Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra - At a Glance ABOUT THE ORCHESTRA The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra (JSYM) is one of Florida’s leading orchestras and is among the top 30 to 40 American orchestras in terms of number of performances, operating budget and population served. Founded in 1949, the 2012-13 season marks the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra’s 63rd season. The iconic JSYM brand identity represents the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra as an American orchestra for the 21st century, reaching nearly one-quarter million residents annually on the First Coast and throughout North Florida. Fabio Mechetti has served as music director and principal conductor since 1999. Michael Butterman serves as resident conductor and Michael Krajewski serves as principal pops conductor. The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra consists of 53 full-time and approximately 30 part-time musicians. The all-volunteer Jacksonville Symphony Chorus performs several concerts each season. PERFORMANCE The Jacksonville Symphony’s home is the acoustically superb Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts, built in 1997. Jacoby Symphony Hall is the only true orchestra concert hall in Florida and holds one of the country’s largest concert organs, the Bryan Concert Organ, with 97 ranks and 6,215 pipes. The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra performs more than 100 concerts annually from September through May, offering classical masterpieces, popular entertainment, fully-staged opera and special events. Artistic achievements include performances at Carnegie Hall in 1972 and 1998, annual fully-staged opera productions, the Fresh Ink - Florida Composers Competition, and a commercial recording of Orff ’s Carmina Burana. Throughout its history, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra has performed and collaborated with some of the most renowned artists of our time, including Kathleen Battle, Victor Borge, Duke Ellington, Yo-Yo Ma, Jessye Norman, Luciano Pavarotti, Itzhak Perlman and Mstislav Rostropovich. EDUCATION, COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND VOLUNTEER NETWORK More than 80,000 children benefit from the Jacksonville Symphony’s diverse educational programs, including Young People’s Concerts, Jump Start Strings music instruction, Music Storybooks early childhood literacy program, Symphony Schools partnership and more than 175 ensemble performances in schools, senior centers and community venues. The Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra (JSYO) enrolls 270 young musicians in six ensembles. The JSYO is led by Music Director and Principal Conductor Scott Gregg, along with a roster of professional conductors and J SYM musician instructors. J SYM serves four county school districts and collaborates with numerous organizations. Close to 2,000 music lovers provide essential support through a network of volunteer groups including ARIAS (Amelia Residents In Action for the Symphony), BRASS (Beaches Residents Actively Supporting the Symphony), The Guild of the Jacksonville Symphony, OPUS (young professionals group), Jacksonville Symphony Chorus, Volunteer Ushers and the JSYO Parent Association. ADMINISTRATION The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra is administered by the Jacksonville Symphony Association (JSA), a non-profit cultural and educational organization. The JSA is governed by a 49-member board of directors, comprised of corporate and community leaders, including 12-member executive committee. In addition there are 12 honorary and 12 ex-officio board members. The JSA operates with 18 full-time staff members, 7 part-time associates, and additional stage personnel. FISCAL INTEGRITY Given the economic challenges facing all non-profit organizations, the JSA strives to maintain fiscal integrity with an operating budget of approximately $8.1 million (FY 2011). Funding categories are as follows: Given the economic challenges facing all non-profit organizations, the JSA strives to maintain fiscal integrity with an operating budget of approximately $8.1 million (FY 2011). Funding categories are as follows: Earned income: (approx.) 41%, which is comprised of ticket sales (26%); endowment (8%); performance fees (3%); and educational and miscellaneous revenue (4%).Contributed Income: (approx.) 59%, which is comprised of individual donations (16%); board donations (6%); corporate sponsorships and business contributions (21%); public funds (4%); foundations (2%); and special events and gifts (10%). Revised July 2012
Performance An unparalleled live symphonic experience with captivating guest artists Masterworks Series is the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra’s flagship series. Maestro Mechetti looks forward to sharing great masterpieces in 2012-13, including the great violin concertos of Tchaikovsky and Beethoven, the piano concertos of Brahms, Grieg and Prokofiev, an all-Wagner program, and Britten’s colossal War Requiem. Pops Series is simply Jacksonville’s best in live symphonic entertainment. The 2012-13 season features Neil Sedaka,“I Love a Piano,” “Holiday Pops” and variety from the music of John Denver to Benny Goodman to John Williams. Fusion Series is offers thematic musical evenings, with informal dialogue from the stage with the conductor and guest artists. After the concert, the audience can mingle with musicians, conductor and guest artists in the lobby with live music. Coffee Series includes programs from the Masterworks, Pops and Fusion Series. These one-hour daytime concerts are performed without intermission and patrons arrive early for complimentary coffee and cookies hosted by the Jacksonville Symphony Guild. Family Series introduces children and parents to the joys of music that last a lifetime. Children arrive for pre-concert activities before traveling on a musical journey that engages, entertains and energizes young listeners. Grand Opera has become a Jacksonville Symphony hallmark. The Jacksonville Symphony is unique among American orchestras, with fully-staged annual productions including such masterpieces as