Everett Symphony builds leadership advisory board
Published on Wed, Feb 10, 2010 by Beckye RandallRead More Arts & Entertainment
Music lovers in Snohomish County were saddened by the Everett Symphony Orchestra's recent decisions to end the 2009-2010 concert season early, vacate their downtown Everett offices in favor of a temporary location at the Everett Mall, and terminate the employment contract of long-time music director Dr. Paul-Elliott Cobbs.
Coupled with these drastic measures is an effort to plan for the Symphony's future. An Everett Symphony Advisory Board, chaired by former Snohomish County Executive Bob Drewel, is being formed to help guide the symphony's future. The council will involve up to a hundred community members, musicians, music educators, arts producers, donors and patrons.
The symphony organization has struggled financially for several years, hurt by mounting costs while community donations and program attendance dwindled. Faced with a half-million dollar debt, the Symphony board was forced to take drastic measures to protect its remaining assets.
With approval from the donor, the Symphony recently liquidated half of a $1 million endowment to pay off its debts. The moves by the Symphony's board, as painful as they are, will allow the organization to restructure to better fit the community's needs, said Roger Pawley, the symphony's volunteer CEO.
"Switching from deficit operations to pay-as-you-go operations is a painful change for the Symphony," said Pawley. "We now emerge as a debt-free organization with still a significant endowment, but there must be a change in how we do business."
"The Everett Symphony Orchestra is confronting some hard realities," said board president Myrna Overstreet. "We feel like we have lost touch with our community and our supporters. Our decisions to keep the music going, no matter what, have caught up with us and our problems are now accentuated by the bad economy. The Advisory Council will give us the input and guidance we need."
The organization plans a series of Community Music Summits to gather input from the advisory council and the general public. To participate, visit www.everettsymphony.org/summits or call (425) 258-1605 ext. 804.
"Advisory Council members do not have to love symphonic music to help," said Overstreet. "They just need to love the greater Everett community and appreciate how important a strong, vibrant performing arts climate, which includes the Everett Symphony Orchestra, is to the community."
Coupled with these drastic measures is an effort to plan for the Symphony's future. An Everett Symphony Advisory Board, chaired by former Snohomish County Executive Bob Drewel, is being formed to help guide the symphony's future. The council will involve up to a hundred community members, musicians, music educators, arts producers, donors and patrons.
The symphony organization has struggled financially for several years, hurt by mounting costs while community donations and program attendance dwindled. Faced with a half-million dollar debt, the Symphony board was forced to take drastic measures to protect its remaining assets.
With approval from the donor, the Symphony recently liquidated half of a $1 million endowment to pay off its debts. The moves by the Symphony's board, as painful as they are, will allow the organization to restructure to better fit the community's needs, said Roger Pawley, the symphony's volunteer CEO.
"Switching from deficit operations to pay-as-you-go operations is a painful change for the Symphony," said Pawley. "We now emerge as a debt-free organization with still a significant endowment, but there must be a change in how we do business."
"The Everett Symphony Orchestra is confronting some hard realities," said board president Myrna Overstreet. "We feel like we have lost touch with our community and our supporters. Our decisions to keep the music going, no matter what, have caught up with us and our problems are now accentuated by the bad economy. The Advisory Council will give us the input and guidance we need."
The organization plans a series of Community Music Summits to gather input from the advisory council and the general public. To participate, visit www.everettsymphony.org/summits or call (425) 258-1605 ext. 804.
"Advisory Council members do not have to love symphonic music to help," said Overstreet. "They just need to love the greater Everett community and appreciate how important a strong, vibrant performing arts climate, which includes the Everett Symphony Orchestra, is to the community."