The Symphony is in trouble -- again
So, it's deja-vu all over again for the symphony, which, according to the story in today's Enquirer, is projecting at least a $2 million deficit -- possibly more -- for this fiscal year which ends in August.
It seems like only yesterday when the Corbett Foundation bailed them out with a much-touted gift of $1 million, back when they were trying to dig out of $8.4 million in accummulated debt in the early '90s. Again, just two years ago, an anonymous donor wiped out $1.8 million of red ink.
Over its 112-year history, the orchestra -- the anchor of all the arts in Cincinnati -- has survived on the largesse of its loyal supporters, civic-minded music lovers who have believed in the importance of having a major institution in our fair city. But how much longer can and will those supporters step up?
A few years ago, I reported that the orchestra was digging deeper into its endowment for operations. To have its patrons and board members write big checks every few years is one solution, I suppose -- but how long can this be a sustainable business model??
Today's article doesn't even mention the planned multi-million dollar renovations of Music Hall. And as Marjorie Fox asks in a post below, will that assure that people will come to Music Hall for classical concerts?
There is no quick fix to this multi-faceted dilemma. Ideas?
posted by Janelle Gelfand at 9:36 AM
15 Comments:
at 1/05/2007 12:39:00 PM 
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at 1/05/2007 01:03:00 PM 
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at 1/05/2007 02:35:00 PM 
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at 1/05/2007 02:42:00 PM 
Janelle Gelfand said...
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at 1/05/2007 03:05:00 PM 
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at 1/05/2007 04:11:00 PM 
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at 1/05/2007 04:47:00 PM 
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at 1/06/2007 03:42:00 PM 
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at 1/08/2007 11:12:00 AM 
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at 1/16/2007 01:47:00 PM 
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at 1/16/2007 03:06:00 PM 
Janelle Gelfand said...
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at 1/16/2007 05:24:00 PM 
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at 1/17/2007 03:00:00 PM 
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at 1/17/2007 04:12:00 PM 
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at 8/15/2007 05:38:00 PM 
JATM2063 said...
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Post a Comment*They can work on their customer service. I've been trying to buy tickets online this morning. I forgot my password so I used the automated "forgot your password" link, which told me it would e-mail me my password. It's been several hours and I still haven't received the e-mail.
I followed up with an e-mail to their ticket information mailbox and haven't received an answer from them either.
Sheesh.
I say just disband it. It is a small group that matters only to a small out of touch group in Cincinnati. There is no need for an Orchestra when the city is turning into Baltimore. Use the money for something more worthwhile.....
Disband it??? Oh my!!! What a comment. The CSO matters to so many people. When I travel around the world, people know of Cincinnati because of the orchestra. It is one of the best things this city has going for it.
No, you can't disband the symphony any more than you can disband the Reds or Bengals. Don't forget, under Jarvi they have been playing better than any time in the last three decades. But at the moment, they have tremendous challenges -- both in building audience and financially.
Here are a few more stats about the current problem: In 2002, the endowment stood at $88.5 million, and the orchestra was drawing 7.1 percent ($6.82 million) for operations. Today, for fiscal 2007, the endowment is at $66.6 million, and the orchestra is drawing 6 percent (about $4 million).
So, they have taken down their draw, which is a good thing. Now they have to find a way to bridge that $2.8 million gap.
You bridge the gap by cutting some of the excess "fat" that the CSO has. Someone get a CURRENT list of ALL employees and job descriptions. Lets see how many people are on the payroll, most would be very surprised at the amount of fat they could trim.
Cutting the fat is exactly what I meant when I said to disband it. If we could get people to stop wasting exhorbitant amounts of money on things like the symphony and the Reds we could something about the crime. Caring about what people around the world say about the city should be the farthest thing from our minds. There are children in this city who do not get to eat three meals a day. Who cares if some third chair firewood player gets 60 grand a year. Get a real job so that kid could eat...
