2019/2020
ANNUAL REPORT THOMAS DAUSGAARD MUSIC DIRECTOR
From the President & CEO From there, the Symphony soared into a season that would have been remarkable by any normal standards, including bringing onboard four talented musicians for the orchestra and a new Vice President of Artistic Planning, Raff Wilson.
Dear friends, There is no doubt that the 2019/2020 season will stand out in our organization’s 118-year history. On March 11, 2020 when Washington State first proclaimed a State of Emergency in response to COVID-19, I had to send everyone home, not knowing when we would all be able to return safely. The Seattle Symphony has always represented music’s essential role in our lives and in our community, and in formulating our response to COVID-19, we did just that — albeit in ways we never anticipated. As we reflect on this season, we are proud of all that was accomplished, despite the challenges and uncertainties imposed by a global pandemic. We welcomed new Music Director Thomas Dausgaard, hosted a record-setting Opening Night Concert & Gala, surpassed for the first time 10,000 individual donors in a single season, and launched the groundwork for an online presence that would go on to reach an audience of more than 730,000 and allow for live-streamed concerts in the following year. And we accomplished this all while reconfiguring our financial plan to see us through a forced closure due to the growing COVID-19 pandemic and position us for a return to live shows. START OF A NEW ERA Opening night of the 2019/2020 season marked a new chapter for our Orchestra, as we welcomed Thomas Dausgaard as our Music Director. Bringing with him fresh perspectives and contextualizing established works in surprising ways, Thomas dazzled in his first concert in his new role. In addition to four standing ovations, the audience also gave the Symphony its most successful Opening Night Concert & Gala. At night’s end, a record-setting $2 million was raised. 2 2019/2020 2 2019/2020 ANNUAL ANNUAL REPORT REPORT
Visiting musicians such as Chick Corea, Brandi Carlile, Augustin Hadelich, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Yefim Bronfman and Lang Lang joined our Symphony at Benaroya Hall for numerous sold-out concerts. Octave 9: Raisbeck Music Center, our then newly-established immersive performance venue, presented a series of imaginative performances showcasing its high-tech capabilities. And in collaboration with our numerous community partners, we hosted the 12th annual Celebrate Asia concert, which featured the world premiere of Adeliia Faizullina’s “Tartar Folk Tales.” Just three days later, the announcement came that the state was banning all larger gatherings. For the first time in my life, I interrupted a rehearsal to ask our musicians to go home, not imagining that it would be more than six months before they would be able to return — and then only in a drastically altered fashion. A SEASON REIMAGINED As the entire world retreated to shelter-in-place, our collective solitude offered opportunity for reflection. Drawing from our mission, we knew we needed to innovate in order to unleash the power of music, lift the human spirit, and bring people together — albeit virtually. On March 12 & 14 — days after Washington State effectively closed — we rebroadcast our performance of Mahler’s “Symphony No. 1” on YouTube, conducted by Thomas and originally performed at Benaroya Hall in September 2019. More than 130,000 people around the world — 50 times the capacity of Benaroya Hall — tuned in to this free broadcast for the inspiration and comfort only music can offer. As the shutdown stretched on, our musicians and staff demonstrated remarkable adaptability in their commitment to serving as Seattle’s soundtrack. In the shuttered months, we produced more than 500 minutes of original online programming that included everything from daily performances recorded in our instrumentalists’ homes to virtual music
