A Conversation with Sandi Sigurdson: Conclusion

David Hennessee: During your tenure as Executive Director, was there any controversy?

Sandi Sigurdson: There was some controversy over touring: what it means, why we should do it. In the end, the orchestra musicians were always proud musical ambassadors and our community loved it! The Symphony/Youth Symphony merger required the skilled facilitation of Sharon Young who brought us together. Then there were occasional issues with programming: letters to the editor, comments in reviews, or comments about reviews. But, you know, I love it that we live in a community of music fans who care so much about classical music and know what they want and what they don’t want. And I also love it that the audience is willing to trust Mike’s judgment in programming the classics but also exploring new musical experiences.

DH: in my experience, controversies in arts groups blow over pretty quickly since everyone is primarily focused on the creative process.

SS: Yes, with open communication problems can’t get traction. For example, the symphony has been playing on the Cal Poly campus for many years. The connection to the campus runs deep and many Cal Poly alumni, faculty, staff, and students play in the orchestra. Because Mike has deep respect for conductors like David Arrivee, we have a policy that a qualified student can play in the SLO Symphony and the Cal Poly Orchestra but can’t opt to just play with SLO Symphony. We have the same policy for talented Youth Symphony musicians- they can perform in both groups but their first allegiance must be to the Youth Symphony. If all of us (Cal Poly Orchestra, the Youth Symphony and the Symphony) didn’t make this commitment, then the Symphony would just be scavengers, picking off the best players, and those groups would suffer.

DH: I didn’t know that. What a great idea! It’s a wonderful educational experience for young musicians to play with more mature musicians. But it’s equally valuable for them to take a leadership role in a group of players younger or less accomplished than they are.

SS: We really are blessed to live in an area that has such a strong music community. There’s so much going on, with so many institutions (like Cal Poly and Cuesta College) and individuals (like Clif Swanson) who have fostered a culture of music and music education. Moreover, all the different performing arts cooperate really well. We try not to step on each other’s dates for concerts and fundraisers, and we promote each other’s events. We strive to avoid the idea of competition; the idea is, more music is more music, and everyone wins.

DH: Also, a lot of musicians perform in several different groups. For example, my violist colleague Pat Lamprecht sings with the Vocal Arts Ensemble, and a lot of us play for the Cuesta Master Chorale, for church services, or PCPA, or in various small ensembles… the list goes on.

SS: I can remember a time when Mike was concerned about long lapses of time when the orchestra wouldn’t be rehearsing or performing. Back in the day we’d have a season opening concert in October, then the orchestra might not play together again until February. But with all these other performing opportunities like the ones you mentioned, there are plenty of chances for musicians to keep their chops up. There’s just such a vibrant music scene here.

DH: What have been some of the challenges the symphony has faced over the years?

SS: Let’s see… when I took over as Executive Director, we had a fairly small budget. Then sometime in the late 90s, the tech stocks crashed. Our endowment had been in a growing position, then all of a sudden it wasn’t. So because of that, I was told to trim $50,000 from the budget. Now, that was maybe 20% of the entire budget. As a result of that situation, we initiated some policies that would protect our financial stability. But still, it was a shocking and difficult time. More recently, when the recession hit and the stock market took another dive, the staff and orchestra took pay cuts. But having gone through the earlier crisis, Mike and I had hope. We knew we were on the downside of a cycle, that the economy would come back, and it was our job was to hold on until it did.

Oye! Then there was the 2001 tour to Carnegie Hall and Washington, DC. A week before we left for New York, I got a call telling me that the World Trade Organization would be meeting in DC two blocks from where we were going to play, I think they were actually meeting at the Watergate. The DC police were expecting mobs of protesters, and if they got out of hand, the police planned to shut down all traffic in ten-block radius. That area included Lisner Auditorium on the campus of George Washington University- the Auditorium where the SLO Symphony was scheduled to play! I told the President of the Symphony Board of Directors about this possibility, but I didn’t tell Mike or the orchestra, so as not to worry them. Instead, I arranged for another venue, busses to get us there, and marketing to promote the change in venue. Our performance went on as originally planned, but the whole time we were in New York, I held my breath.

DH: that’s quite a story. From my perspective in the orchestra, there’s so much that the staff does behind the scenes that I don’t know about; I just sort of take it granted. It’s as if season brochures, programs, and paychecks just magically appear.

SS: And for the staff, the music just seems magically to happen. It’s a sign that the relationship between artists and staff is working well when we can have the luxury of taking each other for granted.

DH: Do any other challenging situations come to mind?

SS: Well the Tour Down Under was “artistically fantastic” as we sometimes say when we’re looking on the bright side and bummed about a lack of butts in the bleachers. In preparation for the Australia tour, we did lots of research, advance marketing, we talked to the communities there, we connected with the local symphonies. Even so, there was poor attendance at many of the concerts. That was heartbreaking for everyone.

DH: Why do you think that was?

SS: I’m not really sure. We tried to figure it out -- we have a three-inch thick book of marketing samples from the tour: flyers, posters, magazine tear sheets, news ads and news stories. It’s a different country; there may have been some hubris on our part. Thank heavens that at the Sydney Opera House, we were part of a festival, and that was well attended. That was amazing, to play at this famous hall on the other side of the world.

DH: Do any memories of your fifteen years with the symphony really stand out?

SS: In all our talks, I haven’t said enough about the Board of Directors. Those guys are willing to sweat blood for the orchestra. Year in an year out they show up for myriad meetings, strategize improvements to the organization, listen to Mike’s artistic guidance, and give generously of their time, talent and treasure because they love the art and they love the San Luis Obispo Symphony. Unsung heroes indeed.

But there is this memory that will always stay with me. Several years ago, I was attending the Friday rehearsal before the Saturday opening night concert. One of my daughters was very sick and would have to miss opening night for the first time. The orchestra was going to rehearse Elgar’s “Enigma Variations,” one of my favorite pieces. Mike thought he might just do sections of it, but then wound up playing the whole thing. I sat alone in the hall, listening to the Elgar, filled with worry about my daughter. As I listened, I looked from to face to face at the musicians onstage. There was Martha Uhey, who had taught my kids in school. There was Pam Dassenko who’d watched my daughter grow and loved and encouraged her. There was Ginette Reitz, who was my son’s violin teacher. There was Dr. Jim McKinney, who gave us advice on our daughter’s health. There was Randy Garacci, who always gave me hugs. There was Barbara Hoff, who had lost her son and knew that terrible grief. There was Jane Swanson, who reassured me all would be well. There was Mike, the first person I had called when I knew just how precarious my darling’s situation was. As I listened to Elgar’s earnest, profound music, I thought about the personal experiences I’d had with every musician on that stage. I reflected on what I’d gained. I was alone in the dark, but somehow I was sustained. In those terrifying moments before my daughter got better, I was reaching out for hope, and I got it from “the little orchestra that could.”