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BSO announces sharp hike in ticket prices
By Geoff Edgers, Globe Staff, 2/28/2004

With the long-awaited arrival of music director James Levine next season comes a steep price increase in some tickets to the Boston Symphony Orchestra. On average, tickets are going up 15 percent, a move the BSO says is overdue given the relatively low cost to see a concert in Symphony Hall compared to other major orchestra halls around the country.

But it's also dramatically more than the 3.5 to 4.5 percent that the BSO typically raises ticket prices. Hit hardest are about 100 subscribers in the first few rows of the second balcony.

"I've already talked the budget situation over with my wife," said Richard Boisvert, whose 16-concert, Friday afternoon package will increase 60 percent, from $400 to $640. "I'm not renewing next year."

The BSO, for its part, says the increase is necessary. It is also promising not to raise ticket prices for two years for the people most affected by the change. A "rescaling" of this nature is made every 10 to 15 years, a BSO spokeswoman said.

"This rescaling will help provide the BSO with the revenue necessary to maintain our artistic standards as one of the great orchestras in the world," said Bernadette Horgan, the BSO's director of media relations. "Even after this increase, our prices average lower than prices in our peer orchestras in Philadelphia, Chicago, and San Francisco."

Henry Fogel, former executive director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, raised prices twice during his tenure. He made the change when he arrived at the CSO in 1985 and when the orchestra opened a new hall in 1997. That's why he's not surprised to hear of the increase on the eve of Levine's arrival.

"You hope the excitement around the change you've made will create more consumer demand," said Fogel.

Christopher Yens, a subscriber whose seat price rose by 11 percent, said he was fine with the increase. "What does it cost to sit on the 50-yard line at Foxborough?" he said.

Geoff Edgers can be reached at gedgers@globe.com.

Tootsall

Mr. Christopher Yens had the absolute correct answer. I could only add to it "What about the price for a subscription to a season's worth of Rock or Country concerts?"

Strange that our society seems to think little of paying $75 to $150 (or more) for an event ticket to any Broadway show, Vegas "event", pro sports event, up to $100 for a Rock concert... but yells and screams when asked to provide support for a Symphonic event IN WHICH THE PERFORMERS ARE GETTING PAID ONE HECK OF A LOT LESS FOR ONE HECK OF A LOT MORE COMMITMENT TO THEIR ART!!!

jpetrocelli

Although this is true the BSO is still getting paid a minimum salary of just over $103,000. That is last stand, second violin. Not a bad gig.

Tootsall

Perhaps true... but that just adds an exclamation mark to my point which is that the folks playing in those gigs are on the top of the orchestral heap: try finding even a rookie pro sports player earning that LITTLE!

dHoff

Comparing a pro athlete to a musician in a symphony is just not a meaningfull comparison, for at least two reasons.
-First, Compensation for any job will always be based on revenue generating ability not on talent or investment in developing the skills Right or wrong, this is the essence of capitalism. Suggest an alternative and you have entered a political-economic conversation.
-Second, the average athelete has a carreer of about 5 years, then poof, there gone. Most entry level professional musicians start early and have long careers ahead. Lifetime compensation will involve much more than salary. Like atheletes, if they choose to develop themselves commercially, the bulk of their lifetime income will be residual.

Personally, I walked away from a far more lucrative career doing something I was good at to persue what I love. Every once in a while I miss the Cuban cigars and the German cars, but most of the time I remember that the cost of that life was greater then the perks. Besides, now I can collect Trumpets, where the best thing out there is arguably in the 2-5,000 range.

MUSICandCHARACTER

Absolutely!!! As a mental health therapist by day, and a musician by -- by the heart ... I can tell you people who play music and make a living at it are quite happy most of the time. They love what they do. We love talking about it on this forum.

I doubt there much fun in a forum for overstressed corporate VPs -- talking about Cuban cigars and German cars. More like Prozac and Xanax.

Nothing is better than doing what you love. I could make more money at a mental hospital and never have to worry about insurance companies. But I couldn't see people for free who really need help and don't have much money. The free session always make my day.

I then I have time for my amateur music career (as in a real amateur who plays well, just not for a living). I love playing. If I could play professional and support my wife as a pastor (hard to do) I would!

Great post with a deep truth. dhoff!

M&C