Today we’d like to introduce you to Lori Oakes-Coyne.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Lori. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I first encountered MSO as a singer in a compilation concert between MSO and The A Cappella Singers. I was enchanted by the orchestra. Having not played since I was in college, but having been fairly serious back then, I decided to brush off my instrument and start practicing again, and eventually auditioned. I was pretty rusty, but the Maestro, Dr. Peter Cokkinias, agreed to let me be a sub (substitute, as needed player). I didn’t know what that meant, so started coming to rehearsals and just played along as a doubler on second clarinet. It was HARD and FRUSTRATING, but I kept coming back because I loved the feeling of getting lost in the music again, Orchestra was really different for me, as I’d always played in concert bands, so I had a lot to learn about string instruments and orchestral music. I am still learning, for sure!
It turned out that our second clarinetist, my wonderful colleague Jenny Connors, is so multi-talented that she started pinch-hitting on other instruments where needed (bassoon, oboe, flute, saxophone), which opened up the opportunity for me to start playing “for real” as second clarinet. I’ve been in that position for about 6 years or so. Somewhere in there, I took on the role of woodwinds section leader, where I recruited for players and helped coordinate and communicate among members. Eventually this led to taking on the Personnel manager role on the Board of Directors. While I then took some time off the board, I came back as the President in 2017, when the group was in survival mode. I wanted to help get things back on track, so here I am.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As with most art-based non-profit organizations, especially classical music orchestras, we struggle primarily with finances and attracting an audience. This is a semi-professional organization, with some paid professional players and a professional director, so it COSTS us thousands of dollars in salaries alone to put on a concert. Our expense budget for any given year is over $25K, and that’s a LOT of money to come up with every year. Honestly, this is the challenge that underpins most any other issue we have. We also struggle with growing our audience beyond friends and family – does anyone listen to classical music anymore?
One other challenge has been not really having a clear home base. We’ve wandered over the years around the metrowest, rehearsing and performing in any number of towns. Other similar MA orchestras have an identity tied in with a particular hometown, like the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, or the Reading Symphony, or Newton Symphony, or Lexington Symphony. With MSO based in a broader region (Boston Metrowest), we didn’t have a home venue or a hometown, which made it hard to get clear support from cultural councils and local businesses.
We hit a pivotal moment in the fall of 2017 where we realized we had no money, couldn’t afford rehearsal or concert space, had hardly any board members, and we were barely breathing – it was a sea change moment where we had to decide whether to let the organization dissolve, or to pick ourselves up by our bootstraps and make it work. That’s when I volunteered as President – I wanted to keep this wonderful organization alive, and help it to thrive once again.
The first thing I did as President was to help establish a connection with the Natick schools (I HAPPEN to live in Natick) – I reached out to school and District leadership asking about partnering, hoping for a discounted venue – and it became so much more! Natick schools needed opportunities for their string students (they don’t have a string program), and MSO needed a home. Now, we’ve established a wonderful partnership with the schools – we rehearse and perform at Natick High School, and offer both string and non-string student musicians the opportunity to participate in our orchestra. We’ve had two successful concerts integrating Natick students, and we hope to have many more. Next year we have 4 concerts planned- a Halloween theme in October, a Holiday concert including student singers in December, a Celtic themed concert in March, and a Young Artist concert in April which will feature the winner of our Young Artist Competition.
This new relationship with Natick schools is MSO’s lifeline, giving us a financial break, a strong mission, and a community. I’m very proud of the part I’ve played to facilitate this relationship, and look forward to seeing it grow.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Metrowest Symphony Orchestra – what should we know?
The MSO is a non-profit semi-professional community orchestra that has existed for approximately forty years. We perform a diverse range of orchestral music from sacred to secular, show music to contemporary, and frequently collaborate with other local artists including choral groups, dance studios, and soloists. We are a mix of professional musicians, music teachers, students, and amateur musicians. Since 1979, the MSO has been led by Dr. Peter Cokkinias, a professor at Berklee College of Music and a busy professional musician.
I and MSO our proud of our recent partnership with the Natick Public Schools. This partnership allows MSO to offer NHS student musicians the opportunity to participate in our rehearsals and concerts. This alliance augments Natick schools’ music offerings by providing new and unique learning opportunities for students, and enriches MSO’s membership and outreach mission.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Not sure if this means for me personally or the group, so I will answer both ways.
I work in corporate business, in consulting, so I try to view the running of MSO like a business. I am action-oriented, and results-oriented, so I think that helps to get things done.
For the group, I think we try to strike a good balance musically between popular/recognizable music and traditional classical music.
Pricing:
- Tickets to MSO concerts typically cost between $10-$20. So inexpensive and we play the same notes a the BSO!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.metrowestsymphony.org
- Phone: 508-641-4961
- Email: info@metrowestsymphony.org
- Instagram: @metrowest_symphony
- Facebook: https://business.facebook.com/msosymphony/
- Twitter: @msosymphony
Image Credit:
Bob Marotta, The Proper Exposure
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