“The Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony, one of Japan’s top-tier orchestras, has its own financial challenges, and in its recent negotiations it suggested a radical fix: performance-based contracts, under which musicians’ raises and promotions – or, perhaps, their departures – would be based on “objective” evaluations by management. The criteria for judging the musicians are still being discussed, but in addition to straightforward musical performance, they’re likely to include attendance, onstage manners, teamwork and helping to publicize the orchestra. Current members can elect to remain in the traditional lifetime-employment system, but about 70 percent have chosen the new contracts. That’s no surprise: while poor evaluations could lead to a musician’s contract’s not being renewed, the top salary under the new system is about $72,000 a year versus $62,600 under the old.”