Spokane Symphony musicians (from left): Louise Butler, cello; Helen Byrne, assistant principal cello; Stephen Swanson, double bass; and Sean Lamont, cello, perform a virtual concert at the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, December 2020. Photo: Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review
“Jeff vom Saal, executive director of both the Spokane Symphony and the Fox Theater, leads a large and complex organization,” writes Ted McDermott in Sunday’s (7/25) Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA). “Restarting the gears … after a sudden shutdown in early 2020 and a prolonged period of uncertainty has left vom Saal, … both eager to return to the way things were and uncertain about how to chart a new future. ‘Is there a going back?’ vom Saal said. ‘No. There’s only going forward.’ … The Spokane Symphony was ‘even more vulnerable’ to the global shutdown than similar orchestras, vom Saal said, due to its ‘unique’ status as owner of the hall in which it plays…. For its 76th season … Vom Saal and his colleagues consulted public health officials, talked to patrons and sought input from the League of American Orchestras … before deciding to resume live performances, albeit in a somewhat scaled-down way. Instead of the usual 10 masterworks performances … this season will feature only seven.… The challenges presented by the pandemic won’t disappear…. But von Saal said it’s important to overcome those ongoing obstacles. ‘Without an orchestra, it’s just a hall,’ vom Saal said. ‘Without an audience, it’s just a rehearsal.’ ”
