Wabash Valley Community Foundation Awards THSO Two Generous Grants

The Terre Haute Symphony has been awarded two generous grants from the Wabash Valley Community Foundation! We are grateful and excited to receive funding in support for our virtual content and participate in a matching grant challenge for COVID-19 relief.

Project Grant - The Virtual Symphony

A $16,000 grant has been awarded in support of our proposed project, The Virtual Symphony, that consists of recording concerts, musician profile videos, support for continued Tour of the Orchestra presentations in partnership with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), and beginning a virtual chamber music series of videos through 2021.

Representatives of the THSO accept the Virtual Symphony Project Grant from the WVCF. Pictured from the left: THSO Board Vice President, Barbara Hagerman; Executive Director & Principal Clarinet, Samantha Johnson-Helms; and Principal Flute, Joyce Wilson.

When audiences think of a symphony orchestra, the word virtual is not typically considered. As performing arts organizations struggle to find ways to continue performing and producing their art or music during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual programming is quickly becoming a required element to ensure patron safety while maintaining the organization’s mission and vision. The Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra has made it our top priority to continue providing live music in the safest way possible while also creating engaging virtual content for our patrons. We are strong believers that music has a positive and transformational impact on our community’s quality of life and development.

Below are four (4) virtual programs that will be supported by this grant through 2021 and allow the THSO to expand upon our live performances to encourage a sense of community and continue providing “Great Music! Close to Home” in the Wabash Valley:

• A Tour of the Orchestra - Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) Presentations

  • In partnership with the OLLI program at Indiana State University, the THSO will host at least one presentation a month for OLLI members featuring an instrument from the orchestra demonstrated by a THSO musician. Musicians will present a brief history of the instrument’s development, demonstrate the instrument’s mechanics and acoustics, perform and discuss important orchestral excerpts, and end with a solo piece. Presentations may also include topics related to music history, theory, or development of repertoire. Each presentation will conclude with a question-and-answer session.

• Concert Streaming and/or Recording

  • The THSO will continue to provide live orchestral performances, but we are planning to offer free or low cost streaming options for patrons who still want to experience live music but from the comfort of their home. Season ticket holders will have access to streaming options for free.

• Virtual Chamber Music

  • With limited audience sizes, it has become increasingly challenging to reach a broader audience. We are designing a virtual chamber music series that will feature THSO musicians recording their parts from their own homes and compiling them to create a cohesive video of a small ensemble. The videos from this series would be shared on our social media and YouTube channel for free.

• Musician Profile Videos

  • In addition to virtual chamber music, we plan to highlight several of our musicians in profile videos that feature a solo performance and short interview. Filming will take place at local Terre Haute landmarks or feature other arts organizations in our community. These videos would be shared on our social media and YouTube channel for free and introduce our patrons to our talented musicians in an intimate setting.

COVID-19 Relief Match Grant Challenge

The THSO has been awarded a $10,000 challenge grant from the WVCF. Between April 1, 2021 and September 30, 2021, the THSO will be challenged to raise $20,000 in order to receive the WVCF’s matching grant. The purpose of this matching opportunity is to provide organizations with a tool to assist in fundraising as they seek to recover from the adverse financial effects that the pandemic has had on their organizational budgets.

The THSO has experienced loss of revenue due to cancelled concerts, cancelled Supper at the Symphony events, reduced program advertisement sales, and limited ticket sales for concerts that were able to take place. In Fall 2020, the THSO made the difficult decision to cap our season tickets to 220 so that we could invite all subscribers to a socially distanced in-person concert if able. We normally sell over 600, causing a 65% decrease in season ticket revenue.

Looking Into the Future

We believe live music adds significantly to the quality of life and economic vitality in the Wabash Valley. Its ability to educate our children and to bring beautiful music to the public underscores the value we feel that the arts and music brings to our citizens. We believe a professional symphony orchestra is also an attractive asset that encourages businesses and employees to move to Terre Haute, creating a strong workforce and economy. We are so grateful to the Wabash Valley Community for these grant opportunities that will allow us to keep the music playing during the pandemic and beyond!