A story posted Tuesday (5/11) on the website of Roanoke, Virginia’s news channel WDBJ 7 states, “It’s no secret arts and cultural organizations in our area are hurting. Mill Mountain Theatre closed last year and the Lynchburg Symphony almost shut down at the end of its current season but one is surprisingly thriving in these difficult times. We’re talking about the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra. On Monday night, the RSO announced music director David Stewart Wiley has signed a three year contract extension and that’s not the only good news. … The symphony’s budget is balanced and subscriptions for the Pops series are up 300 percent in the last five years. Other series went up 35 percent in the same time period. So how did they do it? For one, the RSO branched out, tried new types of concerts like rock and roll. In the process, it brought in a whole new audience. … Richard Maxwell, the President of RSO Board said, ‘What the recession has shown us is the community really supports the orchestra and I think our best years are still to come.’ ”
Posted May 12, 2010
