Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra Enjoys Renaissance Under New Leadership

Poised to embark on a new season of outstanding classical music events, the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra is enjoying renewed momentum in the form of fiscal vigor, a freshly augmented professional staff, and the growing sense of an organization coming into its own.

The ensemble posted record ticket sales last season en route to its first balanced budget in several years, according to Executive Director Kevin A. Marvin. It has bolstered its administrative ranks as well, in recent weeks hiring both a director of development - also a first in many years - and an executive assistant/outreach program manager. Additionally, the organization launched a redesigned website earlier this summer, and commissioned a new logo last winter.

"There is a feeling here that we've turned a corner of sorts, and that the orchestra is on the cusp of achieving a new level of success and recognition," said Mr. Marvin, who credits the support of SBCO's Board of Directors and Advisory Board, and several area financial institutions, including American Riviera Bank, Montecito Bank and Trust, City National Bank, and Union Bank. "The hard work of our Board and staff is clearly paying off."

According to Mr. Marvin, the orchestra hopes to build on the popularity of its Free Concert Seats for Families program, which enjoyed record participation last season. Entering its seventh season, the program enables students ages 6 to 18 to attend regular- season concerts in the company of their parents/guardians free of charge.

SBCO's new prosperity coincides with the appointment last September of Mr. Marvin, who had been serving as executive director of an arts nonprofit in Denver following a lengthy career in banking. Joining the administrative staff on August 3 were Development Director Leslie Velez and Executive Assistant/Outreach Program Manager Margaret Holsinger. Ms. Velez most recently served as director of individual giving at the Santa Monica Museum of Art, where among other duties she managed annual fund operations, membership services, major gift solicitations, and exclusive donor events. Since 2011, Ms. Holsinger had been serving as an events and office manager at Elite Meetings International in Santa Barbara, where she oversaw logistics and operations for a series of conferences held each year. The latter appointments are detailed in separate news releases.

The Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra will kick off its 2015-16 season at the Lobero Theatre on October 3 with Schumann's Symphony No.4 in D Minor, Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture, and Stravinsky's revolutionary Firebird suite. Preceded by a "Fire & Ice" party, the concert will begin at 7:30 pm. The season will continue with concerts at The Lobero on December 8 (including a lecture by KUSC Executive Producer Gail Eichenthal), March 22, and May 17; a chamber music performance at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History's Fleischmann Auditorium on February 9; and "A Musical Conversation" featuring KUSC host Alan Chapman, SBCO Maestro Heiichiro Ohyama, and select players from the orchestra at the University Club of Santa Barbara on April 5. Complete program information is available at sbco.org/concerts/season.

Subscription and single-ticket sales are underway. Additional details are available at sbco.org/concerts/tickets.

Founded in 1978, the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra is devoted to presenting concerts and programming of exceptional quality, and to fostering engagement with classical music among community members of all ages. The organization's reputation for excellence has long attracted musicians of uncommon achievement. Current and former SBCO musicians perform with the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Opera, Pacific Symphony, and the Santa Barbara Symphony. Acclaimed conductor Heiichiro Ohyama has served as music director of the ensemble since 1982. For more information, visit www.sbco.org.

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