Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Musicians Reach Five-Year Agreement

October 1, 2020

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Inc. (BSO) and its musicians, members of Local 40-543 (Baltimore, MD), have reached a five-year agreement on a new contract that begins on September 7, 2020. This five-year contract provides foundational stability and marks the first long-term agreement since a three-year contract expired in 2016.

Central to the agreement is an acknowledgement of the significant financial pressures associated with COVID-19 social distancing in the form of near-term compensation adjustments, followed by gradual increases in both compensation and musician complement beginning in the second year of the agreement. Equally significant, this agreement supports achievement of goals outlined in the BSO’s strategic plan as announced in February 2020—an adjustment in work rules to seed new and increased audience, community and donor engagement activities, as well as programmatic innovations in Baltimore and throughout Maryland.

The agreement also advances an institutional recommitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by establishing a task force to design new professional development opportunities, evaluate orchestral hiring procedures, and establish new fellowship programs.

“The Musicians of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra are so pleased with the momentous agreement we have been able to achieve together with BSO leadership,” says BSO Players’ Committee Chair Brian Prechtl. “This long-term agreement will allow us to continue to attract world-class musicians and will give us the freedom to concentrate on what we do best: making sublime music that nurtures and uplifts hearts, minds, and spirit.”