In Friday’s (3/27) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Andrew Druckenbrod writes that the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s chamber orchestra will give its final concerts on April 23 and 25. “The PSO recently announced the loss of 11 administrative positions, but this is the first artistic casualty due to the economic downturn. ‘This is an unfortunate but necessary decision in this economic environment,’ said Lawrence Tamburri, Pittsburgh Symphony president.” Druckenbrod writes that the PSO chamber group faced a “two-front” financial bind: “One, it had to find a successor to concertmaster Andres Cardenes, who served as its lead programmer and conductor for ten years but will leave after next season. He presided over the chamber orchestra’s return in 2007 to Carnegie Music Hall, where the PSO first performed in 1896. … ‘It was always the intent to replace Cardenes, but along comes the bad economy,’ said Jim Barthen, PSO spokesman. The other predicament is the economic viability of presenting major concerts at Carnegie Music Hall and Upper St. Clair High School, where the [chamber orchestra] series expanded in 2007-08.” In the article, Tamburri is quoted as saying, “We are evaluating each of our activities in light of what is important to the community and for maintaining artistic excellence within the economic realities. This means that some non-core activities may no longer be possible."
Posted March 27, 2009
Photos:
Thumbnail: Larry Tamburri, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra President and CEO
Large: Pittsburgh’s Heinz Hall
