Summer Concert Saved
Mar 2010CHAPEL HILL - A swift fundraising effort by Southern Village residents and business people last week pulled the North Carolina Symphony's annual outdoor concert there back from the brink.
The symphony's free concert on the Market Street Green has been a summer tradition in Southern Village since it began in 2000. The evening performance draws up to 2,000 spectators.
In years past, Harrington Bank, which has a branch in Southern Village, and Market Street Associates, the merchants assocition, have donated $10,000 toward the total of $18,000 it costs the symphony to put on the concert, said Bev Carr, Southern Village's marketing and events coordinator. The symphony subsidized the rest.
This year, though, the stagnant economy has left the symphony facing hard times. Musicians' salaries have been cut by 17 percent, and administrators have had even deeper cuts. A planned European tour has been put on hold, and the regular summer statewide tour has been curtailed.
Robb Maddry, the symphony's director of statewide development, notified Southern Village on Feb. 15 that the financial strain had left the symphony unable to foot its usual part of the bill this year.
"It is not impossible to perform in Southern Village this June, but the total cost of performing ($18,000) would need to be covered," Maddry wrote.
He suggested that a fundraising effort might be able to raise the additional $8,000 that would allow the symphony to perform.
"The opportunity here asks everyone who loves this event to invest in the orchestra -- businesses, merchants and residents," Maddry wrote.
Carr put the word out among its members and to the Homeowners Association that donations were needed in order to bring the symphony to Southern Village this summer.
There wasn't much time; the symphony was finalizing its schedule and needed a decision by Feb. 22 -- just one week after his letter and just four days after Carr issued the call.
"The response was phenomenal," Carr said. "We had over 65 individuals and business owners commit within a few days. One business donated $1,000, and so many people -- teachers, people who work here -- donated smaller amounts, $15 or $20 each. It was a heartwarming response."
Still, by the time the deadline of Feb. 22 came and went, the pot held only about $5,200, nearly $3,000 shy of the goal.
But the initiative and enthusiasm shown by Carr, the merchants and residents was enough to persuade the symphony that it could safely put Southern Village back on its tour schedule.
"It was a remarkable outpouring, and I'm immensely grateful to Bev and the rest of the Market Street Association and the homewners," Maddry said. "In just about 72 hours they raised more than $5,000. It truly was a grassroots groundswell, and it's indicative of the strenth of the relationship between the symphony and the people."
Wednesday afternoon Maddry told Carr that, given the support the fundraising effort indicated, the symphony would play on the Market Street Green on June 25.
On Thursday the board of the Homeowners Association approved a resolution to make a donation of up to $2,800 to fill whatever gap remained between the community donations and the $8,000 total. By Friday morning the community fundraising total had reached $5,700.
"I am completely thrilled about the Homeowners Association pledge of support," Carr said. "We've been dedicated to bringing the Symphony concert to the public all of these years, and it's gratifying to learn how important it really is to the community."
Anna Lees Cobb, owner of The Cottage Shop on Market Street, welcomed the news.
"I'm very happy that we'll be getting the symphony again," she said. "It's a wonderful, exciting evening every time they come. It's a very festive atmosphere."
The symphony is happy with the outcome too, Maddry said.
"It's a wonderful event," he said. "The mission the symphony has always been to serve the people of North Carolina, and this is one of the important ways we do that."
Article provided by Chapel Hill News
