There is good news for the musicians at San Francisco Ballet, even as the members of the San Francisco Symphony and the San Francisco Opera Orchestra remain without contracts.
The SF Ballet Orchestra, represented by American Federation of Musicians Local 6, has reached a new three-year agreement with management, coming half a year ahead of the existing contract’s expiration — a somewhat unprecedented timeline.
Meanwhile, SF Ballet’s 84 company dancers and other employees who are members of the American Guild of Musical Artists have a two-year labor contract that runs through June 30, 2026.
Besides the successful negotiations, SF Ballet’s musicians have much else to celebrate. In the company’s first decades (going back to 1933), there was only a pickup orchestra in the pit. But then, 50 years ago, SF Ballet got its own orchestra courtesy of conductor Denis de Coteau, who became the ensemble’s first music director.
In addition to performances with SF Ballet both at the War Memorial Opera House and on tour, the orchestra has accompanied many prestigious international companies that have traveled to the Bay Area, including The Royal Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Hamburg Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, American Ballet Theatre, and Paris Opera Ballet. In 1995, the orchestra played for 13 different dance companies over a single week during the “UNited We Dance” festival.
The 49-member ensemble will celebrate its 50th anniversary by having a 50th member added. And that’s not the only present.
Without disclosing an amount, SF Ballet is acknowledging the importance of a generous donation from Shelby and Frederick Gans. The couple have supported the company for over three decades and are recognizing the orchestra’s talent and milestone year with their gift, which names and underwrites the position of music director for the next 25 years. Conductor Martin West has served in that role since 2005.
Shelby Gans said, “Frederick and I are proud of the outstanding artistic excellence of both Martin West and [the SF Ballet] Orchestra. We are honoring their dedication and respective 20th and 50th anniversaries with a gift that will support our beloved ballet through the year 2050.”
Tamara Rojo, the company’s artistic director, responded: “We are deeply grateful for the longtime support of Shelby and Frederick Gans, whose generosity will help achieve our vision for SF Ballet now and into the future.
“We are so lucky to have Martin West’s extraordinary talent and leadership of the SF Ballet Orchestra and look forward to celebrating his 20th year of bringing live classical and contemporary music of the highest caliber to audiences in San Francisco.”
Although none of the terms of the three-year contract have been announced, Peter Wahrhaftig, principal tuba and chair of the SF Ballet Orchestra Players’ Committee, said the musicians “are gratified to have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement.”
Wahrhaftig continued: “The strong, long-standing relationship between the musicians and [SF Ballet] management, with its emphasis on constructive problem-solving and creative outcomes, has resulted in a comprehensive settlement.”
SF Ballet’s most recent fiscal report is from a year ago, covering information through June 2024, and shows a budget of $66 million (versus $61 million for the previous year). Prices for center orchestra seats at SF Ballet performances in the War Memorial can exceed $400. West’s salary was $279,000 for the 2022–2023 season, according to the most recent IRS report available.
