The Nashville Symphony inspires and engages a diverse and growing community with extraordinary live orchestral music experiences. As Middle Tennessee continues to grow and transform, the Nashville Symphony will be a financially robust, leading orchestra fully supported and embraced by the community it serves and recognized by its peers for its innovation and excellence. Key to achieving this vision, the Nashville Symphony will: - Entertain and educate audiences with varied opportunities to engage with orchestral music. - Be recognized as a leading arts organization defined by performing an innovative and excellent portfolio distinguished by a commitment to American music, including underrepresented voices. - Strengthen diversified revenue streams in order to routinely deliver a balanced operating budget and meet goals for endowment contributions. - Build a diverse, welcoming, and effective organization that is a great place to work and is reflective of the Middle Tennessee community.
Executive compensation, broken down
Form 990 · Part VII & Schedule J · 12 reported individuals · Filing year 2023
Percentile bands compare each position's total pay with the same role at Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations nationwide.
- Base
- $519k
- Bonus
- $50k
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $25k
- Base
- $375k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $7k
- Benefits
- $14k
- Base
- $201k
- Bonus
- $30k
- Other
- $2k
- Benefits
- $142
- Base
- $190k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $33k
- Base
- $146k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $7k
- Base
- $137k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $6k
| Position | Base | Bonus | Other | Benefits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conductor/music Director Key Employee Above 90th percentile | $519k | $50k | — | $25k | $603k $658k |
President & CEO Above 90th percentilevs Arts, Culture & Humanities peers in Tennessee | $375k | — | $7k | $14k | $404k $441k |
COO (through 12/31/2023) 75th to 90th percentile | $201k | $30k | $2k | $142 | $233k $255k |
VP of Marketing Board Vice President 75th to 90th percentile | $190k | — | — | $33k | $227k $248k |
Principal Pops Conductor Highest Compensated Employee Median to 75th percentile | $146k | — | — | $7k | $158k $173k |
Musician Highest Compensated Employee Median to 75th percentile | $137k | — | — | $6k | $152k $166k |
Musician Highest Compensated Employee 25th percentile to median | — | — | — | — | $134k $147k |
VP of Venue Management Board Vice President 25th percentile to median | — | — | — | — | $128k $139k |
Director/musician (see Schedule O) Board Member Above 90th percentile | — | — | — | — | $102k $112k |
Director/musician (see Schedule O) Board Member 75th to 90th percentile | — | — | — | — | $82k $89k |
CFO (begin 11/20/2023) 25th percentile to median | — | — | — | — | $35k $38k |
Cdo (begin 12/1/2023) Below 10th percentile | — | — | — | — | $17k $18k |
Teal figures restate each filed amount in 2026 dollars.
Estimated with BLS CPI-U for the South region, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.
Plus 49 unpaid individuals.
Top pay as a share of expenses
In 2023, the highest total compensation at Nashville Symphony Association equaled 2% of the organization's total expenses. The median for arts, culture & humanities organizations is 11%.
Based on 17,098 arts, culture & humanities organizations, each measured at its most recent filing year with reported expenses and compensation.
Funded by
Private foundations whose Form 990-PF Part XV grants matched this organization.
Held steady
from 2022
From $598k in 2022 to $603k in 2023.
Estimated with BLS CPI-U for the South region, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.
Key Employee pay rose 1% from 2022 to 2023, while revenue rose 46%.
- Chief Executive Officer pay rose 5% from 2022 to 2023.
- Chief Operating Officer pay rose 104% from 2022 to 2023.
Pay for the position itself, not any one person. The officeholder may have changed between 2022 and 2023.
Among peers
Revenue and top compensation, plotted against similar organizations. This organization is highlighted in cyan.
Common questions about Nashville Symphony Association
What does the Key Employee of Nashville Symphony Association earn?
In 2023, the Key Employee of Nashville Symphony Association received $602,939 in total compensation. This pay is in the top 10% for Key Employee roles among Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations nationwide: at least 9 in 10 comparable filings report less. Based on IRS Form 990 data.
How does Key Employee pay at Nashville Symphony Association compare with similar nonprofits?
Compared with the same role at Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations nationwide, the 2023 pay of the Key Employee at Nashville Symphony Association falls in the top 10%. In 2023, the highest total compensation at Nashville Symphony Association equaled 2% of the organization's total expenses. The median for arts, culture & humanities organizations is 11%.
What are Nashville Symphony Association's revenue and expenses?
In 2023, Nashville Symphony Association reported $32M in total revenue and $32.7M in total expenses on its IRS Form 990.
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