Questions asked as Symphonia winds up

Press, 15 July 1980, Page 6

Questions asked as Symphonia winds up

PA Auckland I Winding up the Sym-j phonia of Auckland was not [ merely a formality last even- ■ ing as members of the | Auckland Symphonia Foun- j dation demanded to know: how such a crisis had i occurred. After long discussion, the! meeting voted overwhelm-: ingly to liquidate the' foundation voluntarily, and ■ appointed Mr J. P. Scaletti j as liquidator. Mr Scaletti said that the I foundation clearly was in-; solvent. After having sold everything there would still be a debt of $25,000. For the foundation committee, Mrs Dale Hunter said that the orchestra had been'

i overcommitted for a long itime. • The Symphonia conductor. ; Mr Juan Matteucci. said that ino one person could be held ■ to blame for what had dej rived from a chain of cirI cumstances. i In 1975 it was believed (that the orchestra was ’covered by three organisations — the Arts Council.! • the Broadcasting Corporlation, and local bodies — ; but of these, only the Arts: ' Council had responded with j i the monev expected. : The orchestra's commer-' cial adviser, Mr H. H. Innes.: said the root of the prob-j lem was the lack of a spon-1 sor who ' would annually) guarantee a sum of about, $50,000. . 1 "If the Symphonia carriesi on for the rest of the year,”'

jhe said, "there will be a dejficiency of $172,000. ! “With that knowledge, we are personally liable if we carry on incurring additional debts, or receiving additional funds knowing that ! our position is one of insolvency.”

i An Arts Council represeni tative. Dr M. Volkerling. said Ihe would recommend to the ■ council’s August meeting that : the contractual obligations to - the players, musical director, i administrators. and sub- ! scribers should be covered • with the balance of the grant j permitted for the Symphonia jin the present financial year. ! Another general meeting I will be held on August 13 to ; confirm the decision taken i last evening.