DAYTON PHILHARMONIC                      GITTLEMAN ADDS 3 YEARS TO CONTRACT DATE: Saturday, May 10, 1997       By Carol Simmons Dayton Daily News                               DAYTON DAILY NEWS                   Copyright (c) 1997, Dayton Newspapers Inc. Three more years.   That's what the board of trustees of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra aresaying about the tenure of Neal Gittleman, who is completing his second seasonnext week as music director of the orchestra.   Board president Jon Hazelton announced Friday that Gittleman's contract hasbeen extended for an additional three years, effective June 1998 through May2001.   "The board has been very pleased with Neal's leadership, both on and offthe podium," Hazelton said. "The orchestra is playing better than ever, and weare building important new ties with the community."   Performance quality and community involvement were fairly recent sorepoints with the board, which declined to renew the contract of Gittleman'spredecessor, Isaiah Jackson, after Jackson had spent eight years as director.   The morale of the musicians was low and ticket sales were down whenGittleman was named music director in December 1994. He assumed his fullduties in fall 1995.   The Philharmonic declined to reveal Gittleman's salary,but tax forms filed with the Internal Revenue Service indicate he earned$81,000 with an expense account of $4,000 for the 1995-96 season.LENGTH:   31 linesILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  Neal GittlemanNA: DAYTON PHILHARMONIC    NEAL GITTLEMAN ENHANCER: ref4