneout of business. The New York Philharmonic is facing a record $4.6 millionshortfall this season, and players in Seattlehave made major salary concessions. Federal funding is down as well, with a $6million reduction planned for the National Endowment for the Arts andHumanities in 2011.
Back in Milwaukee,it is not all gloom and doom. In fact, there is some serious optimism. Theorchestra is performing at a consistently high level, and both players andconductor seem to be enjoying their new partnership.
“We are ahead of our projected budget this year, andour ticket sales are steadily increasing,” Abele says. “We are going toCarnegie Hall next season, and we have a higher quality of musiciansauditioning for the MSO since Edo has beenappointed music director. The players are pumped and excited, and the audiencesare thrilled.”
