Struggling Symphony Cancels Sunday Concert

THOUSAND OAKS —  In another sign of fiscal trouble for Ventura County’s only professional orchestra, the New West Symphony has canceled a special Sunday concert with less than a week’s notice due to low ticket sales.

New West--born two years ago when two local orchestras merged--earlier scaled back two other performances to stay solvent and finish its regular season of six pairs of concerts.

While canceling a concert is a painful step, such modest cuts in the orchestra’s $1.1-million budget have saved $50,000 this year and will allow it to finish the fiscal year just barely in the black, said New West’s new executive director.

“It just breaks my heart to do this, but it’s the fiscally right decision to make,” said Executive Director Betsy Chess, who is working without pay until the next fiscal year starts in June. “This is the action of a prudent board who wants to both present fine music and operate in a fiscally responsible way. New West will be here next year. New West is here to stay.”

But others see the cancellation as worrisome.

“I think this is a bad sign, obviously,” said double-bass player Jeff Bandy, chairman of the orchestra committee, an elected group that serves as liaison between management and players.

“When you cancel concerts, it’s generally because you don’t have enough money,” Bandy said. “This is not good news.”

Now in its third year, New West has remained in the black but seen a dramatic decline in revenue and assets after its first season.

By canceling the Sunday concert--”Indonesia Alive!”--the orchestra will save about $5,000 on transportation and lodging for guest musicians, rental of exotic instruments and printing programs, Chess said.

The musicians hired for “Indonesia Alive!”--one of New West’s more esoteric, less commercial concerts--will still be paid because the cancellation came so late.

Although the fewer than 50 people who bought tickets should not expect refunds, the $10 to $15 they paid will be considered tax-deductible donations to the orchestra, Chess said.

The less-than-mainstream content of the concert likely contributed to the low ticket sales, Bandy said. The concert was to feature composer Lou Harrison and music he wrote in part for the gamelan, a traditional Indonesian ensemble of instruments.

“It’s hard enough to get people to listen to [Russian composer Sergei] Rachmaninoff, let alone to get people to reach out and listen to Balinese and Indonesian music,” he said. “It’s not something that’s a popular item.”

Civic Arts Plaza Theater Director Tom Mitze said he would not require the symphony to pay the $400 rental for the 400-seat Forum Theater, despite the late notice.

“The symphony performs here regularly,” Mitze said. “This is a rare occurrence. We’re not looking to nail anyone.”

The cancellation could create the appearance that New West is on the verge of financial collapse, Chess acknowledged. But she said that is not the case.

“Perception is always a concern,” Chess said. “You put that into the mix, consider the consequences and balance it out. All you can do is present the [financial] facts and be as honest as you can. The people who know the organization will understand.”

Already this year, the New West decided to perform a February opera score without costumes to save money, presenting a concert version rather than a “semi-staged” show.

Last month, the orchestra canceled plans to play the score to the Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 movie classic “The Battleship Potemkin” while the film was showing, in favor of accompanying Charlie Chaplin’s “City Lights.” The Chaplin film cost less to rent and fewer musicians were needed, saving $35,000, Chess said.

As recently as a month ago, the symphony was uncertain of funding for its final choral concerts, scheduled for May 15 and 16. That money is now in place for a smaller concert.

Rather than Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms,” which requires eight additional percussionists, the ensemble will perform Anton Bruckner’s “Te Deum” at a savings of about $2,500.

Next season’s six core concerts have already been scheduled and the soloists hired, Chess said. It is unclear whether the symphony will be able to continue the “Music Alive!” series, which brings nontraditional music to the area.