Boston Symphony Orchestra Musicians Release Statement as Contract Negotiations Open

The Musicians of the Boston Symphony Orchestra have released a statement following the opening of contract negotiations with BSO management on April 21.

The statement, issued as the musicians' current labor agreement approaches its expiration, outlines the players' priorities heading into bargaining and comes after a six-week period in which dozens of orchestras around the world wrote in support of the BSO musicians' right to participate in artistic decision-making at their institution.

Todd Seeber, Chair of the Players Committee, issued the following statement on behalf of the Musicians of the Boston Symphony Orchestra:

"We love this Orchestra. We have given our careers to it, and it is the artistic pinnacle of our endeavors. The events of the past six weeks have made one thing clear. When decisions of artistic magnitude are made about the future of the BSO, the musicians who make the music have to be part of the conversation. That is not a radical idea. It is how great orchestras have always worked at their best, and why dozens of orchestras around the world have written to stand with us. We came to the table on April 21 ready to bargain in good faith, and we will continue to do so."

According to the statement, the musicians are bringing four key priorities to the negotiating table.

The first is a decision-making voice in artistic direction, including structural musician participation in major artistic decisions such as the selection of the music director. The musicians state that the partnership between the players on the stage and the music director on the podium has defined the sound of the BSO for 145 years, and that this partnership "deserves to be formalized, not left to the discretion of any single Board or administration."

The second priority is transparency from management, with the musicians calling for patrons, donors, and players to be part of the development and implementation of an aligned institutional vision.

The third is a fair economic agreement, including wages, benefits, and working conditions that reflect the BSO's standing among the world's leading orchestras. The statement notes that the orchestra's competitive position in the global market for talent is "inseparable from its ability to remain a world-class institution."

The fourth priority is protection of what the musicians describe as the musician-audience bond, including programming, touring, and Tanglewood commitments. The statement characterizes Symphony Hall and Tanglewood as "not interchangeable venues on a schedule," but rather the two places where generations of audiences have formed lifelong connections to the orchestra.

The musicians concluded by stating that they look forward to productive conversations at the table and remain united in their commitment to the orchestra, its audiences, and the BSO's artistic future.

Photo Credit: Hilary Scott, Courtesy BSO.