Honolulu Symphony promises to emerge smarter, leaner

Three months after filing for bankruptcy protection, the management team behind the Honolulu Symphony Society said in early April it has a plan to emerge as a smarter organization with a reduced budget “that Honolulu can afford.” The symphony filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Dec. 18, 2009, saying it was $1 million in debt and lacked funds to keep operations going.

Symphony management is working on a plan to relaunch the organization with a smaller season, or fewer concerts, that “meets the needs of the community” by performing more community outreach and educational programs, while maintaining its core of 63 musicians.

“There is definitely a demand for live symphonic music here,” said Kimberly Miyazawa Frank, chairwoman of the Symphony Society’s board of directors. “But we’re looking at how we can balance that demand with the financial reality of putting on music of that caliber. Our business model has historically been focused only on live concert performances.”