In February 2009, the Portland Symphony announced that the annual summer concerts would be suspended. Below is a concerned email received from a young fan, and a response from Robert Moody. We believe that Rachel's letter beautifully articulates many of the questions that we have been hearing since our announcement, as well as the deep affection that many people have for these events in communities throughout southern Maine. We are grateful to Rachel and her parents for their permission to reprint her letter in its entirety.

Dear Mr. Moody,

Hi, my name is Rachel L. I am a sixth grader at Cape Elizabeth Middle School. I was wondering why you cut the Cape Elizabeth Pops concert.

It was a great way to get the town of Cape Elizabeth together to have a fun evening of laughter and enjoy the great classical music. I have gone every year of my life and it has always been something to look forward to. The past few years I have been going with my best friend and her family along with mine. While we're there we meet up with some of our other friends and have a ball.

Cape Elizabeth has always been packed the day of the concert. Fort Williams is a mob, everyone trying to get good seats before the concert starts. That shows us that Cape Elizabeth is probably one of your bigger crowds. I find it particularly fun because I play the oboe so I go up to the front and watch the oboes work their magic. One other reason why it is not a good idea to cut it is because it is a great way to introduce younger kids to instruments and music. It also promotes the concerts you do on Tuesday to people who may have never heard of them before. I had a friend whom I saw at the concert a couple years ago. It was her first classical music concert she had ever been to. Now she is playing the trumpet in my school band and loves going to these concerts.

So, I think the overall reason that the concert should stay is that many people the next day are talking and raving about it. I feel it brings happiness to the depressed, and makes people remember that we should never take music for granted. My family has been going to these concerts for years. It has become a great family tradition. My grandfather just passed away this year and classical music was always a huge passion for him. He felt these concerts were giving people the light that he saw. So why take it away from so many people who haven't even experienced the joy that my grandfather experienced every concert?

I hope you will take my email into consideration and think about all the people who will miss this concert in the years to come.

Sincerely,
Rachel L.


Dear Rachel,

You write a beautiful letter, and one that prompted me to want to get back in touch with you just as soon as I could on the subject of our Portland Symphony Orchestra Independence Pops Concerts.

I conducted the concerts last summer; it was my first time to be able to do so. I LOVED the concerts very much, and could feel the wonderful energy coming from each and every audience. (As you know, we performed the program numerous times in towns all around the Portland area). And though I don’t want to say I had a “favorite” concert, I will say that the concert at Ft. Williams might just have been the most magical of them all. Not only for the phenomenal views of the ocean, the lighthouse, and that wonderful huge American flag; but also for the tremendous crowd. You all stayed with us right through the little rain shower that fell about 30 minutes before the concert began, and then the clouds parted and we had a glorious evening!

So I can tell you that I am lamenting not having those concerts this summer just as much as anyone. The problem, unfortunately, is not connected to any of the excellent points you make in your letter. It is simply a matter of finances. The harsh reality the Portland Symphony had to face was that these outdoor concerts, wonderful as they are, actually LOSE money for the orchestra. This is to say, it costs more to put on the concerts (paying for musicians, stage, tent, sound, lighting, and on and on), than the orchestra earns in either ticket sales or sponsorships. And we have made a firm decision this year that we simply can’t put the orchestra in debt any longer. Just as my father has told me since I was about 11 years old, we have to learn to “live within our means.”

So we’re working very hard on ways to save money and produce concerts in the future that are very exciting, but don’t put the orchestra in debt.

Getting Independence Pops back for Portland Symphony is a TOP priority for all of us. I very much hope (though I can’t promise) that we’ll have the outdoor concerts back as early as the summer of 2010. And if not that summer, as soon after as possible.

Thank you again for your email. It is not only extremely well written, it is also quite thought-provoking, and will inspire all of us at the Portland Symphony to work even harder for great live music in Maine!

I am so sorry to hear of your grandfather’s passing, but glad to know he passed on a great love of music to his children and grandchildren. I hope we’ll see you and your family at some of our concerts in Merrill Hall this coming year!

Peace,
Robert Moody
Music Director, Portland Symphony Orchestra