Tosca, Carmen, Don Giovanni, La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, La Traviata and Turandot. Special Events add to the variety of offerings while attracting new audiences. The 2012-13 season includes world-renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman, superstar jazz trumpeter Chris Botti, Verdi’s Otello, Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus,“Christmas Classics” and “The Music of Queen.” Tours and Community Concerts offer orchestral performances to residents throughout the First Coast and beyond. Audiences have enjoyed the Jacksonville Symphony at venues such as the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, Maclay Gardens in Tallahassee and Peabody Auditorium in Daytona Beach. Throughout the local community, the Jacksonville Symphony engages in concerts, fundraising events and cultivation activities. Fresh Ink – Florida Composers’ Competition is a biennial symposium which promotes and develops new works by Florida composers and fosters audience appreciation of the creative process. The winning composer receives a commission to produce a new work, which is premiered by the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. Revised July 2012
Education The Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra provides training and performance opportunities for young musicians between the ages of 7 and 22. Comprised of 270 students in six ensemble levels, and led by Music Director and Principal Conductor Scott Gregg, the JSYO has become one of the most comprehensive youth orchestra programs in the Southeast. Ensemble Visits from Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra musicians reach more than 32,000 school children and 3,500 senior citizens. The program features 14 different groups from the core orchestra, performing for schools, low income senior citizen centers and after-school enrichment groups throughout the region. Young People’s Concerts feature themed programs designed for students in grades four and five. Prelude Concerts are designed for students in grades two and three. Teacher guides and audio CDs with musical excerpts are distributed in advance. Performances are in Jacoby Hall and emphasis is made on crosscurricular studies. Musical Storybooks is an early childhood literacy and music program reaching more than 1,000 underserved pre-schoolers. This interactive presentation stimulates the imagination with a story combined with string quartet. Programs are held at local library branches and early childhood development centers. Jump Start Strings, in partnership with Communities In Schools of Jacksonville, offers free after-school instruction to play violin, cello and bass for 120 children at six elementary school enrichment sites for at-risk students. Symphony Schools is a group of eight elementary schools that are receiving intensive artistic support as an effective tool in raising achievement, in partnership with Duval County Public Schools. Instrument Zoo is a project of the Jacksonville Symphony Guild offering children a hands-on opportunity to try out every instrument in the orchestra. For many children, these school visits are a first-time exposure to musical instruments. BRASS (Beaches Residents Actively Supporting the Symphony) and ARIAS (Amelia Residents In Action for the Symphony) also offer Instrument Zoos in their areas. Sound Check – The Sound Check Card is the student pass to the Jacksonville Symphony. For $25, the Sound Check Card offers student access to Masterworks, Fusion and Coffee concerts for an entire season. Parents can attend with their child for $10. Tickets for Teachers are available at half-price to any Masterworks, Fusion or Coffee concert. Revised July 2012
About the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra (JSYM) is one of the leading orchestras in Florida and the Southeast and integral to the quality of life for First Coast residents. Widely recognized for its high artistic quality, the Jacksonville Symphony ranks among the nation’s top 30 to 40 orchestras in terms of number of performances and population served. Founded in 1949, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra has been led by Music Director and Principal Conductor Fabio Mechetti since 1999. Having hosted some of the most renowned artists of the past century, including Isaac Stern, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Marilyn Horne, Luciano Pavarotti, Itzhak Perlman and Mstislav Rostropovich, the Jacksonville Symphony is poised as an American orchestra for the 21st century. The Orchestra’s superior quality and commitment to Florida composers “offered a timely reminder of how much interesting music-making goes on outside what are traditionally regarded as major music centres,” as reported by the Toronto Star. The Orchestra has performed twice at Carnegie Hall and has appeared on American Public Media’s “Performance Today.” As a non-profit cultural and educational organization, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra brings great music to all walks of life. Its programming reflects the diversity of the community with a variety of live symphonic music that is relevant to today’s audience – from the classic masterpieces, to contemporary works, to grand opera and theater, to popular styles. Each season more than 80,000 young people benefit from the Orchestra’s diverse educational opportunities, including concerts, ensemble performances in schools and senior centers, Musical Storybooks early childhood learning, Jump Start Strings after-school violin instruction, Symphony Schools partnership, master classes, and the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra. Beyond the stage, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra is an outstanding community partner, serving four county school districts and collaborating with numerous organizations. Close to 2,000 music lovers provide essential support through a network of volunteer groups including the Guild of the Jacksonville Symphony, the Jacksonville Symphony Chorus, BRASS (Beaches Residents Actively Supporting the Symphony), ARIAS (Amelia Residents In Action for the Symphony), Youth Orchestra parents, and concert ushers. Revised July 2012