In Thursday’s (4/15) Oregonian (Portland), David Stabler reports, “The Oregon Symphony is asking the city of Portland for $200,000 to help it get to Carnegie Hall next year. The request appears on a list of special appropriations in the mayor’s 2010-11 budget. But the orchestra’s request comes at a difficult time—with a tight city budget in an election year—when the needs of police, schools, firefighters and transportation are dire. The symphony made the request in February. … The Oregon Symphony won its Carnegie concert through a competitive process that chose seven orchestras to perform at a music festival in May 2011. It’s the first time the Oregon Symphony will appear in the venerable hall, bringing it valuable exposure at home, which could translate into more earnings for the city’s largest performing arts group, and nationally. Elaine Calder, the Oregon Symphony’s president, acknowledged the trip was expensive, estimating the costs at close to $500,000. The [Spring for Music] festival pays for renting Carnegie Hall, producing the concerts and selling tickets. The Oregon Symphony pays for travel and hotel costs for 85 musicians and their instruments, and move-in and move-out costs at the hall.”
Posted April 16, 2010
