Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC.

Totals

Total revenue: $117,090,967
Total expenses: $123,724,110
Contributions and grants received: $37,094,136
Grants paid: $40,000
Program service revenue: $46,687,116
Investment income: $25,818,883
Other revenue: $7,490,832
Total assets, end of year: $680,310,474
Total liabilities, end of year: $61,931,986
Net assets or fund balances, end of year: $618,378,488
Program services expenses (Part IX): $99,120,888
Management and general expenses: $17,364,634
Fundraising expenses: $7,238,588
Program service expenses (Part III): $99,120,888

Program services were 80.1% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

1a · Federated campaigns

$0
1b · Membership dues

$0
1c · Fundraising events

$2,160,360
1d · Related organizations

$0
1e · Government grants (contributions)

$310,000
1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

$34,623,776
1g · Noncash contributions included above

$6,021,514
2a · Program service revenue: Concerts & tours

total $45,530,363 · related or exempt $45,530,363 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
2b · Program service revenue: Education

total $476,491 · related or exempt $476,491 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
2c · Program service revenue: Program advertising

total $352,902 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $352,902 · excluded $0
2d · Program service revenue: Parking

total $106,800 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $106,800
2e · Program service revenue: Electronic media

total $220,560 · related or exempt $220,560 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
2f · All other program service revenue

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
3 · Investment income

total $5,430,034 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $934,145 · excluded $4,495,889
4 · Income from investment of tax-exempt bond proceeds

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
5 · Royalties

total $72,250 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $72,250
6a · Gross rents

real property $7,663,119 · personal property $31,609
6b · Less rental expenses

real property $1,856,701 · personal property $0
6c · Rental income or loss

real property $5,806,418 · personal property $31,609
6d · Net rental income or loss

total $5,838,027 · related or exempt $3,649,088 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $2,188,939
7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

securities $71,850,588 · other assets $0
7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

securities $51,461,739 · other assets $0
7c · Gain or loss

securities $20,388,849 · other assets $0
7d · Net gain or loss

total $20,388,849 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $25,629 · excluded $20,363,220
8a · Fundraising events: gross income

$366,982
8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

$2,160,360
8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

$1,307,420
8c · Net income from fundraising events

total -$940,438 · unrelated business $0 · excluded -$940,438
9a · Gaming: gross income

$0
9b · Gaming: direct expenses

$0
9c · Net income from gaming

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
10a · Gross sales of inventory

$965,308
10b · Cost of goods sold

$288,033
10c · Net income from sales of inventory

total $677,275 · related or exempt -$1,833 · unrelated business $679,108 · excluded $0
11a · Other revenue: Food & beverage

total $1,193,661 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $1,193,661
11b · Other revenue: Other income

total $650,057 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $650,057
11d · All other revenue

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
11e · Other revenue, total

$1,843,718

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

total $40,000 · program services $40,000
2 · Grants to domestic individuals

total $0 · program services $0
3 · Grants to foreign organizations and individuals

total $0 · program services $0
4 · Benefits paid to or for members

total $0 · program services $0
5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

total $2,428,177 · program services $1,237,681 · management and general $577,432 · fundraising $613,064
6 · Compensation of disqualified persons

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
7 · Other salaries and wages

total $48,751,875 · program services $41,188,971 · management and general $4,145,169 · fundraising $3,417,735
8 · Pension plan contributions

total $4,134,367 · program services $3,244,115 · management and general $716,390 · fundraising $173,862
9 · Other employee benefits

total $5,048,078 · program services $3,781,024 · management and general $774,223 · fundraising $492,831
10 · Payroll taxes

total $3,578,836 · program services $2,897,694 · management and general $390,933 · fundraising $290,209
11a · Fees: management

total $94,415 · program services $31,045 · management and general $36,803 · fundraising $26,567
11b · Fees: legal

total $256,971 · program services $23,655 · management and general $233,316 · fundraising $0
11c · Fees: accounting

total $223,307 · program services $0 · management and general $223,307 · fundraising $0
11d · Fees: lobbying

total $97,096 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $97,096
11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

total $372,643 · fundraising $372,643
11f · Fees: investment management

total $1,666,771 · program services $1,666,771 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
11g · Fees: other

