vilheuston.com Suburban Philharmonic Society

SUBURBAN PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY
...tomorrow's orchestra in your community today


Introduction

To remain artistically, culturally and economically relevant, today's orchestra must be transformative, engaged, and vibrant. Always responsive to its environs, this music-loving society must be a catalyst for artistic creation and expression in addition to its role as a leading presenter. The Suburban Philharmonic Society has the opportunity to be an arts institution on the cutting-edge, in the enviable situation of being Pennsylvania's only professional orchestra largely subsidized by and performing in multiple townships within its reach. As a new entity, the SPS has the freedom to design and implement a flexible and receptive organizational style, poised to address the decline in government and corporate support for the arts through a commitment to community relevance and interaction. In addition, SPS's close proximity to a major cultural center's talent pool gives it the ability to produce exceptional performances and relevant educational programs for its multiple patron communities. This approach represents opportunities for positively addressing the many challenges American orchestras face in the 21st century.


Objectives

Free-market forces acting upon artistic production demand creative artistic and financial partnerships. The Suburban Philharmonic Society's regional presence automatically generates the possibility of collaboration with sister arts institutions, symbiosis between education and artistic creation/production, and necessarily makes it more progressive and dynamic. Externally, the SPS sees itself as a unifying force in the communities it serves through collaborations with business organizations and with other arts organizations and art forms, education initiatives involving area colleges and public and private schools, and developing and funding collaborations based on local needs, interests and responsibilities. The SPS should act as ambassador to the greater community by increasing local activity and visibility, attracting the public to the region, and ultimately establishing broad recognition.

Within the SPS, an integrated approach to orchestral administration is essential, taking into account the unique circumstance of being a professional orchestra serving multiple communities. It must, therefore, be sensitive and responsive in order to create, implement, and coordinate relevant programs, and must adopt an approach to funding in harmony with this model.


The Vision

Programmatic components:

Artistic:

Community involvement:

Career development:

Multiple performance venues:


Expected outcomes


Possible venues and communities


SPS Components

Orchestra Series
When possible, composers on hand for pre-concert talks, concert commentary and receptions.

Season I
Recitals (currently under development)

Season II
Program 1: Fall 2011
Johann Sebastian Bach - Violin Concerto No. 2 in E, Aisha Dossumova, violin
George Walker - Lyric for Strings
Kurt Atterberg - Suite No. 3, Op. 19, No. 1
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Divertimento, K. 136

Program 2: Spring 2012
Georg Frederick Handel - Solomon: Overture to the Queen of Sheba
Franz Josef Haydn - Cello Concerto in C major, Robert Burkhart, cello
Lori Westmoreland Schoenfeld - In Retrospect
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Symphony No. 29 in A, K. 201

Season III
Program 1: Fall 2012
Samuel Barber - Adagio for strings
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Symphony No. 40 in G minor
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Exultate jubilate, soprano: Emerging Artist Competition winner
Samuel Barber - Knoxville: Summer 1915, soprano: EAC winner

Program 2: Spring 2013
Faure - Requiem with area choruses
Brahms - Serenade No. 2

Recital Series
The recital series is for those who would like a smaller, more close-up and personal performance experience in addition to SPS Orchestra concerts. Each hour-long afternoon or evening recital includes brunch or dinner afterward with the performers. Depending on the community, the series can move among various homes or can reside in one especially wonderful venue. Seating can vary but will be strictly limited to maintain true chamber music proximity and intimacy. During the inaugural season, venues and catering are donated: Recitals do double duty as board/organization development tools.

Composer of the Year
Composer of the Year is an initiative to bring about new relationships between composers, orchestras and audiences. Residencies involving community engagement with the composer, performance of recent compositions, and pre-concert discussions bring to life classical music and compositional processes.

Apprentice Artist Chamber Music Program
The Apprentice Artist Chamber Music Program, a hands-on education initiative administered by the Suburban Philharmonic Society, is open to all area student musicians: high, middle, and elementary school ages; public, private or home schooled. Participants are assigned to a chamber music group based upon age and skill level.

Professional musicians that love to teach are selected by SPS to coach each ensemble, and with the assistance of SPS, select music, schedule rehearsals, and work with their chamber music group toward the goal of performing in an annual Apprentice Artists Recital. The coach listens and guides apprentices through the rehearsal process and concert preparation. Unlike the orchestra experience, there is no conductor to follow: The apprentices are in charge of their own music-making.

All rehearsals and performances aim to build positive attitudes, trust, teamwork, cooperation, confidence, and a sense of humor - skills and values that will serve the participants well throughout their education and lives.

Program fees cover:
Music purchase and library service
Coaches fees
Rehearsal and performance space rental
Artistic direction and administration

Participant requirements:
Must be taking private music lessons
Submit a music teacher recommendation
Supply their own instrument and transportation
Commit to the rehearsals as scheduled between the coach and the participants
Respect their coach and fellow participants
Perform in a community outreach concert
Perform in the Young Artists Recital

Emerging Artist Competition
The EAC is designed to be a warm-up competition for performers preparing for national and international competitions. Winners receive a cash prize and performances with the SPS Orchestra. Repertoire is contingent upon programming for the season. The inaugural EAC, a vocal competition scheduled for the autumn 2012, is as follows:

Judges
Area choral conductors and voice teachers

Prizes
Winner: Cash prize and performances with the SPS Orchestra Runner(s)-up: Cash prize

Eligibility
Contestants must be between 18 and 26 during the finals and must be Pennsylvania residents.

Competition and performance repertoire
Mozart - Exultate jubilate, K. 165
Barber - Nashville: Summer 1915, Op. 24

Application requirements
Application form, recommendations, CD, application fee

Other information
Participants perform the works from memory before a panel of judges.
Piano accompaniment required and supplied by participant.
The competition is advertised and open to the public.


Timeline

Season I
Spring 2011 - Organization development
Inaugural chamber series: Introductory recital followed by three in-home concerts (initially for fund raising and board development) sponsored by individuals, starting May 2011.

Season II: 2011-12
Four-concert chamber series
Two programs of orchestra repertoire performed in four communities
Development of Apprentice Artist Chamber Music Program
Development of annual Composer of the Year residency
Development of annual Emerging Artist Competition

Season III: 2012-13
Four- to six-concert chamber series
Two programs of orchestra repertoire performed in four communities
Implementation of Apprentice Artist Chamber Music Program
Appointment of first annual Composer of the Year
Presentation of first annual Emerging Artist Competition


Revenue streams

Musician Chair sponsorships
These sponsorships are a way of contributing to the development of SPS by giving the opportunity to sponsor a specific musician chair for the entire season. The sponsor's name will appear in bold in the concert program centerfold beneath that of the musician's, the sponsored chair and the amount of the sponsorship. In addition, the sponsor's name will be listed in various other places in the program according to level of sponsorship. Sponsorships are for the entire season and are available in specific amounts, listed below in descending order:

Multiple sponsors can be listed for a chair as long as the total contribution is at least the amount for that chair. Although it is the chair that is sponsored for the season, not the musician, the idea is to encourage sponsors to get to know the musician sitting in the chair at post-concert receptions and open rehearsals to which donors and sponsors are invited.

Ticket sales
Traditional at-the-door and advance sales

Advertising sales
Traditional business support

Donations
Traditional business and individual support

Grants
Applications to foundations and other grantors

Event sponsorships
Recitals, concerts, competition, composer residence