In Saturday’s (8/10) The Argus (United Kingdom), Finn Scott-Delany reports, “An 89-year-old orchestra could fold in less than two weeks unless it finds £70,000 in emergency funding. The Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra has suspended all payments to players and launched an emergency appeal. It has blamed falling ticket sales, sponsorship and fewer than expected legacies for its dire financial situation. The fund has already secured £34,000, mostly from the orchestra’s 600 [supporters]. A final decision on whether to call in administrators will be made at a board meeting on August 19. Chairman Karen Platt said: ‘We’re still hopeful that we can secure the orchestra. We’re almost halfway there, which is encouraging. The level of support has been very positive and shows that the people of Brighton want us to continue. If we’re unsuccessful then there will be no more orchestra. It’s made up of freelance players and there’s no permanent orchestra as such, so the players would continue but we would fold, and Brighton would lose part of its cultural heritage.’ … Ricardo Zwietisch, former principal viola, said, ‘This is devastating news. In all my years living in UK, the Brighton Phil was the most enjoyable work I have done.’ ”
Posted August 12, 2013
