Open Call: Delaware Symphony Orchestra seeks new partnerships, outreach

A few Sundays back, I visited Nemours to see the gardens and house of Mr. Alfred I. duPont. When I walked into the Music Room, I was drawn to the Steinway piano and thought that this was quite possibly where it all began for the Delaware Symphony.  The piano and Mr. DuPont’s violin displayed next to it made me think of the small band of friends that started the Tankopanicum Orchestra that ultimately became the DSO.

I’m sure, and know, that the orchestra had its challenges through the years as it developed into the professional group that it is now. Still, I would hope that Mr. duPont and his friends would be pleased with how we have navigated the past decades and what we look to become.

We all now know that the past 19 months have been hard for those of us in the performing arts. Last April, I wrote here about the work we did to keep our ship afloat through the pandemic. We continue to be grateful for the support we have received and the lessons we have learned, and we are excited and optimistic about our return to in person concert in the coming months.  We look forward to seeing you once again!

It is no secret that in addition to COVID, the Delaware Symphony has overcome hurdles in past years.

It is a testament to the efforts of the community, very generous patrons, the musicians of the orchestra, board of directors, staff and Music Director David Amado that the DSO has regained organizational stability and continued to deliver outstanding programs at the highest artistic level. This was no small feat, and the collective efforts are significant.

Now is the time to look ahead.

Long before the pandemic, symphony orchestras across the United States struggled to find the most effective way to connect to the broader public and provide greater access to audiences. 

The Delaware Symphony is no exception, and I knew that this was a challenge when I arrived.

I was fully aware of the need to tackle the past, present, and future all at once. It was a daunting juxtaposition of tasks, but one that I could not ignore.

As an organization, we began to understand that returning to our pre-COVID mode of operation was not the answer, and there was a sense of urgency about the need for a new plan looking ahead. As we began to see that we would successfully survive the past months, we quietly began new strategic planning to shift the focus of the DSO. We soon realized that we must look outward for real success rather than continuing to look inward for sheer survival.

This process has involved a great deal of listening. And while I heard a great deal about the glories and the troubles of the past, I was most interested in hearing about ideas for the future.

It was no surprise to find that the possibilities are endless.

While we certainly will continue to serve our loyal classical music lovers, we must find ways to take our musicians out of the concert hall and into the community. Outdoor concerts, family concerts, and increased outreach activities with new partners in education, healthcare, and social services are all on the table as part of our new strategy. 

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We will also tackle the ongoing challenges of creating a sustainable plan to provide concerts and outreach for audiences in Kent and Sussex counties. All of this will require a good deal of work, extensive planning, patience and funding, but there is no question that it must be a large part of the future of the DSO. 

I’ve read that there is extraordinary strength in the bond among survivors, and like many surviving arts organizations, we have found that we are stronger as an organization following the past months. Our relationships are stronger, and we are enjoying renewed positive and transparent communications among the board, staff, musicians, and our fellow arts colleagues and partners in the community.  This is all an excellent foundation on which we will grow.

I hope that Mr. duPont would be happy with what his Tankopanicum Orchestra has become.

During my visit to Nemours, my guide emphasized that he was a tenacious man, overcoming the loss of family, a partial loss of eyesight, and tragically, his hearing.

I trust that he would appreciate our survival, as well as our tenacity, as we move forward to continue his work.

J.C. Barker is executive editor of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra.