tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051425824673898715.post2397115979120202844..comments2024-02-20T02:13:45.982-08:00Comments on arts dispatch: Symphonies by the numbersBarry Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16025142209441081323noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051425824673898715.post-20179534777213094452011-06-25T10:47:47.027-07:002011-06-25T10:47:47.027-07:00Thanks Jane. I haven't checked Drew McManus&#...Thanks Jane. I haven't checked Drew McManus's numbers for accuracy - which would be a good first step - but I do know that my compensation as reported on the 990 includes the 80% contribution the Symphony Association pays towards the cost of my and my husband's health and dental insurance. The musicians' base compensation is exactly that: the lowest amount paid to a musician, without including 100% of the cost of their health and dental insurance (fully paid by the Association and including any dependents), their paid parking, a 4% pension contribution, instrument allowance and possibly even the 2.5 weeks of "premium pay" they receive at the end of each season. And many musicians make far more than the "base" salary, through overscale and seniority pay.<br /><br />Even so, my compensation costs the Association about three times as much as that of the average musician. I'm well compensated for what I do, but I should point out that I'm paid for 52 weeks of the year, whereas our musicians' contract is for 38 weeks. The Oregon Symphony is my only source of income, whereas many musicians also teach during our season and work at summer festivals and camps and/or collect unemployment insurance during the 14 weeks between the end of one season and the start of the next. So it's apples and oranges here...Elaine Caldernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051425824673898715.post-58003319163548026122011-06-23T15:54:03.560-07:002011-06-23T15:54:03.560-07:00Oops. Not all the musician board members in 2008-0...Oops. Not all the musician board members in 2008-09 were principals. One was an assistant principal.Barry Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16025142209441081323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051425824673898715.post-6125038597346712202011-06-23T15:50:50.600-07:002011-06-23T15:50:50.600-07:00Jane, thanks for visiting!
It's hard to figur...Jane, thanks for visiting!<br /><br />It's hard to figure out exactly what the musician salaries are in total. Many of them make far more than the base salary, of course. The five musicians who were on the board of directors in 2008-2009 (all of them principal musicians) made anywhere from $69,000 to $117,000 (the concertmaster) with other compensation ranging from $8,100 to almost $17,000 (in round numbers). So, yes, the overall compensation of musicians is a far more useful number than the base pay, but the 990s don't isolate that, at least not so I can tell!<br /><br />I didn't realize that contract negotiations were ongoing... silly me. And without full compensation information across the board from all the symphonies it's impossible to figure out a "standard" for a given symphony of a given budget. Though I bet the negotiators come fully armed with that info...Barry Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16025142209441081323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051425824673898715.post-37485647964059702852011-06-23T14:47:25.487-07:002011-06-23T14:47:25.487-07:00A couple of things I think are/could be interesti...A couple of things I think are/could be interesting: (1) that this is being posted in the midst of OSO' contract negotiations; and (2) I'd be curious to see the total musicians' expenditure. That would have much more relevance to the overall budget, and presumably the leadership shalaries, than the base salary. As always, thanks for sharing!Jane Jarrettnoreply@blogger.com