Council OKs $200,000 for Chamber Music Festival

In a coup for classical music lovers, the city of Ventura agreed to give $200,000 to the Ventura Chamber Music Festival to help it set up its own administration and move toward financial independence.

The council voted 6 to 1 to grant the festival $50,000 annually for the next four years to hire an executive director, produce a classical concert series and raise money for future festivals and events.

Only Councilman Gary Tuttle voted against funding for the festival, voicing budgetary concerns.

Other council members enthusiastically lauded the festival.

“The availability of culture here in our city adds to our quality of life,” said Councilman Jim Friedman.

Under the theme “Early Romantics,” the third Ventura Chamber Music Festival will fill downtown Ventura with the moody, romantic melodies of Brahms, Berlioz, Schumann and Mendelssohn.

The festival will run from May 3-10 and will feature 16 concerts in different venues.

All the venues have not been set, but festival director Ed Elrod says music lovers can expect Tea and Trumpets at the Bella Maggiore, a concert or two at City Hall, and a concert at the Church of Religious Science on Santa Clara Street.

Including the $50,000 contribution, the city will contribute a total of $115,000 to the upcoming festival--about half of the festival’s $250,000 budget.

The council also agreed to a plan that will give less money to the festival each year until it eventually weans itself completely from city contributions.