Many American orchestras are struggling financially, writes Kim Mulford in Monday’s (8/22) Courier-Post (Cherry Hill, New Jersey), “but here in South Jersey, Symphony in C is rolling along, according to its leaders. Based in Camden, the symphony is one of the nation’s three professional training orchestras. Its members come from the country’s top music schools and move on to major orchestras after their work here. Individual contributions nearly doubled last year. Symphony in C’s new president, Krishna Thiagarajan, doubled full orchestra performances for the next season, and new listeners are coming to Camden from across the river. While subscribers, corporate giving and state funding have dipped since the recession began, the symphony’s nearly $1 million budget is balanced. Indeed, the symphony’s recent fiscal year ended with a slight surplus, even with the additional salary of its new president, who arrived last September. … These are challenging times for orchestras, according to research by the National Endowment for the Arts and the League of American Orchestras. Audience participation is declining all over, and some orchestras are weathering musicians’ strikes. … Next season, the symphony will add eight contract performances to its schedule, collaborating with the Mendelssohn Club in Philadelphia and performing at the centennial concert with Philadelphia’s Wanamaker Organ on Oct. 1.”
Posted August 23, 2011