total $21,407,357 · program services $19,383,726 · management and general $1,701,613 · fundraising $322,018
12 · Advertising and promotion

total $4,064,334 · program services $4,029,861 · management and general $640 · fundraising $33,833
13 · Office expenses

total $1,827,584 · program services $672,061 · management and general $845,251 · fundraising $310,272
14 · Information technology

total $2,950,806 · program services $176,120 · management and general $2,752,531 · fundraising $22,155
15 · Royalties

total $181,338 · program services $181,338 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
16 · Occupancy

total $9,076,585 · program services $6,448,549 · management and general $2,576,543 · fundraising $51,493
17 · Travel

total $5,270,472 · program services $4,877,330 · management and general $122,103 · fundraising $271,039
18 · Travel or entertainment for public officials

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

total $47,531 · program services $31,164 · management and general $12,374 · fundraising $3,993
20 · Interest

total $281,115 · program services $1,467 · management and general $279,648 · fundraising $0
21 · Payments to affiliates

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

total $4,927,914 · program services $4,037,990 · management and general $553,489 · fundraising $336,435
23 · Insurance

total $845,903 · program services $0 · management and general $845,903 · fundraising $0
24a · Other expenses: Concert production expenses

total $2,743,540 · program services $2,475,990 · management and general $31,715 · fundraising $235,835
24b · Other expenses: Credit card fees

total $1,381,934 · program services $1,228,081 · management and general $728 · fundraising $153,125
24e · All other expenses

total $2,025,161 · program services $1,466,255 · management and general $544,523 · fundraising $14,383

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

beginning of year $9,084,632 · end of year $39,043,116
2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

beginning of year $52,029,648 · end of year $12,049,739
3 · Pledges and grants receivable

beginning of year $6,885,721 · end of year $8,772,685
4 · Accounts receivable

beginning of year $6,273,702 · end of year $5,800,673
8 · Inventories for sale or use

beginning of year $567,698 · end of year $847,721
9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

beginning of year $4,056,160 · end of year $3,302,735
10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

$190,659,953
10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

$125,585,657
10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

beginning of year $69,051,782 · end of year $65,074,296
11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

beginning of year $52,737,559 · end of year $59,837,406
12 · Investments: other securities

beginning of year $411,090,269 · end of year $442,204,458
15 · Other assets

beginning of year $41,684,483 · end of year $43,377,645
17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

beginning of year $12,169,797 · end of year $13,262,422
19 · Deferred revenue

beginning of year $12,064,305 · end of year $9,270,770
24 · Unsecured notes and loans payable

beginning of year $10,000,000 · end of year $10,000,000
25 · Other liabilities

beginning of year $32,139,962 · end of year $29,398,794
27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

beginning of year $115,514,891 · end of year $109,089,206
28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

beginning of year $471,572,699 · end of year $509,289,282

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

The mission of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is to foster and maintain an organization dedicated to making music consonant with the highest aspirations of the musical art, creating performances and providing educational and training programs at the highest level of excellence.

Activities or mission (Part I)

The mission of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is to foster and maintain an organization dedicated to the making of music consonant with the highest aspirations of the musical art, creating performances and providing educational and training programs at the highest level of excellence.

