* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Costello
A Resolution Entitled
A Council Resolution concerning
title
Request for State Action - Support the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s World Class Status
For the purpose of urging the Maryland General Assembly to restore the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s pre-recession funding levels in order to allow the management and Board of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra to devise a more viable path to ensure the Orchestra’s financial and artistic success, ensuring that it remains a vital cultural and artistic asset for generations to come.
body
Recitals
Whereas, The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra was established as a branch of the Baltimore municipal government in 1916, with a commitment to educational concerts as an early mainstay of its musical programming and community commitment.
Whereas, The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performs over 130 concerts annually, encompassing the greatest symphonic repertoire, in addition to concerts that appeal to broad and diverse audiences, including SuperPops, Family, and Education concerts that serve tens of thousands of elementary school students.
Whereas, The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has achieved international acclaim as among the world’s most important orchestras, has been hailed for its innovative concert formats and uncompromising pursuit of artistic excellence, and has received several Grammy awards and nominations for its recordings and numerous world premieres of 20th and 21st century music.
Whereas, The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is the State of Maryland’s largest and most prominent artistic organization, with a history of performing across the State, has served as an impetus for economic development and trade, and has promoted the interests of the State of Maryland and City of Baltimore during its several international concert tours.
Whereas, The citizens of the State of Maryland funded the creation of a second year-round concert venue for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in Montgomery County - the Music Center at Strathmore - in recognition of its potential to expand its audience and sources of financial support.
Whereas, The State of Maryland funding has not returned to its pre-recession levels, which has contributed to a growing and unsustainable gap in the Orchestra’s annual operating budget and has risked the Orchestra’s viability as a full-time world-class symphony orchestra.
Whereas, The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra requires a world class status to retain and to continue to attract the top-tier musicians it currently employs, to ensure that it continues to represent the State of Maryland and the City of Baltimore as a world-class symphony orchestra.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of Baltimore, that the Baltimore City Council urges the Maryland General Assembly to restore the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s pre-recession funding levels in order to allow the management and Board of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra to devise a more viable path to ensure the Orchestra’s financial and artistic success, ensuring that it remains a vital cultural and artistic asset for generations to come.
And be it further resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Honorable Chairs and Members of the Baltimore City House and Senate Delegations to the Maryland General Assembly, the Chair of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and the Mayor’s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.