O.C. Chamber Orchestra Cancels Half Its Concerts

Faced with ticket sales that have decreased by more than half and insufficient donations on the eve of its ninth season, the Orange County Chamber Orchestra has canceled three of its six concerts at the Irvine Barclay Theatre and may be in danger of folding, music director Micah Levy said Tuesday.

Originally set to begin Monday, the season now will begin Jan. 13 and will continue March 9 and May 18. Concerts announced for Nov. 4 and April 13 were canceled along with Monday’s.

“We figured we’d cut our losses,” said Levy. “We’re absolutely still intending to do the three remaining programs. But it’s still going to be rough going.”

Asked if the ensemble--one of two chamber orchestras in the county--is in danger of folding, he answered: “I suppose you could say that. But we’re going straight ahead to make things better.”

Levy blamed the recession but said it had been a mistake to book the group into the theater on Monday nights. Mondays, he said, “are just killers.”

The orchestra, founded in 1983 by Levy--a former horn player from Boston--began by offering concerts at Loyola Marymount University in Orange. In 1985, it also started playing Monday nights at the South Coast Repertory theater in Costa Mesa. Last year, Levy moved all the programs into the then-brand-new Irvine Barclay. He later said the move cost him subscribers from the northern section of the county.

Now, he said, his subscriber base has dwindled from more than 500 to about 200 and his budget is about $75,000, down from $100,000.

Over the years, the orchestra has varied in size according to repertory, ranging from as few as 13 members to as many as 40. Known for Levy’s eclectic programming--works from the classical period are often juxtaposed with contemporary pieces--the group regularly has received respectful notices from area critics.

Levy said current subscribers can either receive double the number of tickets this year or can receive credit toward next season.

The county’s other chamber orchestra, the Mozart Camerata, also has faced financial troubles this year but has not canceled any programs.