Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 18, 1994 TAG: 9402180062
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MEGAN SCHNABEL STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Although the Roanoke Symphony Association has a history of balanced budgets, the $150,000 deficit projected for fiscal year 1993-94 was not unexpected, said Briggs Andrews, the group's president-elect.
"We went into this budget year knowing there would be some shortfall," Andrews said. The deficit stems from several sources, including a level of contributions that didn't reach the amount that had been projected when the budget was put together, he said.
Despite an improvement in the Roanoke Valley's economic outlook, people have remained wary of contributing to arts agencies, Andrews said. Charitable giving has been flat - not dropping off but not growing, either - which has left the symphony unable to make up as much of the deficit as had been hoped, he said.
A ticket shortfall estimated at $34,000 also contributed to the budget deficit, said Lori Gubala, the symphony's director of development and public relations. Although some concerts saw increased single-ticket sales, a projected increase in season ticket sales for the symphony's Monday night concert series did not pan out, she said.
The symphony is in the midst of a marketing research project to study the recent decline in season ticket sales, Gubala said. The study, which will survey one-time season-ticket holders who no longer subscribe, should help the organization with future programming changes, she said.
Also a factor in the ticket shortfall was the high number of student tickets sold for last December's production of "The Nutcracker," Gubala said. It had been estimated that a quarter of the seats for the three performances would be sold at the half-price student rate, she said. But nearly half of the seats ended up going at the lower price, meaning a financial loss, she said.
Symphony Executive Director Margarite Fourcroy said the group hopes to at least maintain, and preferably increase, overall ticket sales and to cut back on ticket costs by combining what previously were stand-alone concerts into ticket packages. Although single-ticket sales for these events would continue, it no longer would be a marketing focus, she said.
A ticket package that covers the last three concerts of the 1993-94 season proved a good seller, Gubala said. About 60 of the $40 packages, which provided tickets for the February, March and April concerts, were sold to people who had previously purchased only single tickets, she said.
The death of arts patron Marion Via in January 1993 was yet another setback for the symphony. Via, who for years contributed large but often undisclosed amounts of money to the symphony and other area arts programs, helped fund many of the orchestra's special programs, including its 1992 Tony Bennett pops concert and joint productions with Opera Roanoke.
"What we had done under her patronage was add programs that she was especially interested in and provided support for," Andrews said. Since Via's death, the symphony has had to cut back those programs to keep expenses down, he said.
Gubala acknowledged that Via's contributions had been considerable, but said in no way could the current deficit be attributed solely to Via's death.
"She was a tremendous asset to this organization," Gubala said. "But we didn't rise to where we are solely because of her help, and we're not suffering a loss solely because of her loss."
Although the symphony has financial reserves and will be able to cover this year's shortfall, the organization does not want to operate under a deficit for the 1994-95 fiscal year, Andrews said.
To ensure a balanced budget, the symphony has been forced to consider trimming some programs and cutting out others altogether. The proposed cuts, which would balance the budget, have not yet received final approval from the symphony board, Gubala said. The board will meet to discuss them in March.
Included in the proposed cuts is the elimination of two big-name pops concerts, Gubala said. Although past pops series have drawn big crowds, the associated costs are high: The $25,000-plus required for a typical symphony performance must be supplemented by at least $15,000 more to pay the featured performer, she said.
One orchestra pops program is included in 1994-95 plans, Gubala said. The concert possibly would be a community-participation event, she said, with people paying to sponsor requested pieces of music. The symphony is also in the process of negotiating to get a big-name pops artist, she said, but she could not give details because a no contract has been signed.
The symphony's educational programs, which include a youth symphony and in-school performances by orchestra members, would not be immune to cuts, both Andrews and Gubala said, but any trimming will be done carefully.
"We will not sacrifice the core of the education programs," Gubala said. In-school ensemble performances would not be cut, she said, although one of the full symphony children's concerts would be eliminated.
Another programming change, one that would not be noticeable to patrons, would involve postponing scheduled performance of several new works - which tend to be more expensive than other concerts - to the 1995-96 season, Gubala said.
One full-time staff position also would be eliminated as part of the cuts, said Fourcroy, who will be leaving Roanoke for Detroit in the near future. She would not say whether her position is the one that would be eliminated, but Andrews said the position of executive director would not be filled immediately.
Whatever cuts have to be made, Gubala said the effects will be seen in quantity and not quality.
"Our commitment is that we don't ever cut the quality of the orchestra," she said.
by CNB