Colorado Symphony Association and Denver Musicians Association Ratify Contract

April 19, 2011 - PRLog -- The Colorado Symphony today announced that it has ratified a new three-year agreement with the Denver Musicians Association - Local 20-623 of the American Federation of Musicians in Denver, Colorado - on behalf of the musicians of the Colorado Symphony. The new agreement paves the way for the Colorado Symphony to finish institutional visioning work and launch an intensive long-range planning process. In addition, new community-focused concerts and educational programming will remain a focus, all the while continuing plans for the renovation of Boettcher Concert Hall and the search for a new music director.

"As a result of this new, three-year agreement with the Denver Musicians Association, the Colorado Symphony can now focus on building on its successful track record of increasing community engagement and serving a vital role as the cornerstone of the performing arts in Colorado," said James W. Palermo, CEO, Colorado Symphony. "We extend our most sincere thanks to both the Colorado Symphony musicians and our Board of Trustees for their patience and dedication during this process. By working diligently together, all parties successfully reached an agreement that will allow the Colorado Symphony to continue to thrive and serve the community with meaningful programs."

"As professional musicians, we have the utmost commitment to the people and communities we serve, whether it is through music education, outreach programs, or live performances," said Pete Vriesenga, president, Denver Musicians Association. "The new agreement with the Colorado Symphony will provide a longer-term foundation for the musicians of the orchestra to maintain this important commitment to the residents of Colorado. We are thankful to the Colorado Symphony Association negotiating team including John Hayes, James Palermo and Bob Ireland, and with special thanks to the Board of Trustees, for partnering with us to finalize the three-year agreement."

The terms of the new agreement include:

   * In the 2010/11 season (current season), the agreement restores two of the four furlough weeks agreed to as part of the 2009-10 contract revision.

   * For the 2011/12 season, the agreement restores all four furlough weeks.

   * For the 2012/13 season, the agreement increases base pay 4.5 percent to $1,000.43 per week, and adds 0.73 percent to the Voluntary Pension Retirement Fund.



The new agreement will also provide the Colorado Symphony administration with an environment of cost certainty for coming seasons as it develops new programs and services that are customer-centric and community-focused. One of the most exciting of these new initiatives is the Colorado Symphony's soon-to-be-announced summer season, a brand new initiative designed to reach large numbers of greater Denver audiences through concerts in multiple venues.

Media Contact
Margaret A. Williams
Office: 303.308.2472
mwilliams@coloradosymphony.org

# # #

Originally established in 1989 as the successor to the Denver Symphony, the Colorado Symphony performs in Boettcher Concert Hall and throughout the Front Range, presenting outstanding education and outreach programs, as well as Masterworks, Pops, Holiday, Family, and the exciting new "Inside the Score" series that has attracted a historic level of first-time concertgoers. By presenting music that is both timeless and inspiring, while taking risks with new musical collaborations and interactive concerts, the Colorado Symphony is attracting more diverse and younger audiences than ever before. To date, 30 percent of the 2010/11 season concertgoers are new patrons. The increasing popularity of Colorado Symphony concerts as well as a strong fund-raising base not only re-affirms the artistic excellence of the orchestra, but also reflects the deep-rooted enthusiasm for symphonic music felt by so many individuals across the region. For more information, visit www.coloradosymphony.org.