Michael Tilson Thomas was right when he observed that “great music only happens when a great many people want it to happen.” June 30 saw the end of the 2010-2011 Season; and I would like to take a few moments to celebrate and say “thank you” to the many, many people who wanted great music to happen in Tacoma – and stepped up to the plate to make it happen.
Each of them helped the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra to once again finish the season in financial harmony.
Nearly 400 people made donations ranging from $8 to $50,000, and nearly every chair in the Orchestra has been sponsored, with a few left to go. We also had many businesses – ranging from small local entrepreneurs to large regional corporations – support our concerts, Gala and Simply Symphonic education program. Foundations both public and private were also generous.
Thank you to each and every one of you. You are wonderful, and we love and appreciate you!
I’d also like to thank our Board of Directors for their leadership. Every one of them makes a leadership contribution – no exceptions. But they contribute much more than their money. Most people don’t understand or fully appreciate what a Board does, but I can tell you, this one works hard. The other day I arrived at the office at 9 a.m. to find a message list including calls from three Board members – and that’s typical. They’re out there shaking the bushes for the TSO, and questions arise. This donor wants to underwrite a violin chair – is there one left? That prospect wants a pledge form right away – can I make sure one is emailed? Would I be available to meet with a donor at Tully’s this afternoon? My Board keeps me hopping.
My staff is amazing. They’re wearing four or five different hats on any given day. None of them ever says “that’s not my job.” Saul’s responsibility is to manage the orchestra itself, but he takes subscription orders when no one else is around to answer the phone. Denise keeps the books, but also helps orchestra members who show up looking for their music. Laura writes our grants and manages fund raising “moves”; but she orders our stage flowers and when things get too complicated backstage she helps Saul out by filling in as the guest artist coordinator. Rick feeds Board members pizza while pushing, prodding and coaching them during our phone-calling marathons. Our music librarian Mary is a bit like the tooth-fairy: she's here at night after all of us are gone, and the music magically appears in the morning. They do it all without complaining and with humor. I’m the world’s luckiest ED.
Our office volunteers Elizabeth and Brent help out when things get too crazy for the staff to handle. Among many other things, Brent is our media archivist and Elizabeth does everything from filing to data entry to helping out with front-of-house at the concerts.
The musicians and chorus members are right there with us. Orchestra players donate their talent to perform at house parties, send thank-you cards to their chair sponsors, and serve on Board committees. Chorus members do everything without being paid, not only performing, but even putting on the most amazing dinner parties for patrons and offering these up as auction items.
Finally, we’re housed in an incredibly supportive environment: the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts. Executive Director David Fischer and his staff are busy running their own concert series, not to mention the entire theater complex, and they’ve got their own challenges and problems just like we do. But they always take great care of us. They provide the best performance environment possible, with a highly professional stage and house crew and a box office that gives consistently excellent customer service.
The TSO is blessed and surrounded on all sides with good people: donors, sponsors, program advertisers, subscribers, musicians, Board members, volunteers, staff, landlords and colleagues.
It takes every one of them to make the music happen.
We’ve all read about the crises many orchestras are encountering elsewhere, some not very far off. At the TSO we’re not immune from trouble, and there’s no room for smugness or complacency. Orchestras are incredibly fragile institutions and are only kept stable by constant, unrelenting vigilance.
But there’s hope -- as long as we are surrounded on all sides and nurtured by good, caring people who want to make sure that great music happens in Tacoma, now and in the future.