Music: 1,000 Orchestras

The U.S., so often called culturally arid, had ten symphony orchestras in 1900; today it has more than 1,000. More than 100 of them sprouted in the past two years alone. Most are community or college orchestras whose budgets are less than $125,000 a year and whose players earn their livings outside the ranks. The orchestras grew out of a deep and often overlooked cultural need in their communities.

But they are also business organizations, merchandising music, and they must make ends meet or go out of existence.

Making ends meet in managing a symphony...

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