Everett Symphony cancels rest of season, will leave its headquarters
By Janet I. Tu
Seattle Times staff reporter
Suffering under the weight of the recession and years of operating losses, the Everett Symphony announced Tuesday it is canceling the rest of its season after a Friday concert, and moving out of its rehearsal hall and administrative offices in downtown Everett.
The "American Idols" concert, featuring the works of American composers, will be the Symphony's last of the 2009-10 season. It's hoping to come back in the fall.
Patrons who have not bought tickets for the concert but still have tickets for the remainder of the season can exchange their tickets for entry to the Friday concert, or will be given full refunds.
The staff, which had already been reduced from four people to two in 2008, is now down to one.
"It's painful for everyone involved," said Roger Pawley, a board member and volunteer CEO for the organization.
The drastic moves come after nine years of operating deficits that resulted in a $500,000 accumulated debt.
The Symphony has used half of its $1 million endowment to retire that debt, with the approval of the original donors, Pawley said.
The recession has also hit the Symphony hard, with season ticket sales and donations both down about 35 percent this season.
The Symphony is moving out of the downtown space it's been leasing and may relocate its headquarters to a cheaper venue in Everett Mall. It's exploring whether the triplex movie theater vacated in 2006 when Regal Cinemas moved into a larger venue in the mall can be modified to use as a rehearsal hall and small performance venue. The Symphony and mall are also seeing if other local performing-arts groups might be able to use the space.
Larger concerts would still be held in Everett Civic Auditorium, schedule permitting.
The Symphony is also changing the way it plans its budgets. Instead of budgeting for the upcoming season based on assumptions about income and expenses — as most organizations do — it will, instead, see how much money is actually in the bank each January and plan accordingly.
The 71-year-old Symphony has a core audience of about 1,500 patrons, and had been running on a budget ranging from $350,000 to $600,000 over the past several years.
It's considered a semiprofessional orchestra, with about 70 musicians under annual contract who receive a small stipend per performance.
The musicians are donating their services for the Friday concert.
Orchestras of all sizes, both locally and nationally, are suffering from economic woes.
The Seattle Symphony is struggling with a $4 million accumulated debt. It's cut staff and instituted furloughs, and its management and musicians are currently at loggerheads over a proposed contract that includes a significant pay cut for musicians.
The Bellevue Philharmonic has shortened its season, reduced staff and cut musicians' pay.
Janet I. Tu: 206-464-2272 or jtu@seattletimes.com
Copyright © The Seattle Times Company
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