Where the Money Is
One of my former teachers used to say, somewhat in jest, “first horn, that’s where the money is.” In an orchestra horn section it is where the money is, as contracts typically guarantee that principal players will be paid at least 25% overscale, and they will have more income opportunities outside the orchestra than members of the section (teaching, gigs, etc.).
But the real money is up on the podium. Conductors are well paid in the academic and professional worlds. In fact, seven music directors in the United States during the 2005-06 season were paid over $1,000,0000 a year. Over at Adaptistration Drew McManus lays it out:
- New York Philharmonic $2,189,455
- Chicago Symphony $1,910,997
- Philadelphia Orchestra $1,586,000
- San Francisco Symphony $1,576,874
- Los Angeles Philharmonic $1,576,285
- Boston Symphony $1,536,768
- Cleveland Orchestra $1,226,197
Something to think over if conducting is one of your strong interests, as there is certainly room for a few more good conductors out there. (Which would be another topic for discussion, are the words “good” and “conductor” mutually exclusive words? Many orchestral players would tend to say they are.)
Be a 
Recent Comments