New Contract for Musicians at Naples Philharmonic; Extension for Alexander Shelley as Music Director at Artis—Naples

In Thursday’s (1/22) Gulfshore Business (Southwest Florida), an unbylined article reports that Artis—Naples, the performing arts center and museum in Naples, Florida, “announced Jan. 22 that it has extended Alexander Shelley’s contract as artistic and music director through the 2029-30 season and reached a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the musicians of the Naples Philharmonic that runs through the 2028-29 season. The labor agreement includes more than 13% in salary increases over the term, with base pay for non-principal musicians rising to more than $81,000 by the end of the contract. The agreement also adds two new orchestra positions and includes special provisions governing the creation of recordings for dance and film projects.” Since his appointment two years ago, Shelley has participated in the hiring or tenure process of 16 current musicians and has led commissions of new works, including the world premieres of African Queens for Soprano and Orchestra, composed by the seven composers known as the Blacknificent 7 and performed by soprano Karen Slack, and Raven Chacon’s Inscription II.  Shelley’s role extends into the multidisciplinary programming of Artis—Naples. Negotiations with musicians took place over several months and reflected a shared focus on long-term stability, artistic planning, and the continued strength of the orchestra.