Orchestral Music Programs: Internationally recognized as one of the finest orchestras, the BSO is one of the largest orchestral organizations in the world as measured by scope of its operations. Within the U.S., it is the fourth-largest performing arts institution. Between October 5, 2023, and May 4, 2024, the Boston Symphony Orchestra gave more than 80 concerts in Symphony Hall for 159,787 audience members that included BSO commissions, overlooked works from the past, and central works of the classical canon, speaking to the breadth of human experience. Soloists included Yo-Yo Ma, Aaron Diehl, Yefim Bronfman, Paul Lewis, Yuja Wang, and Hilary Hahn as well as diverse rising stars who included saxophonist Steven Banks, tenor Lawrence Brownlee, Sphinx award winning violinist Randall Goosby, Venezuelan conductor Domingo Hindoyan, and Korean pianists Seong-Jin Cho and 19-year-old Yunchan Lim, the youngest winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano prize. The BSO elevated important living composers including Carlos Simon, Roberto Sierra, Tania León, Elena Langer, Iman Habibi, James Lee III, Hannah Kendall, and Anna Thorvaldsdottir with works that explored climate change and struggles for social justice in the U.S. and abroad. Highlights included Paul Lewis performing all five Beethoven's piano concertos in a three-day marathon; Yo-Yo Ma gave all-out performances of Shostakovich's Cello concerto No. 1 and No 2, and the BSO completed its ten-year investigation of Shostakovich's major works with an acclaimed concert performance of his opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk in Boston and at Carnegie Hall, and the BSO gave a memorial tribute to jazz great Wayne Shorter, which the Boston Globe called "one of the most unforgettable, extraordinary, and joyous BSO concerts I have ever experienced." Throughout the year, the BSO celebrated Serge Koussevitzky and his enduring legacy as the former Music Director of the orchestra. Boston Pops concerts offered a wide range of musical expressions from sold out celebrations of John Williams to Gospel, Broadway, music of Queen, its first Pride celebration, and a commemoration in music and archival photos and videos of the final months of World War II in a program that was broadcast in November on many PBS stations. Attendance at the ever-popular Holiday Pops concerts grew 22% from the year before with 92,876 people attending 39 performances. Tanglewood's natural beauty once again created an extraordinary backdrop for experiencing music drawing 328,000 people from around the country and across the globe. Highlights included all-Beethoven and all-Strauss programs, a performance with dancers from Boston Ballet, the return of Yo-Yo Ma, Yuja Wang, Renée Fleming, Paul Lewis, and Emanuel Ax. Gustavo Dudamel led the National Children's Symphony of Venezuela and the baroque ensemble Les Arts Florissants performed. Jon Batiste, Brandi Carlisle, James Taylor, and Kool & the Gang were among the Popular Artist performers.

Expenses $78,309,968 · Revenue $45,530,363
Education and community programs are integral to the BSO's mission. In Boston: 3,700 high school students attended one of the BSO's High School Open Rehearsals, giving them and their teachers a rare opportunity to watch as a work-in-progress became a work of art, exposing students to a powerful artistic experience. Symphony Hall was bursting with students during an open rehearsal where Yo-Yo Ma performed Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1 and No. 2. The BSO's three Youth Concerts engaged 5,533 third - ninth grade students from Boston and well beyond. The orchestra performed excerpts by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and William Grant Still as Conductor Thomas Wilkins talked about friendship, and the importance of listening and of being heard. The students felt his warmth radiate from the stage as he communicated, "this music is for you. This orchestra is here for you." They responded in kind. Each concert ended with a rousing standing ovation. To honor veterans, the Boston Pops gave a free Holiday Pops Military Preview performance for more than 2,000 veterans, their families, and active service members, filling the Hall with a joy and sending a powerful message of appreciation for these men and women. This realization of one of Keith Lockhart's dreams will become an annual offering. The Pops gave a Holiday Pops performance for people with autism and those who care for them. The BSO made many accommodations to welcome this population so they and their loved one could share a quintessential New England tradition as a family. Musicians of the Boston Pops brought holiday cheer to patients at Boston Children's Hospital. 1,360 people from across Boston gathered as Symphony Hall opened its doors for a free Concert for the City that began with a celebration of local musicians performing before the concert and a performance by Boston Symphony Orchestra led by Andris Nelsons, Keith Lockhart, Thomas Wilkins, and James Burton-highlighting the orchestra's range and skill. The BSO forged connections with Boston Arts Academy, Project STEP, the Greater Roxbury Arts and Cultural Center, and in the Berkshires with Multi-Cultural Bridge, Kid 4 Harmony, and Latina413 and continued to work with Boston Public Schools and the Berkshires Superintendents Roundtable. Throughout the year, approximately 20,000 children, high school and college students, adults under the age of 40, veterans, MA public school teachers, health care workers, and people who are eligible for public benefits were able to attend concerts thanks to free and discounted tickets. At Tanglewood:Founded in 1940, the Tanglewood Music Center (TMC), the BSO's summer music academy welcome 133 Fellows from 31 U.S. states including Puerto Rico and 17 countries. During eight weeks, the TMC Fellows benefitted from coaching by 108 instructors who were BSO players, visiting artists, and TMC faculty as they prepared for more than 30 chamber and orchestra concerts. TMC Orchestra concerts were conducted by Andris Nelsons, Dima Slobodeniouk, Alan Gilbert, and Stefan Asbury. The two Conducting Fellows stepped in when Hannu Lintu canceled his appearance with the TMC Orchestra on August 19 due to an injury. In summer 2024, the Tanglewood Learning Institute (TLI) presented 39 programs last summer and three community concerts during the fall/winter/spring. These programs created opportunities for people to discover and connect with various artforms and to discover a sense of belonging at Tanglewood. Summer programs included a new series that brought families with young children to Tanglewood for an arts-rich experience that was offered in partnership with Norman Rockwell Museum and WBUR's Circle Round. TLI also programmed a new six-part series: The Art of Conducting where audiences gained an inside look at how conductors think about and teach their craft. Conductors Andris Nelsons, Dima Slobodeniouk, and Thomas Wilkins one worked closely with the two TMC conducting Fellows giving immediate and hands-on guidance on how to communicate clearly to a small ensemble of TMC musicians. In TLI's series of open master classes, audiences saw how musicians at the top of their form share their knowledge with a new generation. Talks with guest artists illuminated their creative process and their approach to the repertoire they were preparing to perform. Other offerings included a look at cabaret, and programs that probed in music what it means to be an American performed by Johnny Gandelsman, Jeremy Denk, and Nicholas Phan. The Spotlight Series brought Henry Louis Gates, poet Tracy K. Smith, and technology writer David Pogue to Lenox for compelling conversations. 2,475 people enjoyed Tanglewood's Family Concert conducted by Thomas Wilkins. Nearly 10,000 youth under age 18 attended concerts for free and 2,000 people enjoyed free events such as Berkshire Night.

