Klarinet Archive - Posting 001233.txt from 1998/04

From: Jonathan Cohler <cohler@-----.net>
Subj: Pay analysis of Full-time Orchs
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 10:35:07 -0400

As back up for my previously presented financial analysis of the fact that
the large full-time orchestras can all easily afford to audition all
comers, here is some data from the AFM for the 1995-1996 season for the 19
"full-time" orchestras listed in descending order by scale.

Note that the average scale was $66,064 (and principal players get more),
so my analysis which used an assumption of a $50,000 average, was in fact
conservative in this regard (in other words the actual result would be that
orchestras are capable of auditioning even more than what I said). I also
assumed a 42 week season, and as we can see from the list below, all the
top orchestras (except Detroit) have 52 weeks. This assumption was
therefore also conservative.

Here are a list of the assumptions I used, and the basic conclusion. I
would be interested if anyone has any more factual information that would
substantively change the conclusion:

Section player scale: $50,000
Average tenure of section player: 8 years
Principal player scale: $60,000
Average tenure of principal player: 15 years
Reasonable recruiting cost: 5% of total pay
Pay rate for audition committee: 150% of normal hourly rate
Number of people on audition comm.: 5

CONCLUSION: These orchestras could afford roughly 75 committee-hours
to audition a new section player.

Orchestra Scale Season (weeks) Paid Vacation

Metropolitan Opera $85,000 52 8 weeks
New York Phil $76,960 52 63 days
Chicago Sym $75,920 52 8 weeks
Boston $74,360 52 10 weeks
Philadelphia $74,360 52 10 weeks
Los Angeles $74,100 52 10 weeks
San Francisco Sym $73,640 52 10 weeks
Cleveland $71,760 52 63 days
Minnesota $65,780 52 8 weeks
Pittsburgh $63,960 52 10 weeks
Cincinnati $62,937 52 9 weeks
Detroit $62,677 46 9 weeks
National (Wash DC) $61,620 52 8 weeks
St. Louis $60,840 52 9 weeks
Baltimore $56,420 52 56 days
Houston $55,250 52 63 days
Atlanta $54,860 52 56 days
Dallas $54,340 52 8 weeks
Indianapolis $50,440 52 8.5 weeks

Average Salary $66,064

----------------------
Jonathan Cohler
cohler@-----.net