SYMPHONY’S SALES TEMPO STILL SLOW

Subscription renewals for the Pacific Symphony’s 1987-88 concert season are running about 42% below last year, but the orchestra’s new executive director said Tuesday it is still early in the renewal drive.

Louis G. Spisto said that so far, 58% of last year’s subscribers have purchased tickets for the symphony’s classical music series at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. But he said he hoped that the second and third stages of a three-pronged subscription drive would boost renewals to at least 80%.

“I think we’re in very good shape,” Spisto said Tuesday in a telephone interview from Pittsburgh, where he is director of marketing for the Pittsburgh Symphony until he assumes his local duties on June 15.

“Typically, only 40 to 50% of your first-year subscribers will renew, so we’re already ahead of that,” he said. “We have about 3,200 out of last year’s 5,500 subscribers renewing. . . . And all we’ve done is a direct-mail piece. At this moment, in fact, we’re embarking on (a) tele-marketing campaign on recalcitrant subscribers.”

Spisto said the overall goal is to sell 80% of the house to meet the symphony’s $3.1-million budget. “I think it’s possible to do more than that,” he said.

Spisto said that he is “extremely heartened by the response rate” so far but that he will be watching developments closely over the next several months.

“If we can do 60 to 65% renewal rate and add 2,000 or 3,000 new subscribers, we can be very close to selling out the house,” he said. “If not, then we will assess whether or not we need (another general) tele-marketing campaign.”

John Swartzel, business manager for the orchestra, said the 58% renewal rate is on a par with last year’s “if you factor in the excitement of the Center opening last year,” which resulted in heavy subscriptions.

“Last year at this time we were competely subscribed on one series and 50% on another,” Swartzel said. “But in perspective, I honestly feel it’s the same as last year, if not better.

“I think what happened last year was a phenomenon that won’t be repeated in our lifetime unless we open a new Center.”

Spisto said Pacific Symphony’s budget of $3.1 million makes it “one of the largest regional orchestras in the country.” About $1.9 million is earned income raised from ticket sales; $700,000 comes through fund-raising programs, and the remainder from other services, such as providing orchestral backing for other groups and performers.