In Friday’s (3/29) Gainesville Times (Georgia), Meredith Pruitt reports, “After more than 30 years of operation, the Gainesville Symphony Orchestra has announced that it is shutting down. With the bleak economy looming over the community and an overall lack of public support, the GSO decided it no longer could sustain itself. ‘This is a sad day, indeed,’ said Vanessa Hyatt, vice president of the symphony. ‘We made every effort to save the GSO. But in the end, we did not have enough public support to save it.’ Hyatt said this decision has been prolonged since about five years ago, when the board first saw a dramatic drop in donations. … The GSO started as the Lanier Symphony Orchestra in 1982. Brenau University has provided facilities and financial support since the symphony started. … Hyatt said she believes that a new symphony will eventually emerge under new management and a different name. The GSO’s annual Patriotic Pops Concert, usually held at Brenau, will be carried on by the Northwinds Symphonic Band. It will instead be held at the Smithgall Arts Center.”
Posted March 29, 2013
