CBSO in Peril?

[P. G. Tipps]

The CBSO was founded in 1920 by the city's civic leaders, led by Neville Chamberlain. A Tory politician. Hard to believe. A more enlightened age?

Brilliant!

Btw, in response to the OP, I don't think Mr Fairclough's letter to CBSO members and supporters indicated any sort of immediate financial crisis. In fact, reading between the lines of the management-speak, I sensed pretty much the opposite.

Mr Fairclough was simply reminding them of Government cuts, and the consequent loss of public money, and encouraging them to give as 'generously' as they have done in the past in order for the CBSO to continue to maintain its current healthy position?

[richardfinegold]

I just made my annual CSO donation and got my Beethoven key ring

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I just made my annual CSO donation and got my Beethoven key ring

c minor?

[P. G. Tipps]

I just made my annual CSO donation and got my Beethoven key ring

A perfect example of where organisations which receive taxpayers' money could save on costs (however small) rather than them constantly moaning about Governments/Local Councils (of any hue) doing it?

To be fair to Mr Fairclough he did appear to recognise some realities in this respect, so he deserves credit for at least acknowledging these.

[richardfinegold]

c minor?

It modulates into c Major at the end...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

A pedantic point, but is that actually a modulation (being a mode change rather than a key change)?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

A pedantic point, but is that actually a modulation (being a mode change rather than a key change)?

Shhh!

(A structural Tierce de Picardie.)

[Petrushka]

... in response to the OP, I don't think Mr Fairclough's letter to CBSO members and supporters indicated any sort of immediate financial crisis. In fact, reading between the lines of the management-speak, I sensed pretty much the opposite.

Mr Fairclough was simply reminding them of Government cuts, and the consequent loss of public money, and encouraging them to give as 'generously' as they have done in the past in order for the CBSO to continue to maintain its current healthy position?

This was my reading of the letter as well.

[french frank]

This was my reading of the letter as well.

And as I think was said somewhere, the Lebrecht headline is, at least, misleading, 'Breaking: Mirga’s CBSO suffers 25 percent cut', since it's not the orchestra's income that is being cut by 25%, merely the - very useful but not dramatically so - local authority grant, which one commenter says had represented 14% of the orchestra's total income. So, as I read it, it was 25% of that 14%, with almost 50% of their total annual income being 'earned income'.

[MrGongGong]

What is worrying and often not realised is that funding from some sources is dependent on having funding from local authorities. It does happen that large amounts of support are sometimes "lost" as a result of local funding not being forthcoming.

[P. G. Tipps]

p. g. tipps

What is worrying and often not realised is that funding from some sources is dependent on having funding from local authorities. It does happen that large amounts of support are sometimes "lost" as a result of local funding not being forthcoming.

Certainly that's true in the case of "some" support rather than 'large' support. If the support were that 'large' the organisation would be an unusually privileged one indeed!

Governments and Local Councils have so many cash pressures from all directions that it's unrealistic to consider them as simply a cash-cow for every deserving cause.

Sometimes, it does seem fair that Arts otganisations should look to attract private sponsorship which, of course, they already do.

Without private sponsorship I shudder to think what the state of the Arts might currently be in the UK.

[Anastasius]

It's an ill wind that is blowing everywhere. There is a television show in Germany which exposes instances where taxes are wasted on useless projects (like building half a bridge). ......

Totally agree. One only needs to look at the lunatics running DfID who throw our money away at unknown, unaudited international quangos just so that the tinpot little mandarins can claim that they 'have met their target's and presumably their own individual targets aka bonuses.

Not to mention the indefensible decision to plough £240 million into an airport on an island where the windshear makes landing commercial aircraft well-nigh impossible. Windshera that was known about at the tie of Captain Cook as far as I understand.

[Hornspieler]

Near enough I think.
Received Thurs ...

>>>

Dear CBSO members and supporters

I thought you would want to know that we have just heard that our funding from Birmingham City Council will be cut by 25% – a reduction of £228,000 – from April 2017.

As you will know, we have been working hard for some years to mitigate the impact of expected cuts. The Council had asked us to assume a cut of 36% this year, so 25% – whilst not good – is significantly better than anticipated. I am reproducing below a statement which has been issued today to the press and via our website.

It goes without saying that your support is especially valued at this time. Thanks to the incredible generosity with which so many people have risen to the challenge of maintaining the orchestra’s world-class excellence our fundraised income has risen from £450,000 in 2010-11 to around £1.2 million this year. Your support has enabled us to continue to aim high: without you we could not have appointed Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla as Music Director, and we would not be planning such exciting concerts and educational initiatives for the period up to our centenary in 2020 and beyond.

With thanks

Simon

Simon Fairclough
Director of Development

<<<

A book has just been published entitled "The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra"
It charts the history of the orchestra in Bournemouth, ranging from Dan Godfrey's creation of a Municipal Band in 1893 to the present time.
As my nearest and dearest has promised to give me this volume as a Christmas Present I can't tell you much more about the contents except that it charts the progress of the orchestra from Sir Dan's seaside band through the war years as the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra to the presently established Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (which was created under the Chairmanship of Sir Alan Cobham,(the famous aviator and creator of Flight Refuelling) when Bournemouth Corporation suddenly withdrew their sponsorship'

Members of the Association are representatives from all the towns and cities which have been visited throughout the West Country and all have agreed to contribute funds in line with their frequency of visits by the orchestra .


I cannot tell you more until Christmas Day, but look out for the book, which I believe costs somewhere in the region of £14.00.

BTW The Arts Council of Great Britain also grant money and even Bournemouth Corporation who were embarrassed by the reaction of other City and Town Councils to their withdrawal of support by the ratepayers of Bournemouth have now become contributing members of the Western Authorities Association,

Perhaps the CBSO would benefit from a similar arrangement with all the places that they visit in the West Midlands..

I wish you all a Happy and Healthy Christmas - from myself and from Pamela - the love of my life.

HS

[MrGongGong]

Totally agree. One only needs to look at the lunatics running DfID who throw our money away at unknown, unaudited international quangos just so that the tinpot little mandarins can claim that they 'have met their target's and presumably their own individual targets aka bonuses.

Not to mention the indefensible decision to plough £240 million into an airport on an island where the windshear makes landing commercial aircraft well-nigh impossible. Windshera that was known about at the tie of Captain Cook as far as I understand.

All very interesting
But of no real relevance to the CBSO or it's funding situation

If all one hears are stories of "waste" in relation to public money then those who think we shouldn't have any state funding at all will have succeeded and we will all be much poorer.