Drew McManus on the Orchestra business | est. 2003

Drew McManus

2020 Orchestra Compensation Reports: Introduction

Mon, Jun 6, 2020
As is the case with every annual orchestra compensation report, the most important element to keep in mind is these figures encompass the 2017/18 season and not the current season. Although it isn’t unusual to expect that the most recent figures available would cover the previous season, that’s not how things work thanks to these reasons: Most

Indianapolis Symphony Terminates Health Care Coverage

Fri, Jun 6, 2020
Like many orchestras, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) engaged austerity measures at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It began with furloughs in March, but musicians and staffers were able to come back to work at reduced pay in April following a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. The PPP funds lasted for several weeks but

Some Early Thoughts On Indianapolis

Thu, Jun 6, 2020
Originally, the plan for today’s post was to take a closer look at the growing labor dispute brewing at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO). On Monday, the ISO musicians issued a press statement that asserted the employer informed them they will not only extend the existing furlough but cut off health insurance. I reached out

A Glimpse Into Life Back In The Hall

Wed, Jun 6, 2020
If you have any friends or colleagues in the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) I highly recommend you start following them closely on social media. The DSO is one of the handful of orchestras getting back into the hall for performance activity. Perhaps unsurprisingly, musicians and staff have been posting firsthand accounts across social media of

Examining Recession Era Compensation Trends

Mon, Jun 6, 2020
The 2020 Orchestra compensation reports are coming out next week so between now and then, it’s worth taking a quick look at how past recessions have impacted compensation. Simply put, there are no shortage of lessons to learn. When taking a look at the most recent long-term averages for executives, music director, and concertmaster compensation
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