Overview

• The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra announced on Oct. 15 a three-year early extension that secures Music Director Jonathon Heyward’s tenure through Aug. 31, 2031.
• Heyward pledged $120,000 over six years from his conducting fee to fund programs for emerging talent and music education.
• The orchestra did not disclose pay terms for the extension, while 2023–24 Form 990 filings list Heyward’s prior compensation at $414,055 as an independent contractor.
• Since September 2023, the BSO reports nearly 30,000 first-time classical concertgoers and a roughly 58% rise in ticketed attendance over two seasons.
• The organization cites visibly broader and more diverse audiences under Heyward, who is 33 and not yet halfway through his original contract set to run to Aug. 31, 2028.