site.btaBulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra to Protest Low Pay

Members of the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) Symphony Orchestra announced their readiness for protest actions at a press conference here on Wednesday, since the existence of the musical and creative collectives in the institution are under threat.

Ognyan Valchev, Emil Haltakov, Zvezdelina Haltakova, and Slav Slavchev participated in the press conference.

Haltakov said that the BNR maintains four professional ensembles comprised of the best musicians in Bulgaria. He noted that BNR's recording collection acts as Bulgaria's musical memory. He reported: "Despite the aforesaid facts, for years we have been forced to create in unacceptable working conditions, lack of instruments, lack of concert clothing and insultingly low pay – a [monthly] net salary of BGN 1,260 for a junior specialist."

The orchestra is planning an escalating protest, which will start with cutting Friday's concert programme by one piece. Haltakov said: "We cannot block intersections, only with silence can we influence. This is the way we think of protesting if we are not heard."

Valchev pointed out that musicians have to prepare for their job from the age of 5 to get into a good orchestra. He added: "We have young musicians who have graduated abroad who, when they pay their rent, are left with BGN 200-300 to live on. Sofia is an extremely expensive city. The paradox is that all provincial orchestras in the country are much better paid than us. [...] That is to say, we are already the lowest paid orchestra"

Valchev reported that he and his colleagues have given up their rights over the music they perform, which means it can be played around the world without them getting remunerated.

Slavchev concluded: "We have come together not to ask for percentages, but we want to sit at a table. We are fighting for survival."