Symphony Board President Denies Any Financial Woes

Pacific Symphony board president John Evans Thursday discounted charges, made Tuesday by outgoing music director Keith Clark, that the orchestra is having financial difficulties that threaten its existence.

“I’m not aware of any basis on which (Clark) made those statements,” Evans said. “There have been no major upheavals recently in (the orchestra’s) cash flow.”

In any case, he added, there is no connection between financial matters and recent “artistic discussions” that culminated in the board’s announcement Thursday that Clark has resigned. Those discussions “have been going on for a long time and gathering momentum,” Evans said.

An official at the Orange County musicians union that represents Pacific Symphony players said Thursday that members have not had problems getting paid. “We would be the first to hear about it if musicians weren’t being paid,” said Beverly Reidling, executive assistant to the union’s president.

Tuesday, Clark was asked about the board’s decision against extending his contract with the orchestra and said: “That’s not the real story. The real story is that in the last year we have developed some severe financial difficulties that, frankly, threaten the very existence of this orchestra.” He would not elaborate.