The New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra was scheduled to perform this weekend at the Palace Theater in Manchester. But the organization's board has decided to cancel the concert because of on-going financial problems. And as New Hampshire Public Radio's Raquel Maria Dillon reports, they say there will be further cutbacks if they can't raise more money before the end of the season.
KIESLER :11 this is wake up call, not just about this organization, but about life and cultural vitality of state of NH itself.
The New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra?s Music Director, Kenneth Kiesler says canceling this weekend's performances was a last resort. The program was supposed to feature all-Russian composers - Rimsky Korsakov, Prokofiev, and Tchaikovsky. But when the Symphony's board took a hard look at the budget, they decided they could not afford to lose any more money. Executive Director Douglas Barry:
BARRY :15 we rely on indiv. contributions and corporate contributions. People may think we sell tickets. Not true.
Barry says it costs about 45 thousand dollars to hire musicians, a hall, and put on a concert. But ticket sales recoup only about third of that cost. And in tough economic times, it's been difficult to recruit individual donors and corporate sponsorships. So the symphony has been eating away at its endowment for years. The Board reviewed the budget and decided to put an end to that deficit spending.
BARRY :15 we have to take some major difficult steps: reduce performances, size of orchestra, but these are positive steps in the long term.
Barry is determined to put a positive spin on a difficult situation. Board Chair Tom Raffio is less sanguine.
RAFFIO :13 We'll finish season. Have season next year, fewer shows. Then testing ground to determine whether we can prove to ourselves that we can raise 2-300K/year.
Or the state won't have a professional orchestra. The New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra is not alone. Across the country, classical music ensembles are in trouble.
RAFFIO :10 the good news is some symphony orchestras across the country have actually folded. It is daunting task but we haven't folded, we don't intend to.
Raffio says they need a couple of major corporate sponsors to put on their usual season next year. And the board might have to cancel more concerts or hire fewer musicians this year.
VAVERKA :03 during middle of season that's very difficult news. For any musician.
Julie Vaverka plays with the New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra.
VAVERKA :09 this is not a hobby for these players, all want to work with orgs who can provide secure living.
Like most of the freelance musicians who play with the symphony, Vaverka performs with several different ensembles around New England and teaches. This week she was at Philips-Exeter Academy practicing with sophomore Charles Young.
AMBI 19 screwing up?
:15 she sings along, are you going to use 3rd fingering for F sharp?
20 Good! Ok, what key are we in? B-minor. Why don't we play it?
Vaverka says the symphony's tight budget means there's no money for good marketing, outreach, or education.
VAVERKA :18 it's killing me. We had a wonderful program 3 years ago working with string quartets in pub schools. Getting to know Manchester. we were having a ball. The next year they said we have no money for it - end of story!
Executive Director Barry and Music Director Kiesler has been with the symphony less than two years. But Vaverka says the organization?s financial problems existed long before that.
VAVERKA :17 over the years there's just been a build up, let me not say mismanagement. When you want to keep things going, alive. Sometimes it's easier to turn your head and not face up to things that need to be taken care of. That's what's gotten us into this crisis.
Doug Barry says the organization learned a lesson: if you built it, they might not come. So the symphony is trying new strategies. It debuted a brand new Pops series this year. It recently packed concert halls in Manchester, Derry, Concord, and Portsmouth, for Christmas and Valentine's Day programs. Board Chair Tom Raffio says they'll continue in that direction for two reasons.
RAFFIO :24 we'll do pops to attract broader audience and hopefully get some of those folks to go to classical shows, and economic fact the pop shows we did around December, Christmas holidays and Valentine's those shows prove they can make $. We can spread the overhead and put on classical performances. We won't do strictly pops because that isn't our mission.
KIESLER :04 as long as we don't become pops orchestra.
Musical Director Ken Kiesler:
KIESLER :15 Thing about pops is its fun. We enjoy it - to a point. It doesn't nurture, feed us in deep way that music of Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Schubert, Debussey, Ravel and so forth do.
The Knight Foundation, a charitable organization in Florida, established an initiative called the "Magic of Music" to study classical music organizations. Foundation Vice President Penelope McPhee says they've learned management and musicians need to think more creatively about how to appeal to new audiences.
McPHEE :30 orchestras need to be more sensitive to what audiences want. And it doesn't mean compromising music or pandering, it means do audiences want to come at 8pm, or other time? How much music? Pure music or conductor talks about what music means?
Vaverka, the clarinetist, wants to play more accessible music.
VAVERKA :32 there's wonderful colorful music that we don't get to hear. Foot-stompin', melody-singin' music. We don?t hear it. Sometimes we try to be a little too esoteric - not my cup of tea. I love melodies! Rimsky-Korsakov's Sheherazad. Auidences love Beethoven. Mozart - alive upbeat, accessible! They touch the soul.
New Hampshire's other two orchestras, the Nashua Symphony and the Granite State Symphony Orchestra in Concord, say they don't have problems balancing their budgets or selling tickets. But those ensembles are smaller. If the New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra goes under, Vaverka says it would be a terrible loss to the state.
VAVERKA 254/2:00 Maine has Portland, Vermont Symphony Orchestra . Boston alone supports a dozen. They're all making a living. I know because I play in some of them. They're in the black!
For NHPR News, I'm RMD.
