Welsh National Opera

Agreements between Welsh National Opera (WNO) and the MU for employed and self-employed orchestral musicians.

Rates of pay for freelance players effective from 1 September 2025

1. Concerts

Concert / Daily rates

Tutti	Sub-Principal	Principal	Section Principal
£128.10	£136.50	£141.75	£157.50

Single call (3 hours) on a day other than a concert day

Tutti	Sub-Principal	Principal	Section Principal
£76.86	£81.90	£85.05	£94.50

Distance / Travel

Distance (where a coach is provided)	Travel (where over 25 miles are travelled to reach the coach or a coach is not provided)
10p per mile	30p per mile

Meal allowances: leaving before 1.30 pm & returning after 6.30pm

Coach round trip	up to 250 miles	250-400 miles	up to 250 miles (other times)
Standard venues	£13.26	£17.89	£6.63
Premium venues	£16.58	£22.37	£8.29
London	n/a	£24.16	n/a

Late return

Midnight - 12:30 am	00:30 am - 2:00 am
£6.63	£13.26

2. Opera

Opera performance

(A- up to 3½ hours; B - up to 6 hours)

	Tutti	Sub-Principal	Principal	Section Principal
A	£97.70	£104.71	£106.06	£114.45
B	£195.51	£209.41	£212.12	£228.90

Opera rehearsal

(A - up to 3½ hours;  B - up to 2 hours; C - up to 1 hour)

	Tutti	Sub-Principal	Principal	Section Principal
A	£88.37	£94.33	£95.73	£104.95
B	£66.54	£72.69	£74.07	£80.14
C	£44.18	£47.18	£47.87	£52.44

Travel

Over 25 miles from musicians normal centre: 30p per mile.

Meal allowances

Returning to base following an overnight stay.

City	After 13:30	After 18:30	After 21:30
London	£8.95	£17.90	£26.85
Aberdeen, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Inverness, Bath, Milton Keynes, Oxford	£8.29	£16.58	£24.87
All other UK towns & cities	£6.63	£13.26	£19.89

Contact details

Orchestra & Concerts Manager: Matthew Downes

WNO, Wales Millennium Centre, Bute Place, Cardiff, CF10 5AL

029 2063 5076

matthew.downes@wno.org.uk

MU Steward: Dean Wright
MU H&S Representative: Barry Friend