As its home city prepares for its moment in the spotlight at Cultural Capital of Europe, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic has reached agreement on a 21% pay raise for its musicians. The RLPO’s base wage lags far behind the UK’s top orchestras – even at the end of the new contract, musicians will earn just £25,000 per year – but the deal is being seen as an indication that the orchestra has stabilized fiscally after several years of restructuring.