Orchestra Drops 2 Dates at OCC; Poor Sales Cited

The South Coast Symphony, which almost went out of business two years ago, is canceling its remaining dates at Orange Coast College, March 16 and April 13, “because of poor ticket sales,” orchestra manager Doreen Hardy said Monday.

However, concerts March 17 and April 14 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre will be held as scheduled, Hardy said. Tickets to the OCC performances will be honored then, she added.

The orchestra canceled a performance at OCC earlier this year, Jan. 19, and canceled or postponed several concerts in 1989 in the face of a $30,000 accumulated deficit and projected costs of $120,000.

Hardy said Monday that the OCC cancellations are “helping to keep the books balanced” but maintained that the orchestra is “not in serious financial trouble.” Performing at OCC was “not fiscally prudent,” she said. “Ticket sales (there) have not proved sufficient to keep the performances running on a cost-effective basis.”

She added that the orchestra just received a $30,000 matching grant from the James Irvine Foundation to establish cash reserves, and “we feel that the grant will stimulate corporate giving.”

The orchestra survived the 1989 crisis by obtaining more private and corporate support and cutting back its management structure, along with canceling and postponing concerts.