On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... more
On October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty of Potter fans dressed the part for the concert.
lessOn October 13, 2017 at the Majestic Theatre, the San Antonio Symphony performed music from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. A giant high definition screen showed magical moments from the movie. Plenty
... moreBexar County commissioners approved a $350,000 matching-fund contribution to the San Antonio Symphony on Friday after it nearly shut down for the season but cautioned that the orchestra needs to find long-term fixes to its financial woes.
The commissioners voted to provide the cash on a “dollar-for-dollar basis” to the symphony as it raises funds, drawing the bulk of the money from various Tricentennial events, including the county’s “Sueños de Bejar” opera. The court agreed to delay the performance and provide the symphony the $120,000 it had allotted for its performance in the opera.
City leaders talk about how important the San Antonio Symphony is to the city.
Media: Darren Abate, For the Express-NewsThe Symphony Society of San Antonio’s new board chairwoman, Kathleen Vale, said she expects to match the county’s pledge “very soon.” She was unsure exactly how much had been raised by Friday but said “a lot of money has come in” recently.
Additionally, $100,000 is coming from what county manager David Smith described as a general Tricentennial budget, made up of funds the county had not yet committed to specific events. The remaining funds will come out of the budget for a fireworks show, which Smith said would cost “significantly less” than initially expected, and from the cost of a series of public music performances Commissioner Paul Elizondo had considered sponsoring.
County Judge Nelson Wolff said the outpouring of support for the symphony after it was announced that its season would be cut short shows how the public feels about it and why it’s an integral part of San Antonio.
“When (Mayor) Ron (Nirenberg) and I were there that night, the response of the crowd was incredible,” Wolff said. “I’d never seen anything like that before. So maybe this going-dark thing did energize enough people, like a wake-up call.”
During the commissioners’ meeting, Wolff jokingly proposed splitting up City Manager Sheryl Sculley’s salary to pay the musicians. Sculley makes $475,000 a year, while the new symphony contract approved this month established a base pay of $1,120 per week for the orchestra’s 72 players during a 26-week season.
The symphony’s season had been in jeopardy when the board decided Jan. 3 to suspend operations at midnight Jan. 7. Vale, then vice-chairwoman, took over the board the next day after the resignation of Chairwoman Dr. Alice Viroslav and secured new funding pledges to resurrect the symphony for part of its remaining season.
On Jan. 12, the Symphony Society board finalized a contract agreement after reaching terms with the orchestra players, keeping it open for the remainder of its 2017-18 season.
The court’s contribution follows the San Antonio City Council’s move Thursday to approve the remaining $368,400 allocated to the symphony in its 2018 budget, out of $614,000. The city had broken off payments until the current season’s status was decided.
In a discussion about potential funding solutions Friday, Commissioner Tommy Calvert said the symphony and other groups, including Opera San Antonio and Ballet San Antonio, should pay lower rent to the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, where they perform. That might be accomplished if the Tobin Center holds fewer annual performances, Calvert said, noting that the center is “probably producing too many for a market of our income levels and size.”
“They need to be more strategic about the concerts they actually produce and not having half or 40 percent of the seats empty,” Calvert said. “That’s just business. I’m not trying to be spiteful or mean.”
The use agreement between the Tobin Center and the Symphony Society is up for renegotiation in the fall, bassoonist Brian Petkovich noted Friday. Petkovich is secretary and treasurer of the musicians union.
Wolff said the symphony’s lack of an endowment explains why it struggles with funding each year. Part of the solution, Wolff said, should involve finding a way to provide time to build up an endowment.
He also said the symphony needs to broaden its appeal, which would require “clever thinking” about the kind of performances it puts on.
“They really have two different kinds of audiences they need to go for,” Wolff said. “One is the classical people that really understand the symphonic music and the background, have a good ear for the music. And then you have pops (when the orchestra plays popular music) and other things that could broaden the scope of the symphony.”
Jasper Scherer is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | jscherer@express-news.net | @jaspscherer