Baltimore Chamber Orchestra & Musicians

Ratify New Four-Year Contract

The Four-Year Agreement spanning the 2025-2029 seasons provides a base salary increase of 13% over the life of the contract, adds one position to the orchestra, and underscores the organization’s commitment to its musicians. 

The Baltimore Chamber Orchestra (BCO) is pleased to announce the ratification of a new four-year collective bargaining agreement with the orchestra’s musicians represented by the Musicians’ Association of Metropolitan Baltimore, Local 40-543 of the American Federation of Musicians. The agreement is the third negotiated between the BCO and its musicians, and the second in as many years, highlighting the growing relationship between the orchestra’s management and its musicians. 

The new contract, which includes a 13% increase over the course of the agreement, a new pay scale for Assistant Principal positions, and adds a new position to the orchestra’s bass section, was realized after six months of constructive negotiations between BCO’s leadership and the BCO Players’ Committee. Both parties worked to ensure that the agreement reinforces industry standard best practices for a collaborative working environment within the orchestra and creates a sustainable financial path forward for the organization. 

“This agreement represents a sea change in the ongoing relationship between the orchestra’s musicians and leadership,” said Chiara Kingsley Dieguez, BCO’s Principal Viola and member of the BCO Players’ Committee. “Our last agreement created better standards for fair and equitable treatment of our musicians, and with this new agreement, we believe we’ve laid a strong foundation to create a very bright future for the orchestra and its audience for many years to come.” 

President of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra’s Board of Trustees Richard Miles echoed Ms. Kingsley Dieguez, adding, “I am very proud of this new agreement and what it represents for our fantastic orchestra, and I am especially proud of our Board of Trustees for their belief in our organization and support for our musicians. The world-class artistry shared on stage at every BCO concert is a rare treasure to find, and we are immensely fortunate to have such talented musicians living right here in Baltimore’s community.”

“Negotiating this new collective bargaining agreement reminds us that harmony doesn’t exist exclusively on the concert stage—it’s forged through dialogue, trust, and a shared commitment to presenting captivating performances each and every season,” said BCO’s Executive Director, Ben Newman. “While negotiations can often be challenging, the mutual respect held by each person at the negotiating table created a spirit of shared purpose that guided every step of the process and led us to this historic agreement.”

The BCO’s 2025-26 season, Robert Moody’s second as Music Director, features major works by Beethoven, Holst, Mozart, Schubert, a partnership with the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club to perform Christopher Tin’s musical epic, The Drop That Contained The Sea, and the orchestra’s Meyerhoff Symphony Hall debut as part of the League of American Orchestras National Conference on May 31, 2026. Other season highlights include works by Antonin Dvorak, Peter Maxwell-Davies, Ralph Vaughan-Williams and many more.

For more information about the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, please visit www.TheBCO.org.

ABOUT THE BALTIMORE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

The Baltimore Chamber Orchestra (BCO) is a distinguished, vibrant ensemble with a 40 year history of presenting high-quality performances that have significantly enhanced the cultural vibrancy of Baltimore and its surrounding communities. Characterized by its reputation for artistic excellence, community programs, and a commitment to nurturing both established and emerging talent, the BCO attracts world-class artists, performing a wide range of classical and contemporary works. BCO has commissioned several works from today's composers, recorded and professionally released three albums, and embarked on successful national and international tours, further establishing its reputation on the global stage.

The BCO has recorded three CDs released by Naxos Records, toured in China, and presented a New York debut praised by The New York Times. Building on the legacies of past Music Directors Anne Harrigan and Markand Thakar, Maestro Robert Moody was named BCO’s Music Director in the summer of 2024. The orchestra’s roster features thirty-five of the area’s best professional musicians who perform in Goucher College’s Kraushaar Auditorium and Notre Dame Maryland University’s LeClerc Hall. A committed and enthusiastic Board of Trustees composed of 17 community leaders grounded in their dedication to artistic innovation, education, and community engagement oversee the organization’s operations, generate numerous partnerships to grow the orchestra’s visibility, and expand BCO’s legacy as a cherished and enduring presence in the nation’s classical music scene.

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