In Tuesday’s (10/19) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Andrew Druckenbrod writes, “The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra faced some unexpected dissonance off the stage last year, but its leaders think the orchestra is poised to emerge from the economic ritardando it has been in since 2008. ‘We have some good financial indicators out there this year and the atmosphere in general seems to be less gloomy, so we are starting to be more positive,’ said PSO president Lawrence Tamburri prior to the orchestra’s annual meeting tonight at Fifth Avenue Place. ‘But there are lots of challenges.’ ‘I think we have seen the worst,’ said board chairman Richard P. Simmons. ‘The slope is going to be up.’ With final numbers still in audit, the PSO will finish the fiscal year 2009-10 with about a $2 million deficit on an approximately $31 million budget. The fiscal year ended Aug. 31. Several unanticipated setbacks had a deleterious effect on finances last season. ‘G-20 caused us to cancel a weekend of concerts, and a snow-out cost us an Anne-Sophie Mutter concert,’ said Mr. Simmons. Add to that the fact that the state cut funding for the PSO from $2.5 million to $1 million and the Regional Asset District gave $900,000 instead of the $1.25 million expected.”
Posted October 20, 2010
