Changing Lives through Music!
The 2023 National Repertory Orchestra Summer Festival was remarkable in many ways, not least of which was celebrating 30 years in Breckenridge. It was our first “full season” since our 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19. Our 80 musicians provided almost 100 public facing events in 8-weeks, ticket revenues were at an all-time high, and our staff excelled at serving our mission of Changing Lives Through Music!
Our musicians performed some of the most exciting and demanding concerts I have heard as CEO of this great organization. Opening Night stands out as one of those unique and extraordinary concerts. The program included a world-premiere of David Dzubay’s (NRO alum, 1988 and 1989) Ridgeline, the perfect beginning to not only feature one of our most prestigious alumnae, but also to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Riverwalk Center, our home for nearly half our 64-year history.
But even 2023 would prove to be visited by COVID. Unfortunately, we had not one, but two conductors test positive for COVID-19. This caused a great deal of last-minute changes, but our staff was up to the task. Almost
instantaneously, we found exchanges and replacements and both performances went off without a hitch.
This season also saw the return of our Alumni String Quartet, the first week of which returned the NRO to our original home when we were the Blue Jeans Symphony, in Estes Park. The partnership worked extremely well, and we hope to continue this and other “out of town” partnerships in the future.
I continue to be amazed at the level of volunteerism the NRO enjoys for our mission. One of the things that distinguishes the NRO from other organizations is the support we receive from local Summit County residents through our Host Families, weekly dinners, and other Community Link programs. We are grateful to all who give their time, talent, and treasure to make the NRO such a success.
Thank you for another great season!
ABOUT THE NRO
The National Repertory Orchestra is an educational organization. Each year, 80 talented young musicians are selected to take part in the Summer Music Festival where they will learn extensive repertoire alongside mentorship and leadership. The NRO balances the needs of the participants with the needs of the community to create socially-conscious musicians and prepare them for a career in music.
MISSION
The National Repertory Orchestra is a preeminent intensive summer music festival developing diverse, thoughtful, and socially conscious musicians through experiential learning. We inspire young musicians to be great leaders in their communities while Changing Lives Through Music!
David A. DePeters
VISION
Breaking barriers between education, performance, and community to develop 21st century musicians.
Alumni Spotlight
ANNA BLACK, VIOLIN
By the time Anna Black joined the National Repertory Orchestra in 2022, her resume was already stacked. Growing up in Idaho and starting to play the violin at age 7, she branched out into the orchestra scene as soon as she could. She played with the Boise Philharmonic Youth Orchestra as a high schooler and by the time she was halfway through her master’s degree, had played as concertmaster with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Adrian Symphony Orchestra, Brevard Sinfonia, and the McDuffie Center for Strings Ensemble. She graduated from the McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University in 2021 and pursued a graduate degree at the University of Michigan, where she was the principal second violin of the university’s Symphony Orchestra her first year, and concertmaster her second year. She spent a season as assistant concertmaster with the Aspen Festival Orchestra, performed with the Ann Arbor and Lansing Symphony Orchestras and soloed at the Brevard Music Festival Orchestra. But none of this would quite prepare her for the next-level leap she’d take in Breckenridge.
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I had the best people around me to lift me up as a musician and as a person. I made such good friends. The community aspect was incredible. The host families were so loving and kind. I never expected the community to embrace the NRO musicians like they do. ”
Carolina Symphony. “Then I got to the professional orchestral world and realized this is how it is—it gave me such a taste of what that world was like. I won this job with North Carolina right after my summer at NRO, so I hugely credit NRO for this position.”
Upon landing in Breckenridge, floored as she was by the work in store – learning such a long list of repertoire and performing it live multiple times a week – Black thoroughly enjoyed her summer.
“Being around other people so dedicated to their craft – lots of them at higher levels than me – really pushed me to bring my level up,” she says.
Now 25 years old and loving her new role and life in North Carolina, Black finds herself reliving some of her favorite NRO moments. “The Bernstein ‘Symphonic Dances from West Side Story,’ is one of my favorite pieces of music and NRO was my first introduction to it. We just played it here in North Carolina and it took me back. I’m noting that a lot of repertoire we play here I played at NRO.”
Also, the musical advancement wasn’t Black’s only takeaway from her time in Breckenridge.“I had the best people around me to lift me up as a musician and as a person. I made such good friends. The community aspect was incredible. The host families were so loving and kind. I never expected the community to embrace the NRO musicians like they do. There’s something to be said for feeling so valued by a community that you’re only a part of for the summer.”
“It was a little bit shocking how much repertoire we had to do during the summer,” says Black, who is now the Assistant Concertmaster at the North
As for advice for incoming NRO fellows, Black says start practicing early. “Start learning your rep at least a week before the first rehearsal,” she says. “Temper your expectations, because what you expect doesn’t always happen—it’s usually different, and often better. That’s true of social encounters, musical encounters, your career path, your playing, and everything else. This is an industry that throws curveballs. You have to learn to ride the wave. The NRO really helped me do that.”
NET PROMOTER SCORE
“ I cannot say enough of this wonderful program for talented young adults in our county. Please support the NRO and all of their initiatives in every way you can. The work they do makes our community culturally rich through the love and passion for music. ” – ELSA, MOTHER OF SCMLS RECIPIENT
18,000+ PEOPLE ATTENDED FREE AND TICKETED PROGRAMS
23
SUMMIT COUNTY MUSIC LESSON SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS (SCMLS)
259 TOTAL MUSIC LESSON HOURS RECEIVED FOR FREE BECAUSE OF SCMLS
162
VOLUNTEERS TOOK PART IN COMMUNITY LINK PROGRAMS
5,193
TOTAL HOURS VOLUNTEERED
“ For me, this was the most exciting and successful season of my tenure as Music Director … above all, the talent, cohesive spirit, and optimism of our young musicians reaffirmed my belief in their commitment, and in our future. ”
– MICHAEL STERN, MUSIC DIRECTOR
3,022
CHILDREN IMPACTED BY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
1. OUR MISSION REMAINS UNCHANGED
We provide world-class education for our musicians and community. Our level of excellence has never been higher. Funding for Education Programs and free Community Engagement events is at an all-time high. We have a great impact on Summit County youth and young musicians.
2. WE HAVE CASH RESERVES.
Passionate supporters have remembered the NRO in their estate plans. Over the last six years, we have received several bequests that have provided adequate cash reserves.
3. INFLATION IS OUTPACING REVENUE.
Expenses increased by 43%, while revenue grew by 33% between 2019 and 2023. The deficit is attributable to the pandemic, stunning increases in housing costs, and inflationary pressure on employment and concert production costs. Fundraising and grants are at alltime highs BUT not offsetting these rising costs.
4. WE ARE COMMITTED TO BALANCING OUR BUDGET.
The NRO leadership team and Board of Trustees are focused on eliminating the deficit. We are designing a long-term, sustainable model to become budget neutral in 3-4 years.
2019 REVENUE
$1,226,567.61
2023 REVENUE $1,629,378.91
2023 vs. 2019
2019 was the last complete fiscal year before Covid, and therefore the best representation of our financial situation prior to pandemic influence on our operating performance.
FISCAL YEAR CHANGE:
Our fiscal year now ends on October 31, rather than September 30. This change was made to align operations planning, financial planning and reporting more effectively.
Fiscal 2023 is comprised of thirteen months. The accompanying graph compares 2023 to a twelve month 2019.