In Sunday’s (3/23) Times-Tribune (Scranton), David Falchek writes, “Determined that the curtain will not fall on the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, the struggling ensemble launched an ambitious effort to raise half a million dollars to pay its bills, replenish a drained endowment and hire an executive director to return the organization to financial stability. Declining attendance, evaporating public grants, and a recession that resulted in a flight of sponsorships and listless endowment plunged the sponsoring organization, the Philharmonic Society of NEPA, into financial distress, mounting bills and uncertainty.… The society is in the midst of a campaign it calls ‘Thrive.’ Early results are positive with about $100,000 received and another $100,000 pledged, the drive is about halfway to its goal, which it hopes to reach by the end of its fiscal year in June.… The last decade was difficult for many American orchestras, said Rachelle Schlosser, director of media relations for the League of American Orchestras. ‘Many of the challenges faced by your local orchestra were felt by other orchestras,’ she said. ‘Many have turned the corner.’ … The organization has high hopes for the April 25 performance of Beethoven’s 9th with the Symphonic Chorus.… The NEPA Philharmonic and its leaders hope it will inspire new support.”
Posted March 24, 2014
