Pictured by row — “Phoenix Writers Club: 100 years of creativity and camaraderie” (On the Cover); Café Chat: “A Phoenix tradition: Durant’s Steakhouse” (see Food for Thought); |
“Exhibition showcases student musicians” (see School Days); Pet of the Month: “Beautiful Betty has a heart of gold” (see Community/Pets); “Nash marks 14 years of jazz” (see Arts & Entertainment) |
“Fervor podcast takes deep dive into local music archives” (On the Cover); “North Mountain Park closes Dec. 1 for major overhaul” (see Community)
Just before we went to press with this month’s issue, the news hit that The Phoenix Symphony was postponing the remainder of its 2026-27 season after its scheduled Nov. 1 performance. The symphony’s board cited financial shortfalls stating, “The Symphony does not have the financial resources necessary to continue the season. Despite increased revenues, ticket sales and philanthropic support, ongoing operating deficits have left the organization with substantial financial obligations that make continuing the season untenable.”
This is devastating news for the nearly 80-year-old performing arts organization. Even more so for the 66 full-time musicians who the board said would face layoff on Nov. 2. Hours after the board broke the news, the musicians took to social media expressing their shock and heartbreak at the board’s decision (@phoenixsymphonymusicians).
“Making music at the highest possible level is the life’s work of every musician in The Phoenix Symphony,” they said, adding, “We have dedicated our lives to our craft and want nothing more than to continue to make music for our Phoenix community.”
The news is devastating for audiences as well. If you have never sat in Symphony Hall and felt the power of a full orchestra wash over you, you have missed out. The performing arts offer an escape from a sometimes-harsh world; bring light and beauty to the everyday; offer a shared conversation; promote community and discovery; and they enrich the communities that support them in ways that cannot be measured in dollars and cents.
And music… as Alphonse de Lamartine is quoted as saying, “Music is the literature of the heart; it commences where speech ends.”
How we got here will likely be dissected elsewhere, but The Phoenix Symphony is an institution in crisis. I believe it is worth saving, and the musicians who are the beating heart of the symphony deserve support. Hopefully, the organization can sort through its financial issues. And I hope that residents and those in positions of power will think about what we prioritize, consider how the performing arts enhance our lives and invest in the future of our many arts organizations before they are lost.
We hope that you enjoy our November issue, and until next month, all my best,
Kathryn M. Miller
Editor, North Central News
editor@northcentralnews.net
