Mike Boehm, of The Los Angeles Times, reports that Gustavo Dudamel — the Philharmonic's music director, Musician of the Year for 2013 according to Musical America, and visitor to Berkeley last week — received just under $1 million in salary and benefits for 2010, his first full year on the job.
According to Boehm, at least 12 conductors and executives with nonprofit arts organizations in the U.S. earned more.
Among conductors in 2010, James Levine was on top, with $2.06 million from the Met, plus $1.21m from Boston Symphony; followed by Michael Tilson Thomas, $2.41m; then Alan Gilbert ($1.56m); and Charles Dutoit ($1.47m).
In Dudamel's neighborhood, James Conlon received $993,696 from the Los Angeles Opera, which paid Plácido Domingo $1.4m; Dudamel's predecessor at the Philharmonic, Esa-Pekka Salonen received his highest compensation in 2005, close to $1.6m.