Colorado Symphony Cancels Half Of Its Fall Concerts

DENVER (CBS4) - The Colorado Symphony has canceled half of its fall concerts in an effort to get back onto solid financial ground.

Ten of the 20 concerts that were planned for October and November have been canceled, including part of the Masterworks series and a joint concert with the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance group.

CBS4 Critic at Large Greg Moody reports that the symphony is blaming a faltering economy and a battered budget and says the organization was in need of a decisive action. The plan also calls for yet another pay reduction on the part of the musicians.

"The symphony has also announced that Jerome Kern and his wife Mary Rossick Kern have returned to the board of trustees with the goal of working with managers and musicians to revise the current budget, find a workable business model and try to rediscover a sustainable a future for the symphony," Moody said.

The emergency plan is expected to save hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The orchestra vows to return to a full schedule in December and to stage its annual round of holiday concerts.

Those with tickets for the shows that have been canceled can find refunds at point of purchase. Visit a special section of the Colorado Symphony website for more information and a full list of the canceled concerts.