What Do Music Directors

[MylesBAstor]

for orchestras across the US earn?

[1morerecord2clean]

OMG!!!!!!! are we kidding? Are these numbers for real? $6mil for Alabama Symphony? Even if the numbers are doubled and real compensation is half Myles, it's nuts nuts nuts! The economic health of the symphony orchestra is in serious jeopardy. If I take a high compensation number for the musicians playing in these orchestras at $150k X 100 players = $15 mil for all the players combined. And that number would only be true in a handful of full time major orchestras. And for most of the conductors in the biz today who don't know the music or the scores. As many orchestra players said to me over the years, if the conductor had a bell on the end of his baton and it went off every time he made a mistake you wouldn't hear the orchestra. Most of these guys are rank amateurs today compared to Maazel, Abbado, Leinsdorf, Mengelberg, Von Karajan, Beecham, and the list goes on. Shocking even by half!

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FYI Myles, I sent a very close friend of mine who has been more recently in the biz the conductor compensation site and he believes the numbers could be true if they aren't literally accurate. Shocking is all I can say. And let me leave you with another musician's saying, conducting is for those who can't play an instrument. I know there are many exceptions.

[MylesBAstor]

Guess there's a lot of private money in Texas funding the Dallas Symphony. Couldn't believe NY Phil was only fifth; wonder what they are paying their new conductor? Also too bad couldn't get the figure for the BSO. Also that the Baltimore Symphony paid so high. Again must be some wealthy benefactors.

[1morerecord2clean]

I think it's a healthy dose of stupid boards. You know, there are very few American conductors, particularly with the biggest orgs in the US. If you go out looking for a semi well known Euro name and they already have contracts with 3 Euro orchestras the dollars must go up tremendously. I wonder if the quoted numbers are a result of that and a shared number among several orchestras? I think the jet plane has contributed to these numbers. These conductors don't conduct more than a handful of concerts with any single orchestra with whom they are associated. The days of the concept of music director are long gone conducting 30 weeks out of a 52 week season are history.

[MylesBAstor]

I think it's a healthy dose of stupid boards. You know, there are very few American conductors, particularly with the biggest orgs in the US. If you go out looking for a semi well known Euro name and they already have contracts with 3 Euro orchestras the dollars must go up tremendously. I wonder if the quoted numbers are a result of that and a shared number among several orchestras? I think the jet plane has contributed to these numbers. These conductors don't conduct more than a handful of concerts with any single orchestra with whom they are associated. The days of the concept of music director are long gone conducting 30 weeks out of a 52 week season are history.

Yes, I can't get used to that. Like with Nezet-Seguin conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra and NY Metropolitan Opera. Although announced, he won't take on the latter job until 2021. Awfully long gestation period. And he is signed with the PO for the next decade through 2025.

[1morerecord2clean]

Orchestra boards still think a foreign name sells tickets. But who the Hell is Neget-Seguin? I wouldn't buy a ticket because he's conducting. Do people really believe there is some kind of legacy from Bruno Walter to the current crop?

[MylesBAstor]

Orchestra boards still think a foreign name sells tickets. But who the Hell is Neget-Seguin? I wouldn't buy a ticket because he's conducting. Do people really believe there is some kind of legacy from Bruno Walter to the current crop?

He's actually from Montreal and is known for his opera work. But he has done a great job with the PO (I did get to meet him about two months ago and he was the nicest person in the world). If and when Bob Grossman comes on board, he can fill you in a little more on Yannick. He's actually pretty young at 41 to head a major US orchestra.

http://www.yannicknezetseguin.com/biography.html