In Wednesday’s (4/29) Courier News (Elgin, Illinois), Mike Danahey writes, “Despite the recession, attendance for the Elgin Symphony Orchestra’s 2008-09 concert season is on the rise. With two sets of shows left—this weekend’s Leonard Bernstein festival and Grieg’s Piano Concerto June 12–14—the symphony has seen attendance grow by about 5 percent said Michael Frisco, ESO’s director of marketing and communications.” Tom Roesner, president of the orchestra’s board of directors, believes this may be due to new marketing initiatives, including “discounted ‘three-packs’ for purchasing tickets to a trio of shows, suggesting the symphony as good date night entertainment, and even having concerts in December where patrons could get tickets by donating 10 cans of food to be given to local pantries. … The success of the symphony is one factor that had the City of Elgin looking at eventually building a new facility to replace the Hemmens Cultural Center on property it purchased just north of the Gail Borden Public Library.” The downturn has slowed the building process, but Roesner cites currently low construction costs as a reason to move forward with the project.
Posted April 30, 2009
Photo: Hemmens Audtitorium, home of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra
