Thank you for Your Input!
On June 15, 2009, we sent out a Subscriber Survey to our email list members in order to get their thoughts on how we could better do things. I really appreciate all of the people who took the time to submit a response and would like to address some of the thoughts and concerns expressed in this survey.
1) Why is the Festival of Orchestras making us drive all over Central Florida for performances this season?
First, we apologize for any inconvenience having to drive to several locations this year may cause anyone. The reality is that we are not guaranteed the dates we need to host our orchestras at the Bob Carr due to other events taking precedence in the theater and the fact that our orchestras are only available here in Orlando for a very few specific dates. That means if the orchestra we would love to host here is available on, say, October 30, 2009 and the Bob Carr is not available, then we have two choices: host the orchestra in a different venue or don’t host the orchestra at all. Local arts organizations like the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra have much more flexibility in setting their own schedules, and this is one reason why they can find dates at the Bob Carr when we cannot.
2) Who is responsible for choosing the orchestras and the repertoire?
We have a dedicated group of professional musicians and music educators who assist us in choosing the orchestras we bring to Orlando. However, only certain orchestras tour each year – so we may have as few as 10 to choose from. And, with the recent downturn in the economy, some touring orchestras have had to cancel their tours this year. Further complicating the situation is the fact that we can’t always find an available venue on the limited number of dates the orchestra happens to be touring in the state. So, although we would love to have certain orchestras come to Central Florida, we sometimes cannot find an available venue and must pass them up.
The repertoire offered by each orchestra is often not negotiable. They may offer us one, two or three programs to choose from and, although our music committee does their very best to try and substitute certain pieces they know our audience will love, the orchestra has final say on what they perform. We can offer suggestions, and we do, but they will eventually perform what they have rehearsed for the tour. Many of our subscribers get very frustrated when there is a last minute program change, and this again is entirely up to the orchestra. We sometimes receive notice of a program change only days before the concert is held (sometimes less).
3) Why do the tickets cost so much?
Actually, ticket prices for many of this season’s performances have been adjusted to reflect a downturn in the economy, which means you can now see one of our world-class symphonies perform for as little at $20 per concert! If you’re a student, you can come to the theater and purchase a Student Rush ticket one hour prior to the performance for only $10! We completely understand that the economy is making it really difficult to justify the added expense of a symphony performance, but we are doing everything we can to operate more efficiently, allowing us to maintain lower ticket prices for many performances.
4) I like the Bob Carr and I don’t want to go to Northland’s Concert Hall!
I like the Bob Carr too but I LOVE the Northland Concert Hall! What a gem we have right (literally) in Orlando’s back yard and I’m so thankful to the fine people at Northland for allowing us to use their wonderful facility. We made a lot of visits to Northland before booking orchestras there and have found so many positive things about it that we know our subscribers will appreciate. Allow me to elaborate:
- Easily Accessible – despite the venue being located just north of Orlando, the roads surrounding the venue are easy to navigate, and all are two-way and are not overly congested.
- FREE and Easy Parking – The Northland venue offers more than adequate free parking and yes, I did say F-R-E-E! There are parking lots both in and around the venue as well as across the road. There will always be a Seminole County Sheriff’s Deputy directing traffic, making the very short walk across the street extremely safe and easy. There is more than enough handicap parking in front of and near the building as well, so you don’t have to cross the road. In fact, according to one of our subscribers, the handicap parking at Northland is excellent!
- Lots of Aisles – Yes, the Northland venue has many aisles, comfortable seats and no stairs, so maneuvering through the building and theater is extremely easy and safe.
- Café on Site - Since the performances at Northland can only take place on Friday evenings, why not come a little early and have a bite to eat in their Nature’s Table Café? From healthy sandwiches and wraps to coffee and smoothies, the Nature’s Table Café will be open for each performance at Northland.
- Superior Sound Quality – Our board members and music advisory members each attended a performance of the Dallas Symphony at the Northland venue this year and everyone was extremely impressed with the acoustics and sound quality of the orchestra in this venue. Overall, everyone gave Northland’s facility an A+! We look forward to hearing what you have to say about it.
5)Why do I have to pay for parking at the Bob Carr? The city owns all of the lots surrounding the Bob Carr and we sell pre-paid parking passes as a convenience to our subscribers. However, we have no control over the price of parking or the availability of parking at the Bob Carr. Another great reason to enjoy our two new venues this season – FREE PARKING!
6)Why does the survey make me reply to questions that do not apply to me? Blame it on EMMA! We subscribe to the online survey and email program called My Emma and do not have too much control over how it operates. But we’ll be happy to pass on all suggestions on how to improve the experience for you.
7)Can we see an outdoor orchestra performance? The great thing about our touring orchestras is that they are of the highest caliber, are comprised of the finest musicians from every corner of our great globe and they often provide an international flavor in their music. The not-so-great thing about our touring symphony orchestras is that we often have little control over them! We cannot tell them where to perform. And, in fact, most of the symphony orchestras will not perform outdoors or in an arena venue. But since this question came up in our survey, we will investigate to see if there are orchestras out there that would perform in an outdoor venue for the future.
How can I help?
Okay – nobody posed this query, so I added it myself! Just like other arts organizations in Central Florida, we operate as a non-profit. That means that we do not generate enough money from our concert ticket sales to cover all of our operating costs and must obtain funding from philanthropic sources. We rely heavily on individuals who care enough about our mission that they donate sometimes thousands of dollars annually. We should all be thankful to them because they make it possible for this organization to exist. If you, too, would like to help and feel you are in a position to do so, please let us know.
We also rely heavily on volunteers and interns. If you would like to swing by the office and help out, please give us a call! We would love to have you.
