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Columbus Symphony: Could it really die?
Friday, March 14, 2008
BY MICHAEL GROSSBERG
Nearly broke and still short of solutions, the Columbus Symphony could fold as early as next month, the president of the symphony board says. Although efforts to save central Ohio’s largest arts organization continue behind the scenes, Robert “Buzz” Trafford said the orchestra’s demise is possible if additional donations prove elusive.
“Without more help, there’s a very real risk that our money won’t take us beyond the next month or two,” Trafford said. “Our options would become extremely limited, including suspension of operations.”
A spokesman for the musicians downplayed talk of a shutdown. “We’ve heard the rumors,” said principal tuba player Jim Akins. “I find it difficult to believe. … It would be a terrible tragedy. The city would lose its soul.”
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Columbus Symphony: Could it really die?
By: Walker
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Not saying I agree, but I think the larger issue that Zach brings up is whether or not non-profit arts organizations have a future in a neo-liberal political climate where public funding is increasingly restricted. In some ways the “indie arts” (or more generally “creative class”) movement is a response to a fundamental shift in policy that has been steadily decreasing public support for the arts for the past 20 years or so.
This guy says that the non-profit model is basically an unstable pyramid scheme and that the house of cards is doomed to collapse sooner or later. So maybe the CSO folds sooner. Maybe BalletMet folds later. I admit it is kind of a defeatist attitude, but it forces us to consider other ways to sustain our performing arts institutions with little (if any) public tax money.
Perhaps you should do a little research then before making up your mind on where you stand on this issue.
That is a large part of my point.
Why do we have a Symphony, historically? Local professional symphonies were part of a social time and process that has little in common with today and has little to do with music qua music. Further, it represents a time where there was very much a single and monochromatic culture among the arts-supporting culture and public institutions like a symphony were seen as a way to ‘enlighten’ the remaining populace.
Think about the visual arts. We don’t lament the lack of painters like David or El Greco. We don’t expect public dollars to create more like them. They exist, frozen in time, in museums or other repositories. They exist, but what they represent is no longer a living part of the arts. Why do people expect music to be different? Why not let the Symphony die off where it is a museum piece? I don’t accept either the civic pride argument or the notion that a city is somehow lacking w/o a symphony. Someplace like Miami only made sense for the symphony to go when there is a real, living musical culture there. Let the all the arts develop locally and organically instead of fusing a European bourgeoisie overlay on them.
I agree entirely with Zach on a lot of it. Where has the CSO been for Comfest, for the schools for all sorts of things that would make it a real,living part of the community? This lack is not about bad marketing, but representative of how removed, false and dyschronic the symphony mentality is.
I like symphonic music, but I also recognize that my personal taste is not reflective of either a large part of the populace (same for as for all sorts of my personal tastes) nor it is representative of some higher order or greater good which should be supported outside of myself and others who share this pleasure. I will personally miss the CSO, but strongly believe that its non-existence will make for a better, stronger musical arts totality in Columbus.
A.
Monday, March 24, 2008
BY JEFFREY SHEBAN
Throughout North America in recent decades, dozens of orchestras have dealt with financial crises ranging from near-bankruptcy to sudden death — situations similar to the Columbus Symphony’s current struggles.
Since 2002 alone, at least eight cities — including Miami; San Jose, Calif.; and Savannah, Ga. — have had their professional orchestras fold because of financial woes, according to the League of American Orchestras in New York.
Miami, which lost its orchestra to bankruptcy in 2003, remains the nation’s largest metropolitan area without one.
San Diego and Nashville, Tenn., meanwhile, are among cities that went years without their symphonies but managed to turn things around. Both have emerged from bankruptcy with renewed community support to become thriving organizations.
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Monday, March 24, 2008
BY ANDREW OLDENQUIST
By now we all know that the business-jet time-share company NetJets has been persuaded to remain in Columbus, after being promised $67.6 million in subsidies by the state, the city and the Columbus Regional Airport Authority. We also know that the Columbus Symphony Orchestra is almost at death’s door because it is $1.4 million in debt. A case can be made that keeping the CSO from folding is as important as keeping NetJets in Columbus.
