NMSO enrolls in payment plan

The New Mexico Symphony Orchestra and Popejoy Hall have put past grievances behind them and are ready to work together to solve the $245,000 debt NMSO owes Popejoy.

Ruth Silva-Hernandez, interim-president of NMSO, and Tom Tkach, director of Popejoy, held a news conference in the Popejoy lobby on Wednesday afternoon.

Tkach said the University is trying to be patient with NMSO.
“It’s more important for us to have a symphony than to just resolve the debt right away and then have no symphony,” he said.

Silva-Hernandez said the symphony orchestra is facing financial problems, but couldn’t give specific numbers at the moment. She said they are working on bringing in other income for the symphony, such as new donors and payment plans.

“I think we’re all struggling,” she said. “The University is a business and has to make ends meet, and I think this economy has been hard on all of us. We just have to learn how to work together … and have no problems working together. And we are working very hard to be here next year and years to come.”

Tkach said NMSO is now on a monthly payment plan to help pay the debt it owes the University.

“The symphony has been very good about a payment plan, where they have been paying back the University weekly, as far as payments,” Tkach said.

Tkach said NMSO and Popejoy are working out how NMSO will pay for the space next season. He said the rental fee for Popejoy Hall is $3,200, which doesn’t cover shuttles and stagehand help.

“We want the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra to succeed,” he said. “We think it’s really important for the state to have a viable symphony orchestra to serve our community for many, many years.”
Silva-Hernandez said the symphony is also restructuring as an organization to try and save money and to work with the University.

“Well (Tkach) is making the adjustments that he needs to make in terms of bringing the shows that will fill his revenue expectations for the University, and we’re also trying to accommodate our dates and try to see how we can fit into a viable model that will fit with the University,” Silva-Hernandez said.

Tkach said Popejoy Hall will not give away NMSO’s performance dates.

“We’re going to work with them no matter what happens,” he said.