festivals — all free to anyone who sought solace in music. Especially of note was our Education and Community Engagement Department’s enthusiasm for ensuring that every segment of our community had access to music. As parents nationwide served as their children’s at-home teachers, we offered assistance with fun and popular education department segments, Meet the Instrument and Tiny Clips for Tiny Tots. Additionally, the LinkUp program — where more than 10,000 students typically would come to Benaroya Hall to play and sing with our orchestra — was moved online, as was our Beethoven Festival. This shift from in-person concerts to online experiences resulted in a viewership of more than 730,000 and earned us recognition from such news outlets as CNN, which said, “From one of the localities in America hit hardest by the virus, [the Seattle Symphony] has been at the forefront … [of] expanding the connections [it] shares with its audience,” and Seattle’s Crosscut, which wrote, “The quickest and most impressive musical pivot came courtesy of a 117-year-old institution: the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.” WITH GRATITUDE I continue to be inspired by the supporters who rallied around our efforts to provide music at a time when our industry faced such unparalleled obstacles. Prior to the onset of COVID-19, the Symphony was poised for growth. The pandemic disrupted this plan, and we pivoted to emergency fundraising efforts. Through a combination of increased community support, aid from local and federal grants (such as the Paycheck Protection Program), and organizationwide expense reductions, we were able to end the fiscal year on a balanced budget with a reserve to help mitigate the continued challenges for the following year. Total operating revenue without the Paycheck Protection Program grant of $3.9 million saw a decrease of $3 million or 9%, with earned revenue dropping to $12.6 million or a 35% decrease from the previous year. However, total contributed revenue increased and reached $16.2 million. Operating expenses decreased by $4.8 million or 13% due to the cancellation of concerts and reduced operations. As a result, we showed an operating surplus of $2.5 million, an improvement of $5.7 million from the previous year. In addition, due to higher returns on our invested assets and minimal pension liability change, our overall consolidated fiscal results showed a gain of $1.7 million, an increase of $8.1 million from the previous year.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the more than 10,000 individuals and companies who supported the orchestra during the 2019/2020 season by providing vital funding during unprecedented times. Benaroya Hall is known as one of the finest concert halls in the world. After March 11, 2020 we were unable to welcome people to the Hall for the rest of the season. Due to limited operations, we ended the year with an operating loss of $350 thousand and a total deficit of $3.5 million. The Seattle Symphony Foundation (our independently managed Endowment) contributed $1.3 million to Symphony operations and for the first time contributed to Benaroya Hall operations of $2.9 thousand in 2019/2020. On behalf of the entire organization, I thank you for your steadfast support, which allowed us to deliver on our mission. It is only because of your generosity and dedication that we can continue to make the world a more musical — and therefore more meaningful — place. Sincerely, Krishna Thiagarajan
President & CEO, Seattle Symphony & Benaroya Hall Leslie Jackson Chihuly Chair
2019/2020 ANNUAL REPORT
3
Tiny Tots education concerts
Lang Lang performs with the Seattle Symphony
Community Youth Chorus in rehearsal for the Beethoven Festival
Brandi Carlile performs with the Seattle Symphony
Audiences Served IN-PERSON AUDIENCES
210,000
ONLINE AUDIENCES ONLINE COMMUNITY & EDUCATION AUDIENCES
732,219
166,953
Benaroya Hall hosted over 240 events in the 2019/2020 season from September 2019 to March 2020, including Seattle Symphony events, ticketed performances by local arts organizations, and community and private events of all kinds. The Seattle Symphony hosted over 85 streaming concerts starting in March 2020, including 34 family concerts. The Seattle Symphony hosted over 34 streaming family concerts starting in March 2020.
