The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has accepted a $1.2m gift that
will support salary increases for its 99 musicians. The
benefactors, retired couple Pat and Michele Atkins, were impressed
that the musicians had taken a 9.7 per cent pay cut in 2011 and
wanted to contribute to pay rises in the musicians' new
contracts.
The $1.2m restricted gift will be distributed over the next three
years, during which time the musicians' base pay will rise by 4 per
cent to $104,114 for 2013–14, then remain static for a year, before
rising by 3 per cent in the final year of the contract.
The couple said in a statement: 'When we heard that the musicians
chose to take a pay reduction to ensure that the orchestra would
remain a strong and vital institution in this region, we knew we
wanted to recognize their sacrifice. We wanted to make a stretch
gift to signal that these musicians are worthy of support and
recognition. They do so much to make our community thrive.'
The donation comes as the orchestra battles financial pressures
caused by a decline in state funding and a sharp drop in its
endowment between 2008 and 2009. Although the endowment has since
rebounded, the orchestra's deficit almost tripled from around $1m
in 2011 to $2.9m in 2012. James Wilkinson, the Pittsburgh Symphony
Orchestra's president and CEO, said: 'This gift is one very
important step as we strive to reach a repeatable balanced budget
by 2015.'
Photo: Jeff Swensen
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