Minimum fee recommendations and collective agreements in the music sector

Looking at the fee recommendations listed below, you might think the resulting hourly wage is generous – but that’s only if you consider actual performance time. Musicians’ fees should also cover the following:

• Networking and booking
• Preparation and rehearsal
• Administration, including finance and bookkeeping, taxes, social and other insurance, and performance-related organizational activities
• Other costs that must be covered by the fee: the purchase of (sometimes very expensive) instruments, technical equipment, sheet music, practice and rehearsal spaces, etc.

Pop and jazz bands usually negotiate a fee for the concert alone; practice and rehearsal are considered part of the package. In this case, the fee should cover:

• one working day for load-in and setup, soundcheck, rehearsal, and the concert itself, as well as packing up and loading out after the concert and at least 2 hours of rehearsal prior to the concert
• Musicians often travel up to two or three days for a single concert – days on which they cannot perform (unless multiple concerts are planned at a single location).
• If a pop band plays original material (not just covers), the time to create that music should also be considered. If the band works with a booking agency and/or management, those entities generally receive about 20% of the negotiated fee.
• Travel and accommodation costs should be assumed by the concert promoter.

Most musicians playing jazz or global music rely on numerous projects in order to make a living; this often means a constant cycle of practicing and/or developing different concert programs parallel to one another.

Learning new classical or contemporary pieces can be very time-consuming, both in terms of practice time and rehearsal. Contemporary pieces may also require the player to learn and integrate whole new instrumental techniques – this requires considerable practice time, which should be reflected in the fee. Additionally, for various reasons, many new works are often performed only a few times, meaning that musicians are forced to learn new works on a regular basis. Rehearsals should also be remunerated: one rehearsal usually last three hours, including a break.

Musicians who play in various bands, ensembles, or orchestras, often cannot accept all the engagements they are offered, since rehearsals and performances cannot overlap.

As of January 2025

The Association of Freelance Musicians (IGFM) calculated their fee recommendations based on the collective bargaining agreement of the Bruckner Orchestra, a mid-level Austria orchestra. The target group for these recommendations is primarily classical orchestras and musicians, including performers of early, contemporary, and free/improvised music. The recommendations are structured according to work units or “shifts”; all amounts are net prices in euros.

In the case of multi-day projects, musicians and employers may negotiate a reduced per-day fee for the entire project, based on these recommendations.

The Fair Pay guidelines for concerts by formations in which the members perform in a solo capacity have been issued by the Musicians’ Guild. The fees are understood as per performer.

No recommendations are offered for featured soloists; these fees are subject to free negotiation.

Composition: as of January 2024, Improvisation: as of January 2025

The following minimum fees for composers are recommended by Younion (section ‘composers and bandleaders’) and the Austrian Composers Association. All fees are displayed as net wages in euros.

Composition

This calculation has taken into account the time required for various compositional activities as well as overhead costs, cost of living, and the average income of self-employed workers (from Statistik Austria). When assessing the fairness of these recommendations, it should be considered whether the commissioned work represents significantly more or less effort than the guidelines listed here.

Electronic works are considered solo works; see recommendations above.

Electronic works incorporating additional musicians should refer to the appropriate number of instruments above. For the generation of sheet music or other performance materials, add 15% to the appropriate recommendation above.

Rehearsals with musicians

Improvisational performances

As of January 2025

The IGFM recommends a fee of 76.20 per hour for instrumental and vocal lessons.

As of January 2024

Fee recommendations for the music mediation branch have been calculated by the working group for fee recommendations of the Plattform Musikvermittlung Österreich, based on previous recommendations by the IG Kultur, the IGFM and active music mediation professionals. These recommendations are also available for download as a PDF (German).

Conceptual work
(including costs of literature, telephone, materials, etc.)
Organizational concept of an event
Thematic/artistic concept of an event, video, media program, etc.

Organizational work

For fundraising activities, a commission of 10 – 15% can be negotiated.

Project leadership, management, follow-up

Rehearsal

Expenses

Activities without special skills
i.e. flyer distribution, postering, mailing, ticketing

As of March 2025

The following recommendations, published by the Österreichischer Musikrat, are based on the GPA payment schedule for associations and the basis fees published by the IG Bildende Kunst. They suggest appropriate payment for freelance work executed under a limited contract (Werkvertrag). The hourly wage ranges are intended to provide for differing levels of experience and project context and refer strictly to work costs, exclusive of applicable taxes and expenses.

Note: If the work displays the signs of a regular employment, it may be that and not a freelance job! In such cases, a clarification is advisable.

Hourly wage and flat-rate guidelines

As of September 2024

The Musikergilde has published an overview of fee recommendations for studio and live recordings and arrangement.

* See the above recommendations for small ensembles and bands

As of 2024

DECK, the DJ union, is a member of younion – die Daseinsgewerkschaft. Their fair pay recommendations are intended for use by DJs registered with the AKM/LSG at publicly funded events and have been calculated considering cost of living, but not including taxes.

All current collective agreements can be viewed at kollektivvertrag.at.

Austria has no statutory minimum wage. However, 99% of workers are covered by collective agreements between employers and labor unions that include a minimum wage.

For comparison: Germany has a statutory minimum wage; as of January 2025, all workers must be paid at least €12.82 per hour (gross). They also have a right to vacation time and paid sick leave.

Sections of the music industry are subject to collective agreements; following are the most important.

Collective agreement for musicians in concert venues and music & dance companies

This collective agreement was negotiated by the Österreichischer Veranstalterverband (Austrian Association of Concert Promoters) and Younion, the Austrian labor union association. They apply whenever a member of the Veranstalterverband engages musicians.

Collective Agreement for the film and music industry

This collective agreement has been reached between the Fachverband der Film- und Musikwirtschaft Österreichs der Wirtschaftskammer Österreich (Film and Music Industry Professional Association, part of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce) and younion, the Austrian Unions’ Association. It applies to workers and apprentices of all member companies of the Fachverband, with the exception of workers to whom the collective agreement for film professions applies.

Collective agreement for orchestra and theater employees

Collective agreements are currently in force for employees of:

• Badener Städtisches Orchester
• Bruckner-Orchester Linz
• Grazer Philharmonisches Orchester
• Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg
• Tiroler Symphonieorchester Innsbruck
• Wiener Symphoniker

Theaters belonging to the Bundestheaterholding (including the State Opera and the Vienna Volksoper) currently have collective agreements in force for orchestra musicians. The Vereinigte Bühnen Wien do not.

Collective agreement framework for employees of the Austrian broadcasting system (ORF)

This was concluded between the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation and the Central Works Council of ORF.