Santa Rosa Symphony celebrates a banner year at 2016-2017 season end

The Santa Rosa Symphony recently ended a highly successful 2016-2017 year in its fifth season as resident orchestra of Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center. This fiscal year was a milestone in its 89-year history. New highs were achieved and seeds were sown for future artistic and educational vibrancy, diversity and relevancy within a fiscally sound environment.

Top Organizational highlights in the 2017-2018 fiscal year included:

• Third free community concert reached diverse audience of 4,000 with female mariachi ensemble

• Music Director Bruno Ferrandis conducted entire season of Classical Series

• Search for fifth Music Director resulted in an impressive roster of five highly-experienced candidates

• All Education programs are growing and Summer Music Academy set new records for enrollment

• Funded new music program to reach all 127 elementary schools beginning Fall 2018

• Historic high for donations breaking the $2 million ceiling, accentuated by record level of individual and board giving

• Most successful gala fundraiser in the Symphony’s 13-year history of the tradition, honoring Evert Person

• Endowment fund value exceeds $12 million for the first time

• Fourteenth consecutive year ending the fiscal year in the black

Chair of the Board of Directors Sara Woodfield commented, “The Santa Rosa Symphony’s accomplishments this last season have been steady and prodigious. I am most proud that Music Director Bruno Ferrandis’ last full year was such a success in terms of programing and audience engagement. In addition, I am gratified at the Symphony’s growing role in music education in our community, reaching all age levels, all economic bases and various musical backgrounds, as we continue to bring high quality music to our region.”

SRS President and CEO Alan Silow said, “Key factors in our success have been and will continue to be the artistic excellence of our orchestra performing a repertoire noted for its creativity and audience appeal; an educational program responsive to the needs of our youth; the ongoing commitment and teamwork among staff, volunteers and the Board of Directors; aggressive and targeted marketing and fundraising efforts; and continued monitoring of investments and control of expenditures. In our 90th season, we look to sustain our vision to be one of the leading regional symphony orchestras in America, locally acclaimed and nationally recognized for community engagement, artistic vibrancy and fiscal sustainability.”