Word: philharmonia
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WHEN the Boston Philharmonia opens its fourth season in Sanders Theatre Sunday evening, it will perform one of the least publicized concerts in recent memory. Hard hit by the state of the economy, the orchestra decided to cut costs in the least necessary segments of the budget, and advertising was among the first to go. If things work out well, the belt tightening this year will stop before it reaches the artistic budget, but orchestra spokesmen are not overconfident...
...problem of money is not specific to orchestras, of course. Educational and artistic institutions of all sorts are the first to suffer during any period of economic instability. But the Philharmonia suffers more than most such organizations because of its newness, because of its lack of endowment, and because of the innovative kind of program it plays. This combination of factors makes it, an exciting orchestra, but also threatens its existence...
...Philharmonia will only attempt four concerts this year, all of them on Sunday evenings at Sanders. If money becomes available, the orchestra will repeat each of the four programs in outlying areas which normally would not hear symphony orchestras, and also try to inaugurate a series of children's concerts. They will try to avoid last year's situation, in which they were forced to cancel the last concert of the season for lack of money...
...Philharmonia is filled with good intentions, and innovative ideas. It is a cooperative orchestra, in which the players choose the conductors and the programs. None of the members of the orchestra make their living from the Philharmonia; most of them are music teachers, or solo performers. When a concert turns a profit, they share it; more often, they con tribute from their own funds to make the concerts possible. (One member gave $500 from his own pocket to meet the rent for a performance last year...
...deep enthusiasm for the orchestra and the innovations it is attempting. "It is an opportunity for people like myself to get together and perform, to choose our own programs, and choose our own conductor" he says. "We certainly don't make our living performing with the Boston Philharmonia...