Queen City Nerve: Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Musicians Secure New Deal

Three-year union contract includes salary hikes and expanded work arrangements

Ryan Pitkin August 28, 2024

The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and the American Federation of Musicians, Local 342 negotiating committee, which represents the musicians of the CSO, announced Wednesday that the two parties have agreed on and ratified a new three-year contract that will provide stability for the orchestra and its musicians.

The result of months of negotiations between the musicians’ negotiating committee and the orchestra’s management, the agreement was reached just as the current contract was set to expire, with the new one taking effect on Sept. 1 and lasting through Aug. 31, 2027.  

According to a Wednesday release from CSO, “the new contract positions the company as an industry leader in audition and tenure practices while introducing greater flexibility” as Kwamé Ryan enters his inaugural season as music director, making him the first Black music director in the 92 years since its founding.  

That involves updating work practices to allow for more flexibility in planning, enabling the CSO to be more collaborative and responsive to the evolving needs of the community while preserving CSO musicians’ ability to organize their working lives effectively, including allowing for other personal performance and teaching opportunities, according to the release. 

The new contract also includes a 13.5% increase in weekly salary for all full-time musicians over the three-year term, an expansion in length of season from 38 working weeks to 39, and updates to CSO’s tenure process that align with the company’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. 

The new tenure provisions offer additional support for musicians during their probationary period, with clear and transparent feedback mechanisms, according to Wednesday’s release. The changes were heavily informed by guidance from the Black Orchestral Network and the study of best practice in the League of American Orchestras, both of which aim to increase diversity in American Orchestras.

With the salary increase and the additional week of work, the minimum salary for CSO musicians rises from $45,861 to $53,709 over the course of the contract.

“This new collective bargaining agreement comes after months of cordial and productive discussions with our management,” wrote principal horn Byron Johns and second trumpet Jon Kaplan, co-chairs of the musicians’ negotiating committee, in a joint statement. We are confident that it will enhance our ability to serve new audiences and communities while continuing to support our mainstage performances.

“With this agreement in place, and the continued partnership between our musicians, staff, managers, Board of Directors, and our new Music Director Kwamé Ryan, we believe the Charlotte Symphony is set to achieve thrilling new artistic heights.”

Ryan will begin his tenure as the 12th music director of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra during the 2024-25 season, having served as music director designate through the 2023-24 season. Ryan last appeared with the Charlotte Symphony in April for two performances of Brahms’s Symphony No. 1 and Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme.

An active guest conductor in the United States and the UK, Ryan has led the Baltimore, Dallas, Detroit, Indianapolis, Atlanta and Houston symphony orchestras, as well as Boston Lyric Opera, English National Opera, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Royal Scottish Symphony Orchestra and London’s Philharmonia Orchestra. 

He is a regular guest conductor at the BBC Proms and most recently returned to Brussels’s La Monnaie for the world premiere of Kris Defoort’s The Time of our Singing, which won the International Opera Award for World Premiere of the Year in 2021.

“I congratulate the negotiations committee and the Charlotte Symphony management on their collaborative efforts in reaching this new agreement,” Ryan said in the release. “The spirit of openness and cooperation that defines the CSO is truly inspiring. I’m excited to begin my tenure with a new contract in place that not only supports our talented musicians but also upholds the mission, vision, and values of the Charlotte Symphony.” 

While the new season will kick off with Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 on Oct. 25, Ryan’s first concert as music director will come on Nov. 22 with Brahms’ A German Requiem. 

“I’m deeply appreciative of the dedication shown by the musicians’ negotiations committee and  their collaborative spirit toward our shared goal of amicably forging this new agreement well  ahead of the current contract’s expiration,” stated president and CEO David Fisk. “As we head  into this exciting new era for the Charlotte Symphony under Kwamé Ryan’s leadership, I’m  grateful to have this solid contractual foundation in place that supports our musicians and allows  us to focus on delivering exceptional performances and strengthening our connections with the  Charlotte community.”