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Honolulu Symphony Files Chapter 11

The recession has taken its toll on the performing arts and especially classical music. The latest to falter is the Honolulu Symphony which filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in federal court this week. The 109-year-old symphony calls itself as the oldest American orchestra west of the Rockies. The organization listed assets of $100,000 to $500,000 with debts of $1 million to $10 million.

The Honolulu Advertiser quotes the symphony's executive director as saying the move was a necessary step. Last month the symphony canceled its November and December concerts putting the entire 64-member orchestra out of work. The nonprofit has also let go of all but three of a total of 22 administrative workers. In a reorganization the Symphony will have to cut costs and will downsize the orchestra in hopes of surviving to play another season.

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Tags: honolulu symphony, HonoluluSymphony, orchestra, violin

Brooklyn Philharmonic Calls It Quits until 2011

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Art

If the Brooklyn Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra was on your calendar ... well, it isn't any more. There will be no more concerts this season. The entire 2009/10 season has been canceled. But, there is hope for 2011.

April 17, 2009, it seems, is the day the music died. Cause of death: budgetary shortfall from a drop in donations.

J. Barclay Collins II, chairman of the Brooklyn Philharmonic's board, won't reveal exactly how far donations have fallen, but the results are clearly shy of the organization's $3 million annual budget. He did say, however, that he expects the music to return in 2011. Fortunately, it's only the concerts that have been canceled. The Brooklyn Philharmonic will still operate its educational programs – at a cost of approximately $750,000 a year.

The decision to suspend the concerts comes following two years of financial difficulty. For its fiscal year ending June 30, 2007 (the last for which financial information is available), the group had a deficit of $121,925. A full-time staff of 23 people has been slashed by 70 percent.

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Tags: brooklyn, charity, donate, donation, donations, financial crisis, FinancialCrisis, new york, NewYork, orchestra, symphony