Friday, March 26, 2004
Memo
FROM: Tempo Subcommittee on Orchestra Salaries; Howard Reich, chairman
RE: Pay scales
By Howard Reich
Tribune arts critic
March 26, 2004
News reports this week that string players in Germany have sued to be paid more than their colleagues because they "play more notes" inspires us to propose a new pay structure for American orchestral musicians. Rather than the tired old union formula of salaries based upon years of service, musicians heretofore should be paid per note, a much more democratic approach, based on the following formula*:
64th note: 1 cent; this is basically the most fleeting and insignificant note.
32nd note: 1.01 cents; it's hardly different from the 64th note.
16th note: 1.02 cents.
8th note: 1.5 cents; it's slow enough that you actually can hear the thing.
Quarter note: 2 cents, and not a penny more.
Half note: 1 cent; because it's half as easy to play as a quarter.
Whole note: .5 cent; easier still.
Fortissimo: Loud notes earn a .5 multiplier, because they require some effort.
Pianissimo: Soft notes take a negative .5 multiplier; they require less effort and no one hears them anyway.
Staccato: Crisply articulated short notes merit no additional compensation.
Legato: Doesn't matter how you phrase them, notes are notes.
Two notes at once: Played concurrently, paid concurrently. No extra monetary value.
Chords: Ditto.
Rests: Count toward vacation time.
*Musicians are responsible for counting the notes they play. This is an honor system, so remember, mistakes do not count. Follow the score as directed and we won't have to levy fines for playing sharp or flat.
Via ArtsJournal
FROM: Tempo Subcommittee on Orchestra Salaries; Howard Reich, chairman
RE: Pay scales
By Howard Reich
Tribune arts critic
March 26, 2004
News reports this week that string players in Germany have sued to be paid more than their colleagues because they "play more notes" inspires us to propose a new pay structure for American orchestral musicians. Rather than the tired old union formula of salaries based upon years of service, musicians heretofore should be paid per note, a much more democratic approach, based on the following formula*:
64th note: 1 cent; this is basically the most fleeting and insignificant note.
32nd note: 1.01 cents; it's hardly different from the 64th note.
16th note: 1.02 cents.
8th note: 1.5 cents; it's slow enough that you actually can hear the thing.
Quarter note: 2 cents, and not a penny more.
Half note: 1 cent; because it's half as easy to play as a quarter.
Whole note: .5 cent; easier still.
Fortissimo: Loud notes earn a .5 multiplier, because they require some effort.
Pianissimo: Soft notes take a negative .5 multiplier; they require less effort and no one hears them anyway.
Staccato: Crisply articulated short notes merit no additional compensation.
Legato: Doesn't matter how you phrase them, notes are notes.
Two notes at once: Played concurrently, paid concurrently. No extra monetary value.
Chords: Ditto.
Rests: Count toward vacation time.
*Musicians are responsible for counting the notes they play. This is an honor system, so remember, mistakes do not count. Follow the score as directed and we won't have to levy fines for playing sharp or flat.
Via ArtsJournal