$1.2-Million Pittsburgh Symphony Gift to Boost Musicians’ Pay
July 12, 2013 | Read Time: 1 minute
The financially struggling Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has received a $1.2-million donation earmarked for musicians’ compensation, writes the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
The unusual restriction on the gift from Michele and Pat Atkins is aimed at helping the orchestra stay competitive in attracting top talent while it tries to right its fiscal ship after years of budget deficits that have imperiled some major donations.
The donors said they were moved by Pittsburgh players’ own efforts to support the symphony financially, donating $100,000 back to the organization in the 2011 and ’12 seasons, during which they took significant pay cuts. A new contract approved last month restores some pay, but Pittsburgh musicians still earn tens of thousands of dollars less than peers in other big-city orchestras.
