In Monday’s (3/3) Post-Standard (Syracuse, New York) Michelle Breidenbach reports, “Symphoria had both success and sacrifices in its first year after rising from the ashes of the bankrupt Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. The group is making its case this week to the Onondaga County Legislature, which wants quarterly proof before it releases county hotel occupancy taxes. The county budgeted $280,000 for Symphoria this year, but that is expected to increase by another $14,000 because hotel tax collection came in higher than expected.… Catherine Underhill, Symphoria’s new managing director, said Symphoria’s 2013 expenses came in slightly under the group’s $1.5 million budget.… Symphoria is a co-op owned by the musicians. It is an unusual arrangement. The musicians have agreed to be paid last—after the organization pays all of its other bills. The musicians were paid less than $10,000 each in 2013, she said. They waived the union pay scale.” Underhill says the musicians feel “ ‘It’s important to the community and it’s important to them professionally to be able to live and work here.’ … In 2013, the symphony performed 50 concerts to a total audience of 34,178.”
Posted March 4, 2014
Pictured: Symphoria performing on March 1 at the Civic Center in Syracuse, New York, led by Heather Buchman. Photo by Kevin Rivoli
