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ABO Category 1 Orchestral Rates

Updated: 06 November 2024 | 16:07 PM
Agreement

Minimum rates effective from 1 April 2024

Concert rates

A concert of up to three hours in length with a rehearsal of up to three hours in length on the same day.

Tutti Sub-Principals Principals Section Principals*
£152.97 £161.36 £189.84 £208.82

*Section Principal rates only applicable to the LPO, LSO, Philharmonia & RPO

Single call (3 hours) on a day other than concert day – 60% of the Concert Rate

Tutti Sub-Principals Principals Section Principals*
£91.78 £96.82 £113.90 £125.29

Distance/Travel

Distance (where transport or travel fare is provided) Travel Allowance (where transport is NOT provided by engager)
20p per mile 39p per mile

Overnight - (paid at rates below, unless suitable accommodation is not available at these rates, see clause 7(a) of agreement for more information)

Basic M25 Supplement
£70.00 £25.00

Late return

Midnight - 12:30am 12:30 - 1:00am 1:00 - 2:00am
£5.25 £10.50 £15.75

Porterage

Group A Group B Group C Group D
£19.50 (£24.50 in London CCG) £16.00 £12.00 Negotiable

ABO contact details

West Wing, Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA
020 7759 1060
info@abo.co.uk

Porterage categories

Group A - Double Bass, Electric Guitar, Electric Bass Guitar

Group B - Bass saxophone,  Contra Bassoon, Tuba

Group C - Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet + 1 additional wind instrument, Trombone + 1 other brass instrument, French Horn + 1 other brass instrument, 2 Saxophones, Cello

Group D - Harp, Kit Drums, Percussion instruments, Timpani, Organ, Electronic keyboards

ABO Category 1 Orchestras

The highlighted orchestras below are members of the ABO, but also have their own Collective Agreements. Their links will take you to the appropriate Collective Agreement page.

  • Academy of Ancient Music
  • Academy of St Martin in the Fields
  • Arcangelo
  • Aurora Orchestra
  • Birmingham Contemporary Music Group
  • Britten Sinfonia
  • Chineke! Orchestra
  • City of London Sinfonia
  • Dunedin Consort
  • English Baroque Soloists
  • English Chamber Orchestra - MU steward is Andrew Sutton
  • The English Concert
  • Gabrieli Consort & Players
  • Glyndebourne Sinfonia
  • The Hanover Band - MU steward is Bob Farley 
  • London Chamber Orchestra
  • London Contemporary Orchestra
  • London Mozart Players
  • London Philharmonic Orchestra - MU Steward is Fiona Higham 
  • London Sinfonietta
  • London Symphony Orchestra - MU Steward is Patrick Laurence 
  • Manchester Camerata
  • Monteverdi Choir & Orchestra
  • Northern Ballet Theatre Orchestra
  • Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
  • Orchestra of The Sixteen
  • Orchestra of St Johns 
  • Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique
  • Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Philharmonia Orchestra - MU steward is Soong Choo
  • Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - MU steward is Peter Graham 
  • Scottish Chamber Orchestra - MU steward is Cerys Ambrose Evans 
  • Sinfonia Verdi

Where an MU steward is not listed against one of these orchestras, the role of steward is currently vacant. If you work at one of these orchestras and are interested in discussing the role of MU steward, please contact orchestral@themu.org.