Minnesota Orchestra, Vanska Extend Contracts

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Minnesota Orchestra is announcing contract extensions for music director Osmo Vanska and its musicians.

The orchestra's board and musicians both ratified the contracts Tuesday. Vanska's contract now runs through mid-2019, and the musicians' deal into 2020.

The orchestra struggled through a devastating 16-month work stoppage that ended only a year ago. Both sides played up the fact that the new agreements were struck well ahead of expiration of the current deals.

Musicians will see raises ranging from 2.5 percent at the front of the contract to 3 percent in its third year. The orchestra also agreed to add musicians.

The orchestra recently became the first U.S. ensemble to play in Cuba since relations between the two countries were reopened.