Your violin lessons as a child might not have resulted in Itzhak Perlman-level musical skills, but there are still plenty of ways you can help support the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society and Orchestra. The society recently endured a near-dissolution and subsequent recommitment to youth outreach and live concert seasons. However, it’s still a nonprofit organization that relies on the community for support.
The society sent out a trumpet call for volunteers of every age, income bracket, and skill set. From board members to ushers, the philharmonic needs your help in keeping classical music alive, explained Lynne Garrett, vice president of the board and violinist.
“We need people who are willing to give just a couple of hours here and there,” she said, “and we want to say to people, if they love the symphony and they love music, and they would love to donate to the cause, we would love to have them.”
Currently the philharmonic orchestra performs two concerts, with a few small ensemble concerts for the “Rendezvous” chamber music series. It also supports youth outreach programs, including a performance of Peter and the Wolf, and the interactive music van.
“There’s quite a range [of volunteer opportunities],” Garrett said. “It could be ushering at a concert, it could be selling tickets at a concert, or it could be anything that’s related to promoting concerts, such as any sort of marketing—putting up posters around town.”
Individuals can offer a huge amount of help on the ground at the concerts, Garrett explained, but also in helping local communities become aware of the quality of the orchestra.
“If somebody was already in the position where they had visibility in the community or contacts in the community,” she said, “whether through their own business or where they work, that person could be very valuable to us.”
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Helping the philharmonic isn’t just restricted to individuals as businesses can lend a hand as well. The philharmonic enjoyed the support of a few local businesses that helped make the current season happen.
“Local Copies has been tremendously helpful,” Garrett said. “They give us a discount on printing and give a donation on printing costs every year, which helps us pay for our programs.”
She said Zodiac Aerospace, a large employer in Santa Maria, bought several tickets and raffled them out to their employees at a company presentation, which included a small preview performance for the staff.
“We went into the manufacturing area and did a presentation,” she said. “There were probably 200 people there.”
The philharmonic is hoping to reach out to more of the community in a variety of ways. The biggest example is the spring pops concert, which will feature Café Musique performing their genre-spanning music as well as the orchestra.
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“We want to be a part of the community in every respect for all the people in the community,” Garrett said, “and that includes all generations, all ethnicities, and incomes.”
She also stressed the fact that volunteers of various skill sets are needed, such as people who are good with kids to present the music van program or skilled bakers to create confections for sale at concert receptions.
“It could be helping to organize with the Peter and the Wolf concerts,” she said. “That doesn’t take any particular skill, just being organized and contacting the schools and the principals who we perform for.”
The philharmonic also needs help organizing its music library and designing its website.
“First priority is passion for music, second priority is energy,” Garrett said. “Everyone has something to offer, and if they have passion, we will find something for them.”
Arts Editor Joe Payne might be able to help. Contact him at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jan 9-16, 2014.