In Monday’s (7/18) Newsday, Beth Whitehouse writes, “The Long Island Philharmonic, one of the region’s leading cultural institutions, is struggling with reduced financial support and deep debt. The orchestra was forced to abandon its classical 2010-11 concert subscription series—the heart of a symphony orchestra’s operation—and will likely do the same this fall. The concerts, which have always operated at a loss, have become too unprofitable to sustain. ‘If we have any hope of surviving we cannot play concerts that lose money, and we have to cut down our overhead,’ Philharmonic board president Jack Russell said. … The Philharmonic, which played to a crowd of more than 20,000 Saturday night in a free concert at Heckscher State Park in East Islip, is developing a strategic survival plan that is slated to be ready by September. The goal is to raise $600,000 by the end of next summer, which would be enough to allow the resumption of at least a limited concert season for 2012-13. Founded in 1979 by the late singer Harry Chapin, the orchestra has an annual budget of $1 million and owes more than $700,000 in short- and long-term debt.”
Posted July 18, 2011
