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SF Symphony Cancels Season, Cuts Pay For 200 Workers

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The San Francisco Symphony on Wednesday announced the cancellation of all concerts remaining in its 2019-20 season as well as pay cuts affecting nearly 200 workers due to shelter-in-place orders to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The move to call off programming through Aug. 1 brings the symphony’s total number of canceled events to 64 and is a step further than most arts presenters have taken. It comes a day after California Governor Gavin Newsom said at a press conference that concerts won’t resume until the final phase of reopening the economy—still months away.

The symphony faces more than $13 million in lost revenue and $5.4 million in net losses, and is implementing what leadership in a statement call “shared sacrifice” reductions: Stagehands, staff and members of the orchestra and chorus are taking pay cuts averaging 25 percent for the period between April 19 and Sept. 5.

A symphony spokesperson said senior leadership is taking the “highest cuts,” and that the organization has received funds through the federal CARES Act.

Because the season marks the end of Michael Tilson Thomas’ quarter century tenure as music director, the symphony is also launching a 25-day “digital celebration” of his career.

Read the full story from KQED’s Sam Lefebvre here.

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