Expenses $3,696,470 · Grants $40,000 · Revenue $476,491
The BSO's two main properties, Symphony Hall and Tanglewood, have long and significant histories and attract visitors from near and far. Symphony Hall's acoustic qualities have earned it a place among the top concert auditoriums in the world, a fact underscored by the Hall's 1999 designation as a National Historic Landmark. Symphony Hall resonates with more than a century of performances by key artists. It is also a key performance venue for a number of other ensembles and presenters, including the Handel and Haydn Society, the Celebrity Series of Boston, Boston Speakers Series, and the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra. The Hall seats 2,625. The organization spent $2.2 million in maintenance projects at Symphony Hall. Located in the Berkshire hills of Lenox, Massachusetts and established in 1936 by then-Music Director Serge Koussevitzky, Tanglewood is the summer home of the BSO. Its performance venues-Koussevitzky Music Shed, Seiji Ozawa Concert Hall, and Linde Center-and 80 ancillary buildings are located on 425 pastoral acres. Built in 1938, the Koussevitzky Music Shed is a seasonal hall open on three sides with 5,121 seats and can seat an additional 12,000 on the surrounding lawn. Opened in 1994, Seiji Ozawa Hall is a brick and wood structure that provides a more intimate concert experience and is often used for chamber concerts and for performances by the Tanglewood Music Center. It seats 750 audience members on the orchestra level and 450 in the two balconies, as well as hundreds more on the lawn. The BSO invested approximately $2.9m maintaining Tanglewood including maintenance of support buildings and landscaping and grounds maintenance. Rentals: When not being used by the orchestra, the BSO rents its facilities at Tanglewood and Symphony Hall to others including Celebrity Series, Handel and Haydn Society, Boston Speakers Series, to name a few. Local high schools and Berkshire Community College use the Koussevitzky Shed for graduations and community groups, including the Stockbridge Library and Austin Riggs use Tanglewood's Linde Center during the fall, winter, and spring.

Expenses $17,070,123 · Revenue $3,649,088
The BSO's music is shared with several hundred thousand through recordings, television, radio and online broadcasts. Every Saturday evening, Classical Radio Boston (a subsidiary of GBH public broadcasting) broadcasts a BSO concert. These concerts are available to stream via the GBH website for a month after they are aired. During Tanglewood, CRB-Classical and WAMC Northeast Public Radio broadcast BSO Friday and Saturday evening performances, and Sunday afternoon concerts reaching audiences across seven mid-Atlantic and New England states and WMHT (public radio out of Schenectady, NY) conducted almost weekly interviews about upcoming musical events at Tanglewood.

