The music has stopped -- at least temporarily -- after San Francisco Symphony musicians announced Wednesday that they are going on strike over stalled negotiations with the orchestra's management.

The Grammy-Award winning musicians of the San Francisco Symphony were going on strike, one week before they were scheduled to embark on a tour of the East Coast, including Carnegie Hall in New York City

"We're withholding services until further notice," said viola player David Gaudry, who joined dozens of other musicians outside Davies Symphony Hall that morning to announce the work stoppage.

A concert by the symphony scheduled for Thursday afternoon has been canceled, and other concerts at the symphony hall this weekend and an upcoming East Coast tour are also in doubt because of the labor dispute.

"We do not wish to go on tour without a contract," said Gaudry, who chairs the musicians' negotiating committee.

The musicians' most recent contract expired on Feb. 15, and they were unhappy with the latest three-year proposal by management, which included a pay freeze in the first year and 1 percent increases in the following two years.

“Management continues to stall negotiations and refuses to open its financial books so that we can reach a fair deal that will allow us to remain one of the best orchestras in the world,” said Gaudry in a prepared statement.

“With one week to reach a deal and no movement on their offer, management’s strategy is clearly to run out the clock. Management is seeking a contract that will not even allow us to keep up with the cost of living, while cutting our retirement.”

“At the same time, Management has rewarded itself significant bonuses, expanded programming and announced it will pursue a more than $500 million renovation of Davies Hall. We had sincerely hoped that there would not be a disruption, but the future of our symphony is at stake.”

On average, San Francisco Symphony musicians make more than $165,000 a year, making them the third highest-paid symphony the country, behind only Chicago and Los Angeles.

However, Gaudry said, they have to pay for their own instruments, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and live in the costly Bay Area.

"We will not be able to hold onto our most talented players," he said, noting that one of their top timpanists recently took a job with the symphony in Chicago.

Gaudry said the musicians were asking for a 5 percent pay increase -- about $7,500 per year -- in order to be on par with the other two top symphonies.

The latest administration proposal offered a minimum base yearly salary of $141,700 in the first year, with multi-year increases to $144,560 by the end of the proposed contract.

Brent Assink, executive director of the San Francisco Symphony, said he is "deeply disappointed" by the musicians' decision to strike and said he regrets any inconvenience caused to customers.

“We are disappointed that the musicians have chosen to strike and deeply regret any inconvenience to our patrons,” said Assink. “We will continue to work hard to develop a fair agreement that gives our talented musicians a contract that reflects our stature as one of the top orchestras in the country but also one that sets a prudent financial course for the future.”

Assink said management would "continue to work hard to come up with a fair agreement that gives our talented musicians a contract that reflects our stature as one of the top orchestras in the country, but also sets a prudent financial course for the future."

He said the organization is seeking to balance its budget, having operated on a deficit for the past four years.

The administration’s most recent offer also maintained all current benefit payment levels including 10 weeks paid vacation, a maximum pension of $74,000 annually upon retirement, paid sick leave, and a full coverage health plan with no monthly contribution for individual musicians.

“Many of America's top orchestras are facing similar challenges with increased concert production, pension, and health care costs currently outpacing revenue growth,” said Assink. “We are developing a multi-year plan to achieve a balanced operating model, including identifying and growing new sources of revenue and at the same time reducing the growth rate of expenses.”

The symphony's next proposal to the musicians was expected to come on Thursday when the two sides planned to meet, he said.

People with tickets to Thursday's concert can contact the symphony's box office at (415) 864-6000 to receive a refund or exchange the tickets for an upcoming concert.

The latest information on future concerts and the status of the labor dispute can be found online at www.sfsymphony.org.

The symphony's musicians have held previous strikes in the past, including a nine-week stoppage in 1996 and 1997.