San Antonio Symphony News and Archive

Symphony staff gets brighter pay picture




from the San Antonio Express News 5/13/98



San Antonio Symphony musicians and staff were told Tuesday they might receive a full paycheck Friday, their first full paycheck since mid-February.

But Executive Director David Schillhammer couldn't say the symphony's April 30 payroll was assured and said the May 15 payroll is in jeopardy, too.

"Some generous contributions" to the symphony have encouraged him to "look forward to a full payroll Friday, but I have not guaranteed it," Schillhammer said.

Lee Hipp, symphony tuba player and chairman of the Orchestra Committee representing musicians, was not available for comment.

The symphony has fallen short of cash on most of the semimonthly paydays this year. Since late February, musicians have received only 20 percent of their pay on the dates due, with the balance being paid a week later.

The payroll has slipped a full two weeks. Three pay periods remain before the symphony's summer break.

Schillhammer said subscription revenue for next season, the main source of cash for most American orchestras in the spring months, is running "a little behind" last year.

He attributed the decline to a delay in producing season brochures and an adverising insert in the San Antonio Express-News. The season brochure is expected to be mailed today, Schillhammer said, with the newspaper insert to follow shortly.

"Those two sales pieces have traditionally come out earlier, by April 15, so we're about 30 days behind," Schillhammer said.



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