The New York Philharmonic, the oldest orchestra in America, has long been one of the most revered. But in recent years, its musicians have been paid significantly less than their peers in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and elsewhere.
That will soon change. Under a new labor contract announced on Thursday, the Philharmonic’s musicians will get a raise of 30 percent over the next three years, bringing the base salary to $205,000. They will be among the highest paid orchestra musicians in the country.
“It’s transformative,” said Colin Williams, the associate principal trombone, who helped lead the negotiations. “It speaks to the commitment from the Philharmonic’s leadership to making sure this place is really a destination orchestra.”
The Philharmonic’s leaders praised the agreement, which the ensemble’s roughly 100 musicians are expected to ratify on Friday, when their existing contract expires.
“This is a restorative settlement that brings our musicians to the level of their peer orchestras,” Deborah Borda, the Philharmonic’s interim leader, said in an interview.
Included in the agreement are changes meant to make the hiring process fairer and more transparent, including provisions that will require musicians to play from behind a screen in the final rounds of auditions. (A screen has been optional in the final round.)
