Baltimore Symphony Musicians Volunteer $1M In Cuts

“[I]t’s far from routine for an orchestra’s musicians to volunteer a cut of their own accord. Yesterday, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra announced that its players had unanimously agreed to forgo wage and pension rate increases and other promised elements of their 2009-10 contract packages, taking an 8 percent cut to make what amounts to a $1 million donation to the orchestra. The donation was presented in the form of a challenge grant.”