Summermusik and its resident ensemble Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra have locked in a new labor deal — and leadership is signaling stability on the podium, too, with an extension for Music Director Eckart Preu.
The organization and its musicians, represented by the Cincinnati Musicians Association, have ratified a four-year collective bargaining agreement effective this past Jan. 1, according to Summermusik. The deal boosts pay, formalizes audition and tenure practices, and adds new positions and fees aimed at strengthening both performance and education work.
The agreement includes a 15% increase in per-service compensation over four years and introduces principal overscale pay for the first time. It also creates a second permanent bass position, raises instrument cartage payments and expands compensation for musicians curating programs, particularly in the organization’s chamber music series.
The deal also includes a new teaching artist fee that the union says will support education partnerships with local organizations.
“We appreciated the open and positive dialogue with staff and board members throughout the negotiation process,” said Sujean Kim, a member of the Musicians Committee and Summermusik’s assistant concertmaster. “With the agreement’s ratification, we believe we have made meaningful improvements not just to wages, but to working conditions and to the audition and tenure processes as well.”
Board leadership struck a similar tone, emphasizing both fairness and stability for an organization that operates outside the traditional symphony model.
The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, a 33-member ensemble founded in 1974 that anchors the Summermusik festival, presents dozens of performances each year, from orchestra concerts to smaller chamber programs.
“The negotiation process is always a labor intensive one, but the Board appreciated that, from the start, it was evident everyone involved shared the common goal of providing fair compensation while ensuring the future of the orchestra,” said Daniel Pfahl, the board president during negotiations. “It was important to come to an agreement that would keep us stable as the world around us continues to change.”
Locking in Preu to 2030
The agreement comes as Preu, who has led the orchestra since 2016, signed a contract extension through the 2030 festival season. The East German-born conductor, who also leads the Long Beach Symphony in California and Maine’s Portland Symphony, said he’s eager to continue building on what they’ve created in Cincinnati.
“I am thrilled to continue my journey with the Summermusik family, and to continue working with the fantastic musicians of the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra,” Preu said. “I am looking forward to a continuous exploration of ideas and repertoire and to creating musical experiences that inspire our audience – and us.”
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