Big, mature cities have full-time symphony orchestras. If the CSO folds, it will be the moo heard ’round the world, and some corporations, for whom municipal prestige and national image are factors in recruiting top people, will rethink moving to or remaining in Columbus. And that brings me back to NetJets.
If we divide NetJets’ $67.6 million in assistance by its 2,000 employees, we get $33,500 per worker. Are CSO musicians and employees worth as much as NetJets employees? Let us be daring and say they are. So, if the symphony has 60 employees, then at $33,500 each it would come to just over $2 million in assistance to help keep it alive.
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The Dead White Male sector has a yawningly predictable response.
I was just in Savannah two days ago, another city mentioned where there is no longer an orchestra. Very vibrant and alive arts scene, despite that lack. In fact, I was pretty impressed as oftentimes tourist/antique trade cities are dead for an active scene.
Will be in Miami tommorowt. I expect a vast graveyard.
A.
Interestingly, the Stanford Graduate School of Business released a study that”includes data from every orchestra that ranked as one of the 50 largest U.S. symphonies for at least two years during the 1987-88 through 2003-04 concert seasons, a total of 63 orchestras.” Yes, that includes Columbus.
Ah well, here’s the article.
“The industry should realize that there is an inherent long-term economic challenge,†said Robert J. Flanagan, the Konosuke Matsushita Professor of International Labor Economics and Policy Analysis at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the study’s author. “Nowadays, even if symphonies filled their halls for every concert, the vast majority would still not be able to cover their performance expenses.â€Â
Although recessions exacerbate their woes, Flanagan said many symphonies have financial troubles even in good times. Attendance has been declining for most types of concerts, and orchestras may not be adequately scrutinizing the returns to their expenditures on marketing and fundraising, said Flanagan, an amateur musician since childhood who plays clarinet and saxophone. He said larger symphonies, for example, appear to spend nearly twice as much on fundraising as they realize through donations.
Some orchestra managers told Flanagan they disagreed with that conclusion, but other symphony officials he interviewed were hardly shocked.
“Some of them say it doesn’t surprise them because many symphonies have a bias towards revenue growth strategies and a bias against cost-cutting strategies,†Flanagan said, adding that nonprofit board members often shy away from conflict. “It’s not clear that they’re willing to be as tough minded about costs as directors in the private sector.â€Â
Flanagan’s study includes data from every orchestra that ranked as one of the 50 largest U.S. symphonies for at least two years during the 1987-88 through 2003-04 concert seasons, a total of 63 orchestras. During that time 46 orchestras ran deficits on average—excluding their money from endowments—versus only 17 with surpluses.
In many U.S. industries, companies have been able to increase salaries gradually because technology has made workers more productive. Flanagan said symphonies have much slower productivity gains—technology isn’t about to turn a string quartet into a string duo—but musicians still expect bigger paychecks. The salaries of symphony musicians increased more rapidly than the pay of most other groups of workers in the late 20th century. Higher ticket prices did not fully compensate for cost increases, but those higher ticket prices reduced attendance at a typical performance.
Any stumbles in the economy only exacerbate the problem. A slumping economy reduces attendance as well as philanthropic support, but has little moderating effect on performance expenses.
Flanagan said the study’s scope did not try to identify similarities among the 17 symphonies that usually did have surpluses. Overall, he said, he noticed how widely all orchestras studied varied in terms of expenses, sources of income, and even how they invested their endowments. “With this much variance, it would seem there is an opportunity to discover what the best practices might be,†he observed.
One common thread he found is that the orchestras’ marketing expenses paid diminishing returns: “The last $100 you spend yields far less than the first $100 that you spend.†What the optimal threshold would be varies widely from orchestra to orchestra, but Flanagan said many could save money by scrutinizing marketing expenses.
Fundraising efforts are more complex. Professional fundraisers in many fields often say that they bring in 8- to 10-times as much money as they spend, but Flanagan is skeptical. “A lot of that money would have come in anyway.â€Â
Flanagan said many people choose to support the local arts and hardly need a fundraising event to remind them. Based on population, unemployment, and economic data, he analyzed normal fundraising expectations in regions surrounding the orchestras. For the smaller half (based on budget size) of the orchestras he sampled, the investment was worth it: They received about $1.96 for each $1 they spent on fundraising. It was far different for the larger symphonies where each $1 spent returned only 51 cents.
