From the President
February 2012
Thank you for visiting our website. I am pleased to take the opportunity to update you on recent developments at the St. Louis Symphony.
The 2012-13 Season
At our February Town Hall Meeting, we announced the 133rd season of the St. Louis Symphony which promises to be exciting for the institution and for St. Louis. The Wells Fargo Advisors Series will feature Viennese inspired works by Beethoven, Mozart, Strauss, Berg and others. Popular “blockbusters” include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Handel’s Messiah, and Mozart’s glorious Requiem. Other orchestral favorites include Holst’s The Planets, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, and Pines of Rome by Resphigi. In addition, the St. Louis Symphony showcases the work of important contemporary composers including Thomas Ades, Christopher Rouse, and John Adams.
Live at Powell Hall, our popular series of specials begun three years ago, and which single-handedly has attracted more than 100,000 attendees since its inception including many first-time Powell Hall attendees, features a wide array of entertainment and entertainers, all with the St. Louis Symphony bringing its own magic to these concerts. Next season listeners can watch The Wizard of Oz, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the cult-classic, The Matrix, all on the big screen at Powell Hall (a former movie house) with the St. Louis Symphony playing these great musical film scores, live. In addition, the St. Louis Symphony welcomes Kenny G. (making his St. Louis Symphony debut), Chris Botti and others, as well as a new holiday collaborative production with Circus Flora, recapturing the magic of our first partnership two years ago. Stay tuned as there will be more performances to be announced as part of our “Live” series.
In addition, our fourth annual gala in October 2012, chaired by Thelma and David Steward, will feature Jazz great Wynton Marsalis and The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra performing Marsalis’ Swing Symphony with the St. Louis Symphony in Powell Hall.
Through the breadth and depth of programming featured on our season, we hope to continue the progress of recent years to build and expand audiences for the St. Louis Symphony at Powell Hall consistent with one of our key strategic goals, to double our audiences by 2020. Over the last three seasons and since the launch of our plan, St. Louis Symphony performance revenues have grown 31% with attendance rising 17%. This is in sharp contrast to industry trends which have seen over that same time period orchestra performance revenues rise less than 1%, and attendance fall 5.6%.
In addition to the programs outlined above, we’re taking steps to continue to build our brand through enhanced marketing strategies. A redesigned St. Louis Symphony website at STLSymphony.org features a new multi-media player allowing us to deliver enhanced content to the public and an improved on-line shopping experience; an updated and dynamic design consistent with our new brand; as well as a mobile browser with ticketing capability designed for any smart phone, and an iPhone app.
On the national and international stage
In addition to all the excitement of the regular season, there are two very special events in the 2012-13 season that are going to make the St. Louis Symphony and St. Louis itself shine nationally and internationally.
Some of that action will be taking place far from St. Louis. The institution recently announced a September 2012 European tour, the first under Music Director David Robertson and the orchestra’s first international tour in nearly fifteen years. The Symphony has received coveted invitations from some of the world’s greatest festivals including the Berlin and Lucerne festivals, and Paris’ Salle Pleyel. In addition, a major London concert is planned and will be announced soon.
As one of St. Louis’ landmark institutions with a national and international reputation, the St. Louis Symphony looks forward to proudly representing St. Louis and our region on the international stage in these world-renowned music venues as a demonstration of the breadth and depth of cultural assets that our city possesses. Equally important is that this tour is being undertaken as a fully funded initiative consistent with the fiscally responsible operation of the St. Louis Symphony, and in no way impacts ongoing, regular Symphony financial operations or needs. A combination of concert fees and in-kind support from concert presenters will cover nearly 50% of tour costs with the balance of support coming through the generosity of Monsanto, our official tour sponsor, and a small group of anonymous donors who recognize the uniqueness of this opportunity for our city and the Symphony.
Back here in St. Louis, in June 2013 the St. Louis Symphony and city of St. Louis will host the 68th League of American Orchestra Conference. The conference which will welcome more than 800 delegates is being held in St. Louis for the first time in nearly 50 years!
As you can see, it has been a very busy time here at the St. Louis Symphony. We are grateful of the continued progress but mindful of everything that will be required to ensure future success. I look forward to keeping you up to date as we move forward.
Sincerely,
Fred Bronstein
