June 2020

Dear Vermont,

We miss you! We miss coming together in concert halls and beautiful fields to create music and share the magic of live performance. We are grateful to those who have donated their unused tickets, who have made early or extra donations, and who have helped advocate for our state funding. Your support has allowed us to keep staff and musicians employed, enabling us to tap into the new avenues of creativity that are fueling our work. The past few months have been lonely, emotional, and sobering. And yet, thanks to you, we are hopeful. As we navigate the new normal, we’ve asked you to hang in there with us, and you have risen to the occasion.

As “family,” you have no doubt been curious to know how your VSO is faring in this crisis. We were fortunate enough to receive interim funding recently from the grant/loan program known as PPP (Payment Protection Plan) through the Small Business Association. As you may know, the complexities of this stimulus funding have been difficult to navigate for many companies, including orchestras, but we persevered! Our goal has been to keep staff and musicians employed so as not to contribute to unemployment numbers, and thanks to this grant money, that is exactly what we are doing. The majority of what we received is going directly to orchestra musicians to compensate for cancelled services and to help us invent alternative forms of their art. We have a multitude of projects in store which will unfold over the next several weeks, all designed to address the isolation we feel when we are not able to be together.

We are committed to continue our mission of serving communities across the state, and to do everything in our power to deliver music in new and original ways. Stay tuned to our social media, our email updates, and our website for upcoming digital events, as well as notices of live performances—all of which will be FREE. Because now is when we need art more than ever before, to connect and heal and bring joy.

We refuse to go dark and to let this setback quiet your Vermont Symphony Orchestra.  You have been here to help us, and we are here to help you. And when the time comes to gather again, we will do so with renewed vigor and excitement for the magic of live music.

Sincerely,

Your Vermont Symphony Orchestra