Expenses $4,822 · Revenue $220,560
The BSO operated its Symphony Hall retail operations during concert days and its Tanglewood retail shops in summer 2024.

Expenses $39,505 · Revenue -$1,833

As filed on the 2023 return.

Listed in Part VII

Gail Samuel

Former President and CEO

Total calculated

$1,717,195

From this org

$1,706,083

From related orgs

$0

Other

$11,112

Hours/week

0

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$33,527

Bonus

$0

Other

$1,672,556

Deferred

$0

Nontaxable benefits

$11,112

Filer's total

$1,717,195
Jeffrey Dunn

Former President & CEO

Total calculated

$600,988

From this org

$561,491

From related orgs

$0

Other

$39,497

Hours/week

0

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$530,769

Bonus

$0

Other

$30,721

Deferred

$9,900

Nontaxable benefits

$29,597

Filer's total

$600,987
Maureen Flores

Chief Development Officer

Total calculated

$452,033

From this org

$410,826

From related orgs

$0

Other

$41,207

Hours/week

40

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$407,192

Bonus

$0

Other

$3,634

Deferred

$9,900

Nontaxable benefits

$31,307

Filer's total

$452,033
Chad Smith

President & Chief Executive Officer

Total calculated

$374,649

From this org

$368,806

From related orgs

$0

Other

$5,843

Hours/week

50 + 1 related

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$274,345

Bonus

$92,120

Other

$2,342

Deferred

$0

Nontaxable benefits

$5,843

Filer's total

$374,650
John A Ferrillo Jr

Principal Oboe

Total calculated

$371,701

From this org

$338,377

From related orgs

$0

Other

$33,324

Hours/week

40 + 1 related

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$338,377

Bonus

$0

Other

$0

Deferred

$0

Nontaxable benefits

$33,324

Filer's total

$371,701
Alexander Velinzon

Associate Concertmaster

Total calculated

$370,004

From this org

$333,147

From related orgs

$0

Other

$36,857

Hours/week

40

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$318,209

Bonus

$11,400

Other

$3,537

Deferred

$1,250

Nontaxable benefits

$35,607

Filer's total

$370,003
Toby Oft

Principal Trombone

Total calculated

$361,044

From this org

$305,176

From related orgs

$0

Other

$55,868

Hours/week

40 + 1 related

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$305,176

Bonus

$0

Other

$0

Deferred

$14,339

Nontaxable benefits

$41,529

Filer's total

$361,044
Richard Sebring

Principal Horn

Total calculated

$353,661

From this org

$320,184

From related orgs

$0

Other

$33,477

Hours/week

40 + 1 related

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$320,184

Bonus

$0

Other

$0

Deferred

$0

Nontaxable benefits

$33,477

Filer's total

$353,661
Timothy Genis

Timpani

Total calculated

$348,305

From this org

$346,655

From related orgs

$0

Other

$1,650

Hours/week

40 + 1 related

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$346,655

Bonus

$0

Other

$0

Deferred

$0

Nontaxable benefits

$1,650

Filer's total

$348,305
Katherine Decelles

Clerk of the Board (until April 2024)

Total calculated

$232,303

From this org

$213,174

From related orgs

$0

Other

$19,129

Hours/week

40 + 1 related

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$207,138

Bonus

$5,000

Other

$1,036

Deferred

$6,318

Nontaxable benefits

$12,812

Filer's total

$232,304
Paul Eric Krauss

Chief Financial Officer

Total calculated

$82,230

From this org

$71,104

From related orgs

$0

Other

$11,126

Hours/week

40 + 1 related

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$70,994

Bonus

$0

Other

$109

Deferred

$0

Nontaxable benefits

$11,126

Filer's total

$82,229
Noubar Afeyan

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
David Altshuler

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Holly Ambler

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
William N Booth

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Gregory E Bulger

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Ronald G Casty

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Susan Bredhoff Cohen

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Richard F Connolly Jr

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Angela Q Crispi

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
William Curry MD

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Phillip J Edmundson

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Thomas E Faust Jr

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Todd R Golub

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Michael Gordon

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Reverend Dr Ray Hammond

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Nathan Hayward III

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Ricki Tigert Helfer

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Brent L Henry

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Albert A Holman III

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Barbara W Hostetter

Chair

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
David C Howse

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Giselle J Joffre

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Stephen W Kidder

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Tom Kuo

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Jeffrey Leiden MD PhD

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Joyce G Linde

Trustee (until March 2024)

