Dallas Symphony Orchestra Reviews

Pros

Many opportunities to move up/promotion.

Pros

Pays you in US dollars, which are legal tender for all debts, public and private. Also preferable (if only slightly) to a federal penitentiary or mental institution.

Advice to Management

The DSO, being an archaic institution, consistently perpetuates misogyny and ageism. Major problems are often dumped on the employees who are paid barely enough to live in Dallas and when they fail due to the lack of oversight from a manager, the employee takes the fall. Additionally, if I were to describe the organization's core leadership tactic with one word it would be gaslighting.

If they want to improve the organization as a whole, they should get rid of the toxic, incompetent individuals that feel the the only way to look good at their job is to make others fail. They should also start hiring people with knowledge of the repertoire as well as the difference between a clarinet and a trumpet.

If they want to improve the lives of their employees, they should establish more consistent policies and processes and then improve pay and benefits. It's hard to focus on bringing in money for the symphony when you eat baked potatoes for dinner most evenings while working 50-60 hour weeks.

Pros

Nice coworkers, great concerts

Pros

Great people - friendly and passionate

Pros

Free concert tickets, half-day Fridays all summer, casual dress all summer, beautiful environment, downtown parking, opportunities to learn and grow, often promote from within, pride in the organization

Pros

The DSO offers several unique benefits that I feel offset some of the more negative reviews here. Extra concert duty is required of most departments; concerts are what we do. (If you're a part of any orchestra staff in the country, you will likely work some concerts.) But the DSO offers something like 12 paid holidays and half-day Fridays (!!!) all summer during the offseason as a way to make up for how demanding the season can be. There is no 403(b) match, but there is a pension plan (which is a really rare benefit in any industry BTW). We have casual dress in the summer time, free concerts, a culture that promotes from within (I've seen it happen several times). The pay is competitive. I'm told that HR conducts an annual compensation analysis for the market so there be people that *feel* underpaid, but statistically, pay is average if not above average.

Advice to Management

Spend more interacting time with staff. Make the staff feel like an executive priority.

Pros

The Dallas Symphony is a wonderful place to work where individuals enjoy their coworkers and the environment. It is a fun place to work and casual in a lot of respects which may surprise you. While you work a lot of hours, the DSO gives back in summer half-day Fridays and generous holidays. The expectations are high, but so are the rewards; one of which is beautiful music.

Advice to Management

Make sure you appreciate your employees.

Pros

You get to see the concerts for free

Pros

10 holidays and nice office in downtown Dallas that has 24/7 security. You also get free concert tickets from time to time.

Advice to Management

Get rid of the bad weeds, pay your staff a decent wage and be reasonable with after hours work.

Pros

Other people think it's cool when I say I work for the DSO.

Advice to Management

I've tried but they don't listen.