AURORA —Members of the nonprofit, all-volunteer Aurora Symphony Orchestra give different reasons why attracting a robust audience is such a problem.
Most members agree not enough people are aware that the 38-year-old nonprofit collection of community musicians exists.
“I believe part of the challenge for Aurora is publicity and part of it is making orchestral music more accessible,” said Brad Silverman, a timpani player. “If smaller groups like Aurora had more advertising resources and stronger support … people who enjoy live, orchestral music would no doubt come out.
Whatever the reasons, has been battling decreased budgets, inconsistent performance space and gaps in management and musicians off and on for the last several years.
“Our biggest overall challenge is performance and rehearsal venues; basically having a home, so people know where we are and can depend on that,” said Dwight Taylor, chairman of the Aurora Symphony Orchestra board.
The 2015-16 concert season was the first year the group started practicing and performing at North Middle School at 12095 Montview Blvd. Budget constraints forced the group of about 30 musicians to end previous agreements with Gateway High School and Highpoint Church Aurora near the Southlands Mall, and to nix some Saturday and evening performances.
“Those big differences in location caused a few drop-offs in regular attendees,” Taylor said. “But North Middle has a good size auditorium that allows us to schedule ahead of time and keep to our program. But the lack of performance space … has been and will continue to be a huge problem for us.”
Taylor has been the chairman of the symphony board for the last 10 years. In that time, he said, a lot of things have changed for the better, and also become more tricky. The Aurora Symphony Orchestra was formed in 1978 by Alice Lee Main, the city’s former cultural service manager, and Gloria Olsen, the band’s first conductor. A few years ago, the symphony underwent a two-year process of finding a new conductor when Richard Niezen stepped down after 11 years.
“We selected four or five finalists from that process … and then we ended up selecting Norman Gamboa,” Taylor said. “It’s been good to have Norman. Richard brought the orchestra along in musicianship a ton and it kept progressing, and we’ve begun to pick that up again with this new leadership and new direction.”
He added: “But it’s been a big change, going from one personality to another, and frankly, the orchestra drifted during that process.”
Taylor said that there is a need for musicians in every instrumental category in the symphony. He said the symphony sometimes has to hire professional players to fill out their ensemble for certain shows. Not only are musicians wanted and needed, but he said management officers are also hard to find and pay.
“We’re in the process of replacing the executive director position, and that’s been its own challenge,” Taylor said. “We rely on volunteers, part-time staff and the musicians … but there are a lot of moving pieces to running these shows, and we need someone to manage us.”
But through it all, the shows have gone on. And musicians say they are getting better and better.
“We are still being challenged to become a better sounding orchestra in order to attract larger audiences to hear us play and to attract musicians with more advanced skills to play with us,” Bowen said. “It has been a pleasure … to have played under Richard’s guidance and to be now playing under Norman’s.”
“My experience is a good example how civic orchestras give semi-pro musicians a chance to use musical skills that otherwise would not be utilized,” Silverman said. “Music is a big part of me and I feel fortunate that I can play with the group.”
Megan Mitchell: 303-954-2650, mmitchell@denverpost.com or @Mmitchelldp
Aurora symphony orchestra performance
What: Bohemian Rhapsody, with music from Schubert, David and Balakirev
When: 3 p.m. April 3
Where: North Middle School,12095 Montview Blvd., Aurora
Cost: $20 general admission; students free; discounts for military, seniors
Info: aurorasymphony.org, 303-873-6622 or info@aurorasymphony.org