Financial Results FISCAL YEAR SEPT 2018–AUG 2019 (AUDITED)
FISCAL YEAR SEPT 2019–AUG 2020 (AUDITED)
OPERATING REVENUE (IN THOUSANDS) TICKETS AND FEES RENTAL REVENUE FUNDRAISING FEDERAL COVID RELIEF SEATTLE SYMPHONY FOUNDATION OTHER INCOME AND TRANSFERS TOTAL OPERATING REVENUE
14,635 2,066 12,478 0 1,674 2,435 33,288
10,035 1,279 15,206 3,905 1,719 1,990 34,134
PROGRAM EXPENSES EDUCATION & COMMUNITY PROGRAMS (EXCLUDING MUSICIANS’ COSTS) ADMINISTRATION FUNDRAISING COSTS TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES
29,750 443 3,721 2,494 36,408
25,032 337 3,707 2,510 31,586
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS (in thousands)
(3,120)
2,548
SPECIAL FUNDRAISING DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION ENDOWMENT INVESTMENT RETURN PENSION LIABILITY CHANGE TOTAL NON-OPERATING ACTIVITY
4,298 (3,627) (1,283) (2,674) (3,286)
1,634 (3,750) 1,291 (18) (842)
TOTAL CHANGE IN NET ASSETS (in thousands)
(6,406)
1,706
OPERATING EXPENSES (IN THOUSANDS)
NON-OPERATING ACTIVITY (IN THOUSANDS)
6 2019/2020 ANNUAL REPORT
Total Assets (Consolidated) $140.0 $120.0
$124.5
$126.0 $121.9
$118.0 $116.6
Millions
$100.0
$123.9
$123.3
$119.6
$115.5
$115.7
$80.0 $60.0 $40.0 $20.0 $0.0 2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Total Assets
Total Liabilities and Assets (Consolidated) $140.0 $120.0 $20.9
Millions
$100.0
$25.4 $23.9
$23.1
$92.7
$92.6
2012
2013
$26.4
$28.9
$26.2
$25.3
$28.0
$22.2
$91.6
$93.3
2019
2020
$80.0 $60.0 $97.1
$40.0
$99.1
$99.6
2014
2015
$93.0
$97.7
$98.0
2017
2018
$20.0 $0.0
2011
Net Assets
2016
Liabilities
2019/2020 ANNUAL REPORT
7
Total Change in Net Assets (Consolidated) $8.0 $6.0 $6.5
$4.0
Millions
$4.7
$2.0
$1.7$1.7
$0.6
$0.3
$0.0 ($0.1 )
-$2.0 ($4.4)
-$4.0
($6.2)
-$6.0 -$8.0 2011
($6.4$6.4 )
($6.6)
2011
2012
2012
2013
2013
2014
2015
2014
2015
2018
2017
2016
2017
2016
2018
2019
2020
Operating and Non-operating Change in Net Assets (Consolidated) $12.0 $11.4
$10.0
Millions
$8.0 $7.3
$6.0 $4.0 $2.0
$0.7
$1.7
$1.0
$3.6 $2.5
$0.0 -$2.0 -$4.0
($0.7)
($1.1)
($2.6) ($3.4) ($3.2)
($0.8)
($3.3)
($5.0)
($5.1)
($5.5)
($1.1)
($3.1) ($3.3)
-$6.0 2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Operating 8 2019/2020 ANNUAL REPORT
2016
2017
Non-operating
2018
2019
2020
Total Contributed Revenues (Consolidated) $25.0 $20.0
$3.9
$18.0
Millions
$16.0
$1.9
$9.9
$5.2
$8.1
$14.0
$12.9
$12.0
$5.0
$2.0
$16.2
$2.1
$10.0 $8.0 $6.0 $4.0
$11.1
$9.2
$7.7
$12.5
$11.0
$10.8
$10.6
$10.3
2015
2016
2017
2018
$7.1
$2.0 $0.0
2011
2012
2013
2014
Annual Fund
Campaign
2019
2020
Federal COVID Relief
Earned Revenue (Consolidated) (excludes endowment appropriation) $20.0 $18.0
$19.7 $18.3
$16.0
Millions
$14.0 $12.0
$15.9 $14.3
$14.9
$15.8
$16.1
$19.3
$16.1
$12.6
$10.0 $8.0 $6.0 $4.0 $2.0 $0.0 2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Earned Revenue 2019/2020 ANNUAL REPORT
9
Operating Expenses (Consolidated) $40.0 $35.0 $30.0
Millions
$25.0 $20.0
$28.9
$27.3
$28.2
$30.0
$30.5
$31.3
$32.6
$34.7
$36.4 $31.6
$15.0 $10.0 $5.0 $0.0 2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Operating Expenses
