Missouri Classical Music News and Notes

The musicians of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra have ratified a new contract.

The 56-36 vote was announced Tuesday and came after two months of what the St. Louis office of the National Labor Relations Board last week called an illegal strike. The contract gives players a modest pay raise in each year of a 3 1/2-year agreement. A recent gift from an anonymous donor allowed the Symphony to give musicians a signing bonus of $2,500 each and a "stay bonus" of $4,000 each at the contract's end.

"We have a deal," said orchestra President Randy Adams. He smiled and shook hands with Jan Gippo, chairman of the musicians' negotiating committee, after a photo-op contract signing in the lobby of Powell Symphony Hall on Tuesday afternoon.

Gippo, the orchestra's piccolo specialist, cited the need to stay competitive with peer orchestras, keep the musicians it has and attract new players of high quality.

"This agreement did exactly what we want," Gippo said