Vollmer Was in the Lead Role, but He Made Diversity the Star : Arts: The departing Philharmonic Society director culled talent from around the world for local performances. Patrons hope his taste for variety survives.

When Erich Vollmer became executive director of the Orange County Philharmonic Society in 1984, the number of visiting orchestras that the organization brought in each year could be counted on one hand, and you’d still have a finger or two left over.

The society, formed in 1954 to support its own orchestra, voted in 1962 to become a presenting organization instead. Essentially, that meant importing the Los Angeles Philharmonic and maybe another orchestra or two for occasional variety.

When Vollmer took over, all that changed. Most of the world’s major orchestras have since been to Orange County, sometimes sharing the stage with established and up-and-coming solo luminaries--many of whom have appeared here in recitals. And all of it has been thanks to the OCPS.

As no one else has brought in such a number and variety of musicians, Vollmer’s departure today to become executive director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra leaves a huge void in local arts leadership, and arts patrons here are wondering whether the diversity that marked the Vollmer years will continue.

And not just in regard to orchestras and soloists.

Vollmer began widening the scope of society presentations as early as 1987, scheduling such non-classical programming as the Avaz International Dance Theatre, jazz clarinetist Woody Herman, the Chieftains (Ireland’s premiere traditional music group) and, most recently, the immensely popular Ballet Folklorico de Mexico (see accompanying box).

“And there are still a lot of areas that we have only dabbled in that are worth exploring,” Vollmer maintained during a recent interview.

Initially, the expanded programming simply was a matter of pragmatism. “The L.A. Phil, for whatever reason, became interested in fewer visits to Orange County than (the orchestra) had been making,” Vollmer recalls. “It simply didn’t have a continuing desire to come here as many times.”

Meanwhile, though, other orchestras began wanting to tour the growing Southern California area. One factor was the opening of the Orange County Performing Arts Center in 1986.

Still, it was the subscribers who forced the issue. Shut out when the society’s first two orchestral series at the new hall sold out immediately, they asked Vollmer to put together a new series at the last minute.

Vollmer picked up the story: “To meet that need, and also because we weren’t able to put together an entire orchestra series, it occurred to us to expand offerings. We thought, ‘Why not expand out presentations beyond orchestras?’ So we pursued a conscious philosophy to broaden our offerings, with a real effort to promote recitals and essentially non-orchestral offerings of high quality.”

He put together the first “International Artists” series which included, in addition to the Warsaw Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, recitals by duo-pianists Katia and Marielle Labeque, soprano Aprile Millo and the Canadian Brass, plus ethnic dance presentations by Avaz and the Karpatok Hungarian Folk Ensemble.

The subscribers were delighted. So was the society’s board, “especially when they saw the new audiences that were coming. We were getting people who had never come to our concerts before.”

Vollmer won’t take all the credit for making these changes. “The board was really willing and encouraging,” he said. “I arrived in a very supportive, stress-free environment. And the volunteers were very supportive, especially when it came to my getting involved in refining the children’s programs.”

Still, when pressed, he ticked off a few of his proudest achievements and happiest memories.

“I’m proud of the scholarship endowment that we started that right now helps support the education of about seven university-aged musicians. That was nothing when I came in. There’s about $140,000 in the endowment right now. We’re getting closer to our goal, which is $200,000.

“We’re scheduled to receive about $1.2 million from the Brophy Charitable Remainder Trust, established in 1988,” he added. “Trouble is, we have to wait until (the year) 2008 to get the money. So this organization has to survive!”

There even has been some improvement, he said, in getting the public and donors to recognize that the society--and not the Performing Arts Center--is the one presenting classical concerts in the building (other than the Pacific Symphony’s concerts, which are offered independently).

“We’ve started seeing our name associated with the presentations on a more or less regular basis,” Vollmer said, “and that has been a big help in setting the public perception straight. But we constantly have to reinforce what our role is with prospective donors,” who still think the center actually presents concerts. In fact, the center is a rental hall.

The Vollmer years haven’t all been totally successful. In 1988, the society joined the center and UC Irvine to co-sponsor a three-week music festival with conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and the Miami-based New World Symphony. Although seen as an artistic success, the festival lost about $300,000.

“I will forever remain frustrated that we weren’t able to have a second go at the summer music festival,” Vollmer said. “Certainly the New World Symphony was willing to try it again. I’m convinced there was a market for that if we had a chance. But my board said simply no way, not after the loss we incurred.”

The society’s recital series at the Irvine Barclay Theatre had to be dropped after two seasons because of insufficient ticket sales. A separate chamber music series, co-sponsored by the society and the Laguna Chamber Music Society, is doing fine. But the failures are “indicative of what I see as an ongoing problem with Orange County audiences,” Vollmer said.

“They only want to go to what they know and what whey recognize. It’s not an adventuresome audience, willing to go sample something that may come with wonderful credentials but which is a name they’ve never heard of.”

Where does the society go from here?

The recession has forced many orchestras to cut back on touring, “so you’re going to find seasons increasingly more difficult to assemble,” Vollmer said.

Meanwhile, he added, fund-raising has become “increasingly competitive among the local organizations,” which is one reason he places so much importance on the public’s understanding the respective roles that the society and the arts center play.

“At the same time,” he continued, “the economy had to do its number, and so for the last 2 1/2 years, besides having to deal with the competition, we are all dealing simply with fewer dollars all around.”

All together, this has created “an economic situation that,” Vollmer said, “we’re not going to bounce out of overnight.

“But that’s not the reason I’m leaving. The reason I’m leaving is that I feel that perhaps it’s time for someone else to put his or her imprimatur on what is happening here. Eight years is a long time. Moving to LACO is part of my professional growth. I think it’s going to be great.”

FO Erich Vollmer: “It’s time for someone else to put his or her imprimatur on what is happening here.”