10 2019/2020 ANNUAL REPORT
2017
2018
2019 2020
Seattle Symphony Board of Directors as of July 2021
René Ancinas Chair Paula Boggs Vice Chair, Equity Judith Fong Vice Chair, Audiences & Communities Cheryl Lee Secretary Ben Martz Treasurer & Vice Chair, Finance Dana Reid Vice Chair, Governance Jon Rosen Vice Chair, Development
DESIGNEES Krishna Thiagarajan President & CEO, Seattle Symphony Carla Gifford President, Seattle Symphony Chorale Lynn Morgan President, Seattle Symphony Volunteers Jeffrey Barker Orchestra Representative Zartouhi Dombourian-Eby Orchestra Representative Alexander White Orchestra Representative
DIRECTORS Susan Amini Marco Argenti Susan Coughlin Isiaah Crawford Joe Davy Susan Detweiler Jerry Farley Molly Gabel Mimi Gates Mauricio Gonzalez de la Fuente Lyn Grinstein Michael Hatch Terry Hecker Jean-François Heitz Parul Houlahan Douglas Jackson Leslie Jackson Chihuly Susan Johannsen Ronald Koo Ryo Kubota Paul Leach IHN(Ike) Lee Dorothy Li Kjristine R. Lund Diena Mann Brian J. Marks Scott McCammant Marshal McReal Hisayo Nakajima Nancy Neraas Dick Paul Elisabeth Beers Sandler Jenny Schultz Jim Schwab Chuck Schweizer Lyle Snyder Swil Kanim
CHAIR EMERITA Leslie Jackson Chihuly LIFETIME DIRECTORS Llewelyn G. Pritchard Chair Richard Albrecht Susan Armstrong Bruce Baker Cynthia Bayley Sherry Benaroya Alexandra Brookshire Phyllis Byrdwell Phyllis Campbell Mary Ann Champion Robert Collett David Davis Nancy Evans Dorothy Fluke David Fulton Jean Gardner Ruth Gerberding James Gillick Gerald Grinstein Patty Hall Cathi Hatch Woody Hertzog Steven Hill Ken Hollingsworth Patricia Holmes David Hovind Henry James J. Pierre Loebel Yoshi Minegishi Marilyn Morgan Isa Nelson Laurel Nesholm Marlys Palumbo Sally Phinny James Raisbeck Sue Raschella Jill Ruckelshaus H. Jon Runstad Martin Selig Linda Stevens Patricia Tall-Takacs Marcus Tsutakawa Cyrus Vance, Jr. Karla Waterman Ronald Woodard Arlene Wright
SEATTLE SYMPHONY FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jean-Francois Heitz Chair* Kathleen Wright Vice Chair Muriel Van Housen Secretary Ben Martz Treasurer* René Ancinas* Nancy B. Evans Michael Hatch* Joaquin Hernandez* Ronald Koo* David Tan Rick White Michael Slonski (non-voting, non-director advisor) *SSO-appointed BENAROYA HALL BOARD OF DIRECTORS Leslie Jackson Chihuly Chair Jim Schwab Vice Chair Kjristine Lund Secretary Jim Duncan Treasurer Yao Bailey Dwight Dively Leo van Dorp Jim Duncan Nancy B. Evans Mark Reddington Michael Slonski DESIGNEES Glen Lee City Representative Krishna Thiagarajan President & CEO, Seattle Symphony Zartouhi Dombourian-Eby Musician Representative
2019/2020 ANNUAL REPORT
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Artist in Residence Seth Parker Woods performs in Octave 9: Raisbeck Music Center
Thomas Dausgaard begins his tenure as Music Director
Celebrate Asia festivities
12 2019/2020 ANNUAL REPORT
Seattle Symphony musicians perform at City Hall
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