Edmonton Symphony Orchestra

Late last week, the Edmonton Symphony Society held its Annual General Meeting for 2009, during which Managing Director Annemarie Petrov and Chair of the Board of Directors Steven LePoole reviewed highlights of the Edmonton Symphony’s 2008/2009 fiscal year.  The bottom line?  Good news, with Ms Petrov noting that “while we were faced with many challenges posed by an uncertain economic environment, we have been able to overcome these challenges and for the sixth consecutive year, the ESO has operated within a balanced budget.  We are very pleased to announce a surplus of $23,752.”  Ingredients in the ESO’s success?  Dynamic programming, careful selection of soloists, excellent performances by the orchestra and Music Director Bill Eddins, generous donors and sponsors and a “dramatic increase” in subscription sales resulting from a new 2-for-1 campaign.

For more information about the ESS, or to view their financial statements, you can visit their website here. 

Toronto Symphony Orchestra

The TSO also held its AGM last week, and for the fourth year in a row, the report was a positive one.  Highlights of the season included a sold-out performance at Carnegie Hall, highest-in-TSO-history ticket sales and contributions, extensive education outreach programmes across the province, and a surplus of $29,637 on revenues exceeding $24.3 million.  Some facts noted in the orchestra’s media release:   the Toronto Symphony Orchestra performed 112 concerts for the general public in 2008-2009, selling 244,275 tickets. A further 27 curriculum-based programmes were performed at Roy Thomson Hall for 54,000 students, and musicians of the Orchestra reached 17,250 students with in-school programmes throughout the GTA. The Orchestra performed for an additional 11,600 students in North Bay, Timmins, Moose Factory, Moosonee, Iroquois Falls, and Fort Frances through touring initiatives.