Vancouver Symphony Musicians Strike for Higher Pay, Forcing Concert Cancellations

The music has stopped at Vancouver’s Orpheum theatre.

Musicians with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) walked off the job late Thursday, launching the first strike in the orchestra’s 107-year history. Carrying signs declaring “A world-class orchestra deserves world-class pay,” players set up picket lines outside the downtown venue.

The musicians, represented by the Vancouver Musicians’ Association, say they’ve been without a contract since July and are demanding a 23% pay increase over three years. They argue their base salary—around $75,000—lags far behind colleagues in Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa, who earn about 30% more.

“The musicians are the product,” said union president Audrey Patterson earlier this week. “You cannot attract or retain the world-class talent Vancouver deserves if pay is 20% below median household income.”

The strike has already forced the cancellation of several major shows, including Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert, the world tour kickoff of viral violin duo TwoSet Violin, and The Path Forward, a collaboration with Indigenous artists from Coast Salish Territory.

Management says it has offered meaningful increases and points to a 32% boost in overall compensation since 2019, including benefits and other supports. VSO president and CEO Angela Elster said she was “disappointed” the union rejected mediation through the B.C. Labour Relations Board.

“The VSO continues to be eager to negotiate,” Elster said in a statement, questioning how refusing mediation aligns with the union’s calls to return to talks.

For now, the standoff has left audiences disappointed and musicians silent, marking a historic break in the symphony’s century-long run.