Some say the fundraising efforts pay off in future years, but Flanagan did not find that during the study, which covered 17 years. “The question becomes: When are these expenditures going to pay off?â€Â
Although Flanagan believes a best-practices effort would help many symphonies improve their financial status, he stressed that the financial circumstances vary greatly from city to city and orchestra to orchestra.
“You can’t go through this analysis and conclude that there’s a single solution—a single smoking gun,†he said. “I think the report documents the futility of single solutions.â€Â
It’s from here. If you poke around a little, you can download the whole study. I searched it, though, and it doesn’t say anything specific about Columbus.
Much to my shock, Miami was not a vast cultural graveyard. Who knew?
More importantly, I bumped this up as a throw-down to all the peeps who participated in this thread.
Our lovely Anne posted Notice of these upcoming concerts. So bring the love.
My son and I are going to both even though I despise the Greatest Hits approach to Classical and I am sure neither of my votes were counted. Look for the big guy and the little boy in rainbow wigs with glow sticks.
A.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
BY JOE BLUNDO
I’m sure that no one wants to lose the Columbus Symphony.
I just wish we could work up a little more emotion about it.
Story after story about the orchestra’s potential demise has stressed the reduced prestige that Columbus would suffer as a result: We will see our status diminished. We will suffer a blow to our pride. We will look bad to however much of the outside world knows we exist.
Can you imagine a less-impassioned plea for keeping the music going?
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By JAMES R. OESTREICH
Published: April 12, 2008
COLUMBUS, Ohio — You wouldn’t call it a happy coincidence, exactly, but you could hope at least that it foretold better times. Amid reports in The Columbus Dispatch and elsewhere that the Columbus Symphony Orchestra might go out of business, possibly as early as this month, the orchestra continued with its regularly scheduled programming last weekend: two performances of Mahler’s “Resurrection†Symphony.
“Many people struggle to believe that central Ohio might let the Columbus Symphony die,†The Dispatch reported on March 16. “Believe it.â€Â
The problems are hardly new. Founded in 1951, the Columbus Symphony achieved a substantial reputation under its music directors Christian Badea (1983-91) and Alessandro Siciliani (1991-2003), with whom it celebrated its 50th anniversary with a Carnegie Hall debut in 2001. But it nearly went bankrupt in 1992 and has never fully recovered.
Like many other American arts organizations, it fell on particularly hard times in the wake of 9/11; unlike most other institutions, it has yet to bounce back. Not incidentally, it was also in administrative disarray from 2003 to mid-2006, when it functioned without either a full-time executive director or a music director.
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More evidence that this is a national issue, not just a local one.
By KAREN MATTHEWS
NEW YORK – When the J. Paul Getty Trust in Los Angeles was seeking to finance the purchase of art works, it did what cultural institutions often do to raise money: It issued bonds.
But rising interest rates brought on by turmoil in the financial markets boosted payments, and the organization got socked for an additional $650,000 in fees earlier this year for which it had not budgeted.
Like homeowners and stockholders, museums, concert halls, dance companies and other arts organizations are feeling the pinch from the faltering economy.
Museums and symphony halls that financed renovations with seemingly safe municipal bonds saw interest rates spike in recent weeks; other arts institutions are suffering from low returns on investments; and some arts executives are worried that recession fears could take a bite out of donations and ticket sales.
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Given the small attendance at this weekend’s voted-on Top 40 performances, I think the CSO’s life support has run out barring another sugar daddy stepping forth.
A.
I was there for a great performance on Friday night. I think you’re right… It’s sad, because I’m one of the CSO’s biggest fans.
I had a great conversation with the E.D. of BalletMet about the CSO last week. Her observations on survival in this city are compelling. My favorite was probably this: Columbus is an event city. The shows have to be bigger to sell a house like the Ohio. Columbus doesn’t have a mid-sized theatre at 1,500 seats in the downtown area, and that hurts a lot of these arts organizations. I mean, the Ohio is 700 seats larger than the Cleveland Orchestra’s Severance Hall. Anything less than 1,500 in attendance looks positively barren.
