Classic revival: music veterans pick up the pieces where the former Florida Philharmonic orchestra left off, and try to bring about an orchestral renaissance

South Florida CEO, Jan-Feb, 2005 by Jennifer LeClaire

When the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra went bankrupt two years ago, classical music fans sorrowfully hummed its requiem. Now, those same patrons are bracing for an orchestral revival in South Florida.

The Boca Raton Philharmonic Symphonia, a chamber-size orchestra comprised of 30 musicians, will begin its first full concert season in November at the rented 488-seat University Theater at Florida Atlantic University's Boca Raton campus.

"Since the demise of the Florida Philharmonic two years ago, there has been no ongoing professional symphonic orchestra nor a series of professional symphonic concerts in South Palm Beach County," says Martin Coyne, chairman of the Symphonia Leadership Council. "We felt it would be an important community service and fill a serious void in our area's cultural life if we were to create an orchestra that could present an annual series of concerts in a financially sound way."

That "we" includes industry veteran Marshall Turkin, the council's general director and vice chairman. Both residents of Boca Raton, the two men certainly have the experience under their cummerbunds to lead the new Symphonia.

Turkin has traveled the symphony circuits during the course of his musical career, holding executive directorships at orchestras in Pittsburgh, Detroit, Chicago and Cleveland. Coyne served as chairman of the Florida Philharmonic from 1993-1995 and remained on the board for several years thereafter.

But it takes more than experience to mount a philharmonic, experts say. It also takes finances. Cultural and community activists Martin and Edith Stein stepped up with a $50,000 challenge grant to underwrite the Symphonia's first season. Coyne says the organization has already received another $40,000 to supplement the grant--approximately enough to engage some international conductors and soloists, and resident musicians, most of whom were former Florida Philharmonic members.

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The Symphonia began fundraising efforts in concert with its subscription brochure mailing in January. Subscriptions are $200 for the five-concert Edith & Martin B. Stein Inaugural Connoisseur series. The Symphonia will play a second series, the Michael & Madelyn Savarick Favorite Classics Concerts, at Mizner Park. Coyne says the dual programming track is designed to offer something for everyone. A sell-out concert would more than cover the organization's $150,000 first-year budget.

"A lot of orchestras have expanded their repertoire, expanded their facilities, expanded their staff--and outstripped their ability to raise the money to pay for it all," says Turkin, who is determined that the only pit the new venture will enter is an orchestra pit. "We decided to start off extremely modestly and allow the community to determine what they want us to be. This will enable us to survive and thrive."

Dan Hart, the recently installed executive director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, understands the challenges of harmonizing a symphony's finances. Hart took the baton at a time when that orchestra was in the red, and is fine-tuning the marketing strategy to woo more supporters.

"The biggest challenge of marketing orchestras is getting people in the concert hall and figuring out how to engage them in the experience," Hart says. "You have to determine the right way to serve and interact with the community to win the level of support to maintain the best orchestra possible."

That is exactly what the Symphonia Leadership Council is seeking to do. Member Millicent Duvall, founder of the Youth Orchestra of Palm Beach County, is passionate about seeing the orchestra go beyond concerts into classrooms, to mentor the next generation of musical prodigies. Many artists left the area after the Florida Philharmonic went bust, and with school funding for music down, Duvall sees an opportunity to fill more than one void in the community.

"Philharmonics and classical music are an integral fiber of any vibrant community," Duvall says. "These artists need to be compensated properly in order to keep them in residence. Money, marketing and the right programming will make it all possible."

Duvall is part of a multi-disciplinary leadership council that includes a who's who of cultural, civic and business leaders in South Palm Beach County, such as the president of the Symphony of Americas Society, the chairman of the Boca Raton Museum of Arts and the deputy mayor of Boca Raton.

Jack McAuliffe, vice president of the American Symphony Orchestra League, says a strong governance structure is just as vital as creative vision to running a fiscally sound orchestra. Board members like Duvall are charged with helping cast the vision to the community to spark classical music appreciation.

"Building an orchestra isn't like deciding to make yet another toothpaste," McAuliffe says. "If it doesn't have that spark behind it, all the planning in the world won't go anywhere. On the other hand, if it has a spark and no planning, the flame goes out. It's a balance that requires commitment."