I saw the article in this mornings paper about the CSO being in the hole-again. I knew this would be coming, but I didn't think it would get here so fast. The rapidity of it really doesn't surprise me though. If you keep doing the same things that got you in trouble the first several times, you are burdened with a crushing overhead (average musician compensation-$110,000+), operating with union contracts and work rules that stifle the remotest hope of efficent operation and are out of touch with the realties of the 21st century operating costs and customer expectations, and couple it with a bloated, overcompensated bureaucracy this scenario will repeat itself as long as there are people willing to keep writing checks to bail them out. While I certianly don't have the resources to do so, I would not be inclined to do so even if I did. The business model they operate with has turned into a big black hole that sucks everything within its gravitational pull. I wish I could say I feel sorry for them, but I don't. Who do they have to blame, but themselves?
Until the business model of the CSO is torn down to the bare frame and rebuilt from the ground up they will never have a structure that is even close to sustaining itself. Who knows. If they did it it could be the model the rest of the orchestras in the country (and there are many) that are in trouble could follow. The CSO could be a leader among its peers. My hope are high, but my expectations are low.
In short, the most healthy orchestras of this size and stature have larger well managed endowments. The ball was dropped a few years back is my guess. Also, I could be wrong, but judging from staff lists in the programs here as compared to elsewhere, it may be a smaller staff if anything. Regarding pay...well like any job, one could pay less but you wouldn't have the same product.Besides,why don't we ever aspire for something greater here? How about if we became a city with greatness instead of studied mediocrity?
What does it mean that Cincinnati is becoming like Baltimore? Could someone explain? I know it is off the subject, but I want to know where the writer was going with that comment.
What if, in addition to the Music Hall renovations (which are necessary, I believe), the CSO and the Opera joined forces to build a separate, smaller venue to augment Music Hall? Don't panic; I said "augment."
At its current size, Music Hall is too large for the average CSO audience. It would be too large for the average Chicago Symphony Orchestra audience. Meanwhile, the Opera is limited to a brief summer schedule by the lack of a viable, smaller facility during other parts of the year.
Why not create and share a smaller (1500-2000 seat?) venue, with impeccable acoustics, that is able to shift seating capacity up or down easily? Save Music Hall for large scale CSO concerts, or apperances by big names, the May Festival, the main Opera season, other touring events.
When not in use by the two main tenants, this smaller theatre could be rented out to the Chamber Orchestra, Vocal Arts Ensemble, Cincinnati Chamber Society, used to host jazz, folk and world music concerts...thereby generating income even when not in-use.
Just a thought...
Hey Thom, I think that's the best suggestion I've heard yet. I agree that Music Hall needs a little updating. But a CONNECTED smaller hall of 1,500 to 2,000 seats is a brilliant idea. As you know, the city has no such venue at the moment. (The Emery seems to be a dead issue, and the Aronoff is all tied up with Broadway shows.) Incidentally, did you notice that Valery Gergiev just had a small hall built (1,100 seats) known as Maryinsky II? And here's another kicker: he hired Yasuhisa Toyota, known for the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
I recently attended the CSO on College Night where the music was as beautiful and captivating as the Music Hall. Those of you bashing the orchestra should try attending a concert and experiencing the music before saying that the CSO is not a worthwhile investment!
Even if it's not possible to attach it to Music Hall, it could still be "on" Washington Park. More important than the location is the viable alternative venue for both organizations, and the rest of the city.
Another thought...
While it's true that fewer CSO concerts would happen in Music Hall, it would be available for so many other events. I'm sure it would be used regularly. Think of how the Broadway Series could use it, smaller scale pop concerts that now have to be in the Taft... Could be pretty cool.
Dear Ms. Gelfand:
It is indeed distressing that the symphony is having problems. I wonder how the opera company is doing. They have just cancelled their upcoming opera outreach tour to the public schools for the year. The complete blog on that can be viewed at www.nfcs.net, go to the forums, and then look in the Young Artist Program forum. Also, for info on both the symphony and the opera, check out their info at www.charitynavigator.org
OR Guidestar.org.
Interesting financial information about both companies. If the opera company's Form 990 shows a deficit of $640,000 at the end of fiscal year 2005, what might their deficit be now?
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