I think this city wants an orchestra — just maybe not this much orchestra.
That rings true. The Canton Symphony Orchestra performs most of their larger performances at Umstaddt Hall, which has about 1500-1750 capacity (just eyeballing it); it’s the performing arts center for Canton McKinley High School. Casual Friday performances are at an auditorium at Kent State-Stark (local 2-year school/branch campus) that holds about 300.
I went to their April 5 performance at Umstaddt. The house wasn’t packed, but it was definitely comfortably full. Even counting Akron, Canton is a much smaller market than Columbus. Not counting Akron, Canton is only a fraction of Columbus’ size.
I think a lot of Columbus Symphony musicians would look at suddenly having to play at Thomas Worthington or a similarly large high school auditorium as a bit of a demotion from the Ohio, though.
.
Hmmm, I seem to recall someone saying several times that a venue change was desperately needed for the CSO. Was it … me? :wink:
My wife and son enjoyed Friday, though I think Shosty 5 on Sunday was his overall fav.
A.
I was there for a great performance on Friday night. I think you’re right… It’s sad, because I’m one of the CSO’s biggest fans.
I had a great conversation with the E.D. of BalletMet about the CSO last week. Her observations on survival in this city are compelling. My favorite was probably this: Columbus is an event city. The shows have to be bigger to sell a house like the Ohio. Columbus doesn’t have a mid-sized theatre at 1,500 seats in the downtown area, and that hurts a lot of these arts organizations. I mean, the Ohio is 700 seats larger than the Cleveland Orchestra’s Severance Hall. Anything less than 1,500 in attendance looks positively barren.
I think this city wants an orchestra — just maybe not this much orchestra.
Maybe they can play in Newport or Skully’s? I would be more likely to go then. CSO sounds pretty arrogant like a motorist demanding that he risk my well-being so he will not be inconvienced.
I think this city wants an orchestra — just maybe not this much orchestra.
I 100% agree with the last line of your post. I hate to see a musician lose their job, certainly. From my perspective though, it would be much more entertaining (and much lower overhead) to have say, a 35-piece crack ensemble capable of doing much more avant-garde works by original composers. Obviously the draw would be less broad…but I think the people that were attracted to this concept would be more loyal and passionate. Or at least I certainly would. I love music, but the CSO to me is like seeing a cover band that plays all the hits and is background music, versus being a creative, innovative force that demands your attention.
…and perhaps that’s part of the problem. If you’re playing the music you love and that people are passionate about, no one cares where it takes place. That’s how punk rock got going, through DIY venues, even at people’s houses. Seriously, if a small orchestral group with some creative instrumentation got together and did some of say, Frank Zappa’s scores (Yellow Shark anyone?), I’m sure they’d be able to draw well even at the LC. They could mix in some Boulez or Stravinsky and some more “out there” stuff and hopefully re-connect with a younger potential audience.
My 2 cents, take it for what it’s worth. In its present form, the CSO just seems a tad stuffy for a guy like me to want to attend.
Hmmm, I seem to recall someone saying several times that a venue change was desperately needed for the CSO. Was it … me? :wink:
You and me both, buddy. I’ve been screaming about that ever since I worked for the CSO.
I think this city wants an orchestra — just maybe not this much orchestra.
I 100% agree with the last line of your post. I hate to see a musician lose their job, certainly. From my perspective though, it would be much more entertaining (and much lower overhead) to have say, a 35-piece crack ensemble capable of doing much more avant-garde works by original composers.
Hm…perhaps like ProMusica? OK, I don’t know that they’d qualify as avant garde, but there are other groups in Columbus playing classical music. And let’s not forget, if the Symphony goes away we will STILL have a great orchestra…the Columbus Jazz Orchestra…
First, let’s leave the motorist/cyclist pissing contest out of this forum.
Are classical musicians arrogant? To an extent. There is a certain quality and heritage that comes with this type of music and it hasn’t been pushed out of the culture yet. These particular musicians are bitter; they are passionate about this organization but feel jilted and betrayed. It’s easy to sound and be arrogant in this situation. Not condoning, just explaining.