Artist Fees

These fees that sound so large are generally "all-inclusive" which means the artist pays for their accompanist, airfare, and hotel on top of the percentage paid to their manager and costs for publicists and assistants (which some have, some do not.). Then, there are also taxes and Social Security...and self-paid insurance (things most of us have deducted). One could easily "net" around 40 percent or less of the contracted fee...$75,000 is the highest I've heard in the States quoted for a recital recently...anything higher, there would be just about no way to make the numbers work in a "standard" venue...with a generous individual sponsorship, a state arts council grant and a sold-out house at regular pricing (no gala tkts) in an 1100 seat venue, we made a whopping $275 on a $50,000 fee artist in 2003. Others - still big names mentioned/praised/pilloried regularly on this list - range from $10,000 (recital) - $25,000 (recital or orch) - $40,000 (with orch).It would not shock if some fees are now more negotiable than ever given the state of the economy and the classical music business. John