The Orchestra World

Download or read book The Perilous Life of Symphony Orchestras written by Robert J. Flanagan and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2012-01-24 with total page 235 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book analyzes the economic challenges facing symphony orchestras and contrasts the experience of orchestras in the United States (where there is little direct government support) and abroad (where governments typically provide large direct subsidies). Robert J. Flanagan explains the tension between artistic excellence and financial jeopardy that confronts most symphony orchestras. He analyzes three complementary strategies for addressing orchestras' economic challenges—raising performance revenues, slowing the growth of performance expenses, and increasing nonperformance income—and demonstrates that none of the three strategies alone is likely to provide economic security for orchestras.