In Sunday’s (1/9) Sacramento Bee, Edward Ortiz writes, “Soft ticket sales, dwindling donations and the sudden exit of its executive director brought the Grass Valley-based Music in the Mountains to the financial brink last summer. But six months later, the classical music presenter has met its ambitious goal of erasing $540,000 in debt to keep the organization viable. ‘We needed to raise $600,000 in order to have $40,000 in operating cash entering 2011,’ said Terry Brown, interim co-executive director at MIM. The nonprofit MIM, which is entering its 30th season this year of presenting classical, pops and jazz music in Nevada County, operated on a budget of $1.1 million last year. … A total of 20 of its 26 board members were asked to commit to donating or raising $10,000, Brown said. Some orchestra members as well as its artistic director, Gregory Vajda, committed to donations. … The organization has retooled and trimmed its annual budget from $1.1 million to $700,000. That decision will be reflected in a streamlined season for 2011. The organization will also rely more heavily on volunteers.” Music in the Mountains takes place July 9-31.
Posted January 10, 2011
