CSO musicians take another pay cut

Charlotte Symphony musicians have agreed to take a pay cut to help the orchestra regain its financial footing. The symphony says the new salary contract will save the symphony $1.2 million over the next two years. It's the second time in two years musicians have agreed to lower salaries. Elizabeth Pistolesi is a violinist with the symphony and helped negotiate the new contract. "There is a certain realism that this is something that had to happen now," says Pistolesi. "But on the other hand what we all really want to see is see the problems addressed in a really fundamental way so that we don't have to continue to go through this in future years." The symphony is struggling with a $1.8 million dollar deficit. In May, the Arts and Science Council announced it was cutting its funding to the orchestra by $1 million. Since then, the orchestra says it has cut administrative costs by 19 percent and the board has pledged $500,000 in new donations. Under the new contract, the minimum salary for a Charlotte symphony musician will be $32,000, down from $37,000.