In a Dallas Morning News blog post late Wednesday (11/9), Scott Cantrell reports, “As part of a new plan to stabilize its finances, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra will cut back the number of both classical and pops concerts in the 2012-2013 season. The classical series will be reduced from 21 to 16 weeks, and will be sold as two eight-concert subscriptions instead of the current array of three seven-concert packages. … The pops series will be reduced from 12 to nine weeks.” In a press release, the DSO noted that Music Director Jaap van Zweden and Principal Pops Conductor Marvin Hamlisch will lead the same number of performances. Cantrell continues, “Although the concert cutback won’t reduce the cost of DSO musicians, who are contracted on an annual basis, it will save money on production, guest conductors and soloists and marketing. … The DSO is looking into applying unused orchestra services to special one-off concerts and performances in outlying venues. … A special $20 million ‘Great Orchestra Campaign’ wiped out an $8 million cumulative deficit from 2009-2010 and an additional $6.5 million loss from 2010-2011. But remaining funds from the campaign cannot be used for general operating expenses. Anticipating a $6.5 operating loss for 2011-2012, [DSO interim CEO David] Hyslop says the orchestra needs an additional $5 million by the end of December. … Blaine Nelson, chair of the DSO’s board of governors, has been restructuring the board, with an emphasis on fundraising.”
Posted November 10, 2011
