The two sides were scheduled to meet again today starting at 9:30 a.m. (CST), Trammel said.

The New York Times reports that the musicians made an offer at yesterday's half-hour session. "I'm optimistic," flutist Jan Gippo, a representative of the musicians, told the paper. "[The response] wasn't an outright no."

Trammel declined to comment on the offer, citing an agreement with the mediator not to discuss details of the negotiations.

The SLSO has canceled 15 subscription concerts since the work stoppage began, resulting in a loss of about $700,000 in revenue, according to the Times. The paper also reports that several of the musicians have taken temporary positions with other ensembles.