I read “Set in stone” with interest. I was surprised to read about orchestras experiencing years of “empty seats, aged audiences, rising deficits . . . ” when the information we shared with arts critic Howard Reich points to a very different scenario.
Orchestra concert attendance has increased significantly in the last decade to 32 million in 1999-2000. The average age of the concert-goer has remained virtually constant for several decades. And the percentage of orchestras reporting deficits declined from 49 percent in 1990-91 to 29 percent in 1999-2000.
Economic slowdowns create difficulties for all organizations, but America’s orchestras are filling a contemporary cultural need and are actively serving today’s audiences with concerts of the highest quality, extensive education programs and innovative community partnerships.
