An un-bylined editorial in Monday’s (8/24) Charlotte Observer (North Carolina) states that the Charlotte Symphony, “fighting for survival, is making smart progress. Special recognition is due the symphony’s board, which in recent weeks has made an incredible commitment to keep the music playing. The symphony announced Saturday that its board members had committed more than $500,000 in the past 30 days. That follows a $300,000 increase they made in their donations last year. … The money, of course, is badly needed. The symphony faces an immediate need of $1.77 million just to keep paying its bills. It’s a demonstration of a commitment by the board to get its financial house in order, a prerequisite for attracting other large donations from the community.” The editorial notes that Executive Director Jonathan Martin and Board Chair Pat Rodgers “have begun to achieve most of what an outside consultant recommended, including increasing board giving and getting serious about building a sizable endowment. They have also hired the charismatic Christopher Warren-Green as their next music director, and he and Martin are willing to think in new ways about programming that could attract larger audiences.”
Posted August 24, 2009
