“Nashville Symphony Orchestra President and CEO Alan Valentine … believes everything the symphony has been through helped prepare the organization to rebound from the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns,” writes Meloncee Hurt in Monday’s (8/9) Nashville Tennessean. “Not only did the symphony survive the economic meltdown of 2008, but it also rebounded after massive flooding … in 2010 left its home, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, submerged in water…. In spring 2020, the symphony was forced to … cancel the remainder of the 2020 season…. ‘We … said, “Let’s do what we have to do to preserve the institution,” he said.’ … Musicians had to be furloughed and the Schermerhorn was closed.… Musicians and staff [continued] meaningful engagement with patrons, donors, and the community, including hosting 20 virtual events for donors [and] virtual sectionals for music students…. A Shuttered Venue Operators grant and several Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) installments … helped breathe life back into the symphony…. But that’s not the only thing that helped … according to Valentine…. ‘Most of the people in our community said they … were going to stay with us by leaving their money on account and to use for tickets in the restart year.… We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the community.’ ”
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