SYRACUSE — Even as it wraps up its current slate of concerts, Symphoria, Central New York’s symphony orchestra, is already gearing up for next season. The symphony’s 2013-14 season, its first, ends on May 16 with a Pops concert, “Symphoria Goes to the Movies,” says Catherine Underhill, managing director of Symphoria. The first season included 22 […]
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SYRACUSE — Even as it wraps up its current slate of concerts, Symphoria, Central New York’s symphony orchestra, is already gearing up for next season.
The symphony’s 2013-14 season, its first, ends on May 16 with a Pops concert, “Symphoria Goes to the Movies,” says Catherine Underhill, managing director of Symphoria.
The first season included 22 ticketed concerts, additional “outreach” performances, and free outdoor concerts during the summer of 2013, Underhill says. The orchestra has performed about 35 concerts in all since last summer.
On April 28, Symphoria announced a 20-concert, six-venue series for its 2014-15 season.
The new season begins Sept. 20 with a showing of “The Wizard of Oz” with live orchestration, the first of four concerts in the “Pops Series,” says Underhill.
“The orchestra will play what would be the musical soundtrack, so Judy Garland will still sing but the orchestral sound will be live,” Underhill notes.
Symphoria holds Pops and Master Works concerts in the Crouse Hinds Theatre of the John Mulroy Civic Center at 411 Montgomery St. in Syracuse.
Symphoria, one of only two co-op orchestras in the U.S., is the orchestra of Musical Associates of CNY, “a nonprofit organization made up of nearly 50 members of the former Syracuse Symphony Orchestra,” according to the Symphoria website.
The season then continues with “Music of Three Centuries,” the first of six “Master Works” concerts, which debuts Sept. 27.
Symphoria also returns to St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral at 310 Montgomery St. for four Sunday afternoon concerts as part of its “Casual Concerts.”
In addition, the orchestra, with accompaniment from the Syracuse University Oratorio Society, will perform “Messiah” at St. Paul’s on Dec. 7.
Symphoria’s “Spark Concerts” are performed in non-traditional venues with music programs designed specifically for those venues, the organization says.
The symphony will perform the “Spark Concerts” in downtown venues this season, returning to the Museum of Science and Technology, more commonly known as the MOST, on Nov. 1; the Everson Museum on Valentine’s Day; and to the WCNY Broadcast and Education Center on May 30, according to the Symphoria news release.
“At the Everson, where we’ll be on Valentine’s Day, the plan is to have the museum have on exhibition art works that suggest, or include scenes of romance or love or passion … We are building our musical program to enhance those same themes,” Underhill says.
Symphoria will also perform three “Young People’s Concerts” in the 2014-15 season, representing an increase from the two “Young People’s Concerts” in the current season.
The symphony has scheduled those concerts for Oct. 26, Jan. 31, and April 18 at Inspiration Hall, which is located at 709 James St. in Syracuse.
Inspiration Hall is a donated venue with “high-end” audio and visual equipment.
“… Because it’s being donated to us, the cost of projection equipment and screens and sound is included in that so it’s a great opportunity for us to be able to enhance our performances but keep our budget modest,” Underhill says.
New space
In an effort to make symphony music more accessible to more patrons, Symphoria has moved its box office downtown to 234 Harrison St.
“It’s easy to locate. It’s easy to get in and out of,” Underhill says.
The building owner at 250 Harrison St. is providing office space for Symphoria, including small storefront space at 234 Harrison for the box office.
The arrangement continues at least through the end of this year, according to Underhill.
Symphoria had been operating in donated space at 716 E. Washington before moving to its Harrison Street location in December, according to Underhill.
Besides the new location for its box office, Symphoria also added a smartphone app for last-minute concert goers.
It also offers free tickets to anyone 18 years old or younger and $5 tickets to all college students, Underhill said.
Season tickets for the 2014-15 Symphoria season are on sale now. Single tickets will go on sale May 15, the organization said.
Symphoria employs more than 50 people including 50 musicians and a staff of seven, including Underhill. Three of the Symphoria staff members are also members of the orchestra, she says.
Symphoria’s fiscal year continues through the end of August. “It’s been very successful … We’re seeing a lot of audience growth,” says Underhill.
Financial contributions from individuals, foundation, government sources, and businesses account for about half of Symphoria’s budget, which totals about $1.5 million, according to Underhill.
“We will be close to that,” she adds, referencing the amount of revenue Symphoria has generated in its first season.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com