We are pleased to provide this update on our previous and upcoming concert seasons, our Board of Directors, and to let you know about our current fundraising goals.

We just completed our best season ever! We presented concerts at the Community Campus in November, March, and May, and we held our annual holiday concert/fundraiser at the Argyros Performing Arts Center in December. Attendance at each of the concerts averaged over 200, and we are humbled and grateful for the generosity of all of our patrons, whose donations continue to be both openhanded and an indispensable component of our financial viability. 

Next season we are again planning our usual suite of four concerts in November, December, March, and May. We have a firm date for our December Holiday concert (Sunday, December 13, at the Argyros Performing Arts Center), while the other three will be confirmed in August.

Each of our concerts entails a large effort by our Board of Directors and our faithful volunteers. Preparation and distribution of posters and publicity pieces help ensure that our audience hears about concerts. Concert programs provide information about the music being played and recognition of our donors. Finding concert sponsors is another critical job; sponsorships help us continue our goal of providing concerts free of charge. Volunteers staff the tables at the door, welcoming our audience and, as of our last concert, offering Wood River Orchestra hats for sale! Finally, we must recognize the musicians (ranging in age from teenagers to octogenarians), who make the music, and Brad Hershey, our Musical Director and Conductor, for providing musical leadership.

As you may be aware, management of WRO is provided by a working Board of Directors. At our Annual Meeting, new officers were elected. Our new president is Richard Inouye; Lynne Heidel moves to Vice President; Robyn Enders has become Treasurer; and Erika Kuhlman will serve as Secretary.

Andy Moffat has primary responsibility for publicity and communications, Erika Kuhlman continues to lead grant writing efforts, and Lynn Flickinger helps with volunteer efforts. Robyn’s move to Treasurer means she steps down as orchestra manager; this role will now be performed by Dede Morris. Many thanks to Lynne Heidel for her tireless work as president; to Barbara Campbell, who recently stepped down from the Board after doing an admirable job as Treasurer; and to Susan Larson, who is currently on a leave of absence from her role as web design liaison.

Expenses for each of our Community Campus concerts average about $3,000, and include purchasing music, facility rental fee, publicity, programs, and hiring outside musicians if needed. We use your donations to cover those costs and other expenses of operating an orchestra, including paying Brad. In addition, we have from time to time extraordinary expenses. We try to cover those expenses through grants if possible. We have established two goals for targeted fundraising this year. First, you may have noticed that the orchestra was a little flat at our Community Campus concerts. This was not an intonation problem; the risers we have used in the past to make woodwind and brass players more visible are no longer available. We hope to purchase some aluminum (lighter!) risers, which we will share with the High School music program. Our second goal is to purchase carts for our timpani (which we also share with the High School music program) to make it easier to transport these large and expensive drums to concerts and reduce the risk of damaging them.

As always, we thank you for your support of the Wood River Orchestra. This is a community-based organization that offers opportunities for musicians to play and perform, and that enhances and celebrates the arts in the Wood River Valley. We look forward to seeing you in the fall for another season of music-making in the mountains.

STAY IN TOUCH

To be the first to hear about our concert and rehearsal schedules as well as other WRO news, please share your email address.