San Antonio Symphony News and Archive

Symphony aid tied to cutbacks




By Mike Greenberg

from the San Antonio Express News 8/26/98



A private-sector rescue of the San Antonio Symphony depends on a new contract with the musicians and an increase in city funding, the symphony's board chairman said Tuesday.

The symphony's 60th anniversary season, scheduled to open Sept. 11, has been threatened by an accumulated debt of about $1.5 million.

Businesses and foundations are offering $5 million in extra support, according to one source, if the symphony cuts costs to the potential donors' satisfaction.

"I'm encouraged by the community support that we're receiving, but then again the community and corporate support we're cultivating is determined that we have a budget we can live within," board chairman Charles Lutz said.

That support is "conditioned on a renegotiated contract with the orchestra," he added.

"We are representing (to potential donors) that we will enact cost-cutting measures across the board. An important part of that is a renegotiated contract with the orchestra."

Lutz declined to name the potential donors or say how much they were willing to give.

Other sources, however, say several large businesses would increase their gifts by $500,000 a year for five years, and a prominent local foudation - widely understood to be the $300 million Kronkosky Foundation - would give $2.5 million to the symphony's depleted endowment fund.

The symphony board met for two hours Tuesday afternoon, but did not report a decision regarding the orchestra's future.

"We have had one meeting with the (musicians) union," Lutz said. "I would characterize it as a positive, but I would say we have a long way to go. We will meet again on Tuesday."

Peter Flamm, the orchestra's tympanist and a musician representative on the symphony board, confirmed formal collective bargaining had begun, but he declined further comment.

Documents received by the San Antonio Express-News indicate the symphony is asking the musicians for more than $600,000 in wage and benefits concessions.

In addition, executive director David Schillhammer has trimmed his administrative staff budget by $200,000 below last season's level, Lutz said.

When he was asked if administrative cuts included staff reductions, Schillhammer began to answer but was interrupted by Lutz:

"No, David. We've been asked not to talk about that stuff," Lutz said.

The city has been asked to increase its funding to $500,000, Lutz said.

The symphony's city grant was $431,503 this year, and the Cultural Arts Board has recommended only $400,000 for the orchestra next year.

"I think that's possible," Mayor Howard Peak said of the requested increase.

"I'd like to see what other funds are being provided. And I'd like to see what the symphony is going to do to cut costs and increase revenues. That would go a long way, for me, anyway, and I expect for the rest of (City Council)," Peak said.

"It's my hope that we will launch the 60th anniversary season in mid-September," Lutz said. "But a lot of things have to happen. We have to cement a new contract with the orchestra. We have to solidify increased corporate support. And we need a strong show of support from the city."

The symphony board is scheduled to meet again Sept. 8, the day before the orchestra is to begin rehearsals for the new season.



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