WASHINGTON — The National Symphony Orchestra canceled its season-opening gala after the union representing its musicians went on strike.
The DC Federation of Musicians, local 161-710 of the American Federation of Musicians, struck Friday following the Sept. 2 expiration of its collective bargaining agreement, the NSO and Kennedy Center said.
The NSO season was to have started Saturday night at the Kennedy Center with music director Gianandrea Noseda conducting a program that included pianist Yunchan Lim.
Management said it offered a 13% wage increase as part of a four-year contract and an annual decrease of $1,000 in employee healthcare contributions. Management said the proposal would raise base salary from $159,000 to $180,593 and that only orchestras in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco have higher figures. The previous deal originally was a four-year contract through the 2022-23 season but during the pandemic was extended by one year.
“I find it particularly abhorrent that Deborah Rutter, president of the Kennedy Center, feels she deserves to be paid commensurate with her peer group but does not respect the orchestra similarly,” AFM President Tino Gagliardi said in a statement. “Nobody pays to see Deborah Rutter perform; they pay to see the world-class musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra.”