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
John M Loder

Vice Chair

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Nancy K Lubin

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Joshua A Lutzker

Treasurer

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Pamela L Peedin

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Steven R Perles

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Lina S Plantilla MD

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Andrew S Plump

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Wendy Shattuck

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Nicole M Stata

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Theresa M Stone

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Caroline Taylor

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Dr Christoph Westphal

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
D Brooks Zug

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Blair Trippe

Trustee, ex-officio

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Ted Berk

Trustee, ex-officio

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Lynn A Dale

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Sean C Rush

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
M Lee Pelton

Trustee

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

1a · First-class or charter travel
1a · Housing allowance or residence for personal use
1b · Written policy on the line-1a expenses
2 · Substantiation required before reimbursing expenses
3 · Compensation committee
3 · Independent compensation consultant
3 · Form 990 of other organizations
3 · Written employment contract
3 · Compensation survey or study
3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
7 · Other non-fixed payments
8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception
9 · Followed the rebuttable-presumption procedure

Answered no

4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings

The filer's explanations (Part III)

Schedule J, Part I, Line 1a: In connection with the business needs of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Inc. (the Orchestra) charter travel is used when transporting large number of personnel in connection with the Orchestra's touring. As a general rule, the BSO does not provide first class travel for employees. Housing for the President and CEO is provided during the summer for the convenience of the BSO in connection with the Orchestra's activities away from Boston at Tanglewood and is not considered taxable. The housing benefit of $28,000 is included in Schedule J, Part II, column D.
Schedule J, Part I, Line 4: The compensation reported for Gail Samuel, former President and CEO, for calendar year 2023, includes base compensation of $33,527. Other reportable compensation includes: 1) severance of $1,550,000, 2) $99,953 representing a payout of accrued vacation, 3) contributions of $22,500 made by Ms. Samuel into a 457(b) plan and $103 of other taxable fringe benefits.
Schedule J, Part I, Line 7: The amounts reported for the President and CEO on Schedule J, Part II, column B(ii) are fixed payments. Amounts reported for other individuals on Schedule J, Part II, column B(ii) include non-fixed payments representing performance based compensation.
Schedule J, Part I, Line 8: Compensation reported in Part VII, Section A paid to President and CEO Chad Smith were subject to the initial contract exception described in Regulations section 53.4958-4(a)(3). Nonetheless, the Orchestra followed the rebuttable presumption procedures described in Regulations section 53.4958(c)

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

Project STEP

$40,000

To support high-quality music education and training programs.

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Boston 4 Celebrations Foundation Inc

501 (c) (3) · Provide for public celebration on July 4th · MA · controlled entity

Directly controlled by Boston Symphony Orchestra Inc

Taxable family on this return

Schedule R Parts I, III and IV, as filed. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money moved.

Related partnerships

Part III: related organizations taxable as a partnership, with the filer's share.

263 HA Limited Partnership

Excluded · Real Estate · MA · 99% owned · share of income $2,270,891 · share of assets $10,000,387

Directly controlled by 263 Realty Corporation

Related corporations and trusts

Part IV: related organizations taxable as a corporation or trust.

263 Realty Corporation

C · Real Esatate · MA · 100% owned · share of income $22,938 · share of assets $53,837 · controlled entity

Directly controlled by Boston Symphony
Trust

T · Trust · MA · controlled entity

Directly controlled by Boston Symphony

Provenance

Return type: form_990
Tax year: 2023
Filed: 14 July 2025
IRS schema version: 2023v6.0
Source object: 202541959349301854

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

The source document this was parsed from is served over the API, which is where bulk and document access live.