Perspectivesfrom the Executive Director May 2015 To everyone hearing The Cleveland Orchestra at this weekend’s concerts: thank you. Each year’s success is built on the efforts of many. In the final weeks of the Severance Hall season, we are preparing to close the books on another great year. Many of you attending are also generous in supporting the Orchestra financially through the Annual Fund. Your support fuels the Orchestra’s ongoing success, excellence, and community programs: More music for more people. The Cleveland Orchestra has made this a mantra and an engine propelling us forward each season. We are engaging more deeply with music lovers across Northeast Ohio, from our homebase at Severance Hall, to our summer home at Blossom, and many places beyond and in between. We have added opera and ballet to the annual schedule. We are stepping off the stage into coffee shops, restaurants, and churches through our neighborhood residency program and community engagement activities, creating untold enthusiasm at the grassroots level. Innovation and engagement. We are welcoming tens of thousands of young people to Orchestra concerts each season. We are expanding our reach into local schools, performing in auditoriums and classrooms and bringing students of all ages into Severance Hall for a variety of education programs. From innovative opera productions to new series — like Summers@Severance — we are exploring new and better ways of showcasing the world’s best music. We have established fruitful and rewarding residencies in Miami, Vienna, New York, and at Indiana University, building on our reputation for excellence and innovation. Measurable success. Alongside producing musical experiences of the highest quality, we are achieving new levels of success across all aspects of our operations. With ticket sales at 10-year highs and record philanthropic support from thousands of donors, we have balanced the budget for three consecutive years. This period of renewal and transformation for the future is built on our long-held tradition of excellence in everything we do, and is earning The Cleveland Orchestra recognition among our peers as a leader in what it means to be an orchestra in the 21st century. The Cleveland Orchestra’s success is the result of concentrated effort by everyone involved — on and off the stage. This institution’s greatest asset has always been the vision, dedication, and support of the people of Northeast Ohio. As the fiscal year comes to a close on June 30, we invite you to consider your own investment in sustaining The Cleveland Orchestra’s trademark musical excellence and ongoing service to this region. Please make your Annual Fund commitment today, and be counted among the thousands of supporters who enable this Orchestra to serve the people of Northeast Ohio with quality musical experiences, community presentations, and education programs.
Gary Hanson
Severance Hall 2014-15
From the Executive Director
7