Monterey County Symphony

The Monterey County Symphony (MCS), is a 72 member professional orchestra performing a diverse array of classical music for audiences in Carmel and Salinas under the baton of Maestro Max Bragado-Darman. Founded in 1946 the organization reaches 13,000 patrons annually through their seven-date triple-concert performances and a further 1,000 school children who attend youth concerts. As one of only three current Performing Arts grantees in the Bay Area’s southernmost county, MCS contributes to the delivery of high-quality classical music to an audience that would otherwise only be served by fellow grantees including the Carmel Bach Festival and the Santa Cruz Symphony (an hour’s drive north). Though the two-million dollar organization has suffered steep declines in endowment related income, the organization has over 700 individual donors and under the leadership of Joe Truskott is in good fiscal health. An ongoing challenge for the 65 year old symphony has been to diversify its audience, especially to engage audiences from the inland parts of the county and it has recently secured project funding from the Irvine foundation to focus on this issue.

The Monterey County Symphony presents a six-concert season at venues in Carmel and Salinas for 13,000 audience members annually. In late 2010, the Symphony signed a new contract with its music director and conductor, Max Bragado-Darman, and shortly thereafter hired a new executive director. Under this renewed leadership, the organization plans to increase audiences by developing local partnerships and creating distinct programming to engage families in Salinas and tourists in Carmel. The organization offers a high-quality artistic product, but faces significant financial challenges, a result of running operating deficits since 2008. A two-year grant would enable the Symphony’s new leaders to build greater local support and enhance its financial position.

Monterey County Symphony performs a diverse array of classical music for audiences of 13,000 each year. By presenting its six-concert season at venues in Carmel and Salinas, it is one of just a few organizations that provide year-round opportunities for inland Monterey County residents to engage with classical music. Education programs reach 6,000 K-8 students attending more than twenty schools located throughout Monterey County. Renewed funding would enable the organization to continue to present concert performances and education programs, and increase contributed revenue ahead of its seventieth anniversary season in 2015-2016.