Most Subscribers Unhappy About Departure

Of Pacific Symphony subscribers who have a strong opinion on the matter, a clear majority surveyed by The Times expressed unhappiness about the imminent departure of Keith Clark as the orchestra’s conductor.

Yet few said that his leaving will affect their support for the symphony.

Of 54 subscribers phoned last week, 34 said they were “not glad” Clark was leaving. Four stated that they think he should go. The rest either said they were not aware that he is stepping down or did not have a strong opinion. To the question: “Do you think the matter of Clark’s dismissal was handled well?” 29 of the 54 said “no.” One subscriber answered that question clearly in the affirmative, while others did not feel qualified to comment. Of 41 people who answered the question about whether they would continue to support the orchestra with their patronage despite Clark’s departure, 35 said they would and six said they would not.

The survey, a random sampling from a list of Pacific Symphony subscribers, was conducted by Times employees over the past two weeks to obtain a sense of how Clark’s removal has impressed the ensemble’s most important constituents--regular concert-goers.

The orchestra currently has roughly 5,000 subscribers, said ticket manager Ralph Fisher.

On Feb. 22, the orchestra’s board of directors voted 12 to 11 to terminate Clark’s contract. Clark, who founded the orchestra 10 years ago, then resigned, effective at the end of the 1988-1989 season. Clark has said that he was forced out by several board members and staffers despite general support among subscribers.

But symphony officials have been quoted as saying that a recent telephone campaign raised $140,000 and showed that Clark’s departure had not dampened donors’ generosity. While 38% of subscribers contacted were unsure of their reactions, there was a wide range of opinions of Clark and his leaving.

“I think it may be time for a change,” said Barbara Chilow, 52, a health-care administrator from Newport Beach. “I do like his music-making, but I think that they had at least one or two guest conductors in the last season who did better with the orchestra than he did. . . . I think that when they got to the (Orange County) Performing Arts Center, there was a lot more pressure for a higher level of performance.”

Chilow said she had not followed news reports of Clark’s removal closely enough to have an opinion about how it was handled. She will continue to be an orchestra donor.

Some subscribers spoke effusively of Clark’s musical ability. Elaine Reisch, of Mission Viejo, subscribes to the PSO pops series and said: “He conducts so you can feel the music. He is very exciting.”

Jay Shanor, 47, a classics professor from Irvine who has attended classical concerts, said he was upset by both Clark’s departure and a feeling that it was managed improperly. Yet he also said he would continue to support the orchestra.

“What bothers me is that you get a sense that the people who are managing or controlling the orchestra don’t really care about the music, or are secondarily concerned about the music and are primarily concerned about what it can do for them socially and politically,” Shanor said. “The musicians and everybody else involved in the music become like pawns.”

But Shanor said he will still support the orchestra.

Like Shanor, Jean Shiota, 37, of Irvine, said Clark was particularly strong at children’s concerts. Shiota took her 5-year-old daughter, Katharine. “He was really good with the kids, and I was a little disappointed to hear that he was gone,” Shiota said. Still, many who spoke to The Times were noncommittal. “I think that if Leonard Bernstein were conducting the orchestra, it might be better,” said Denis Retoske, 48, a Costa Mesa attorney who subscribes to the orchestra’s classical series.

“But I think that Leonard Bernstein might be better than a lot of people,” he added. “I don’t know where Clark sits in the hierarchy of conductors. I don’t know whether it is good or bad that he is leaving. I found him able, but I don’t know that I’m the best critic.”

SYMPHONY SURVEY

To see what Pacific Symphony supporters think about Keith Clark’s dismissal, The Times surveyed 54 season ticket holders selected at random from an estimated 5,000 orchestra subscribers. The survey was conduced by Times employees over the past two weeks.

Are you glad Clark is leaving the orchestra? No: 34% Yes: 4% Don’t Konw: 16%

“Do you think the matter of Clark’s dismissal was handled well?” No: 29% Yes: 1% Don’t Konw: 24%

Will Clark’s dimissal affect your support of the orchestra? No: 35% Yes: 6% Don’t Konw: 13%