Tentative Symphony Pact Is Sweet Music : Labor: Musicians took to the streets to publicize their lack of a contract. New season begins Friday.

A day that began with San Diego Symphony musicians demonstrating in front of Copley Symphony Hall ended on a note of apparent harmony Monday when representatives for the musicians and the symphony association reached a tentative agreement.

A tentative agreement between the association and Local 325 of the American Federation of Musicians was reached shortly after 6 p.m., said Les Smith, public relations director for the symphony.

Smith declined to outline the provisions of the contract until members of the musicians’ union had approved it.

“Our understanding is it’s being presented to members of Local 325 for ratification this (Monday) evening. Once we do have ratification of a final agreement, we expect to make a joint announcement of contract provisions,” Smith said.

The tentative agreement marked an end to what had been an uneasy day for symphony management and musicians.

Five symphony performers held up “Support Music” placards Monday morning and during afternoon rush hour near the Copley Symphony Hall entrance while their colleagues on the negotiations committee pressed their demands for a new contract.

Across town at the headquarters of Local 325 of the American Federation of Musicians, the players were asking management of the San Diego Symphony for significant weekly raises over the next three seasons, as well as expanding the season to 40 weeks by 1993.

The current contract, which expired Monday, provided a 38-week season and a base pay of $700 per week during the season. In a proposal dated Sunday, the musicians asked for a increase to $755 per week in the 1991-92 season; $790 per week in the 1992-93 season, and $825 per week in the 1993-94 season.

Contract negotiations were crucial because the new symphony season is scheduled to open Friday night. Rehearsals for that concert, to be conducted by music director Yoav Talmi, were to begin today.

Angela Homnick, symphony violinist and spokeswoman for the demonstrating orchestra members in front of Copley Symphony Hall, denied that the musicians were picketing.

“This is the opposite of a picket. We’re here encouraging people to attend opening night of the symphony on Friday,” Homnick said. No visible signs referred to orchestra performances, but a handout describing the musicians’ investments in instruments and other non-renumerated expenses ended with an invitation to hear the orchestra play Friday.

When players and management could not agree on a new contract in 1985, the entire 1985-86 season was canceled. This track record worries Talmi.

“I’m terribly concerned about the negotiations,” Talmi had said in an interview Saturday. “It is the most frightening and difficult thing for every orchestra when it happens, but especially so with our city because of the history of what happened with this orchestra. If a strike happens now, I think it will have a disastrous effect on the future of this orchestra.”