In May 2022, we reported on how
the future of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic orchestra, which was founded in
1932, has
been under threat due to a combination of the passing of its conductor Randall
Craig Fleischer, the decline in audience attendance during the pandemic
closures, the loss of key donors, and contract disagreements between the orchestra
and the board of directors of its host venue, the Bardavon 1869 Opera House in Poughkeepsie.
The orchestra organization recently announced the creation of an online petition to compel the board to commit “to follow through with their offer over 18 months ago for a separation and a transfer of the assets associated with the HVP program…We wish to use the assets to serve the community in continuing the mission of the HVP.”
Based at the historic Bardavon since 1982, the HVP had been performing many concerts each season before the Bardavon took over management of the orchestra in 2000. Since then, the number of concerts each year has been greatly reduced; currently the HVP is only cleared to perform three concerts per season. The HVP organization is presently seeking a separation from the Bardavon organization with the aim of affiliating with another nonprofit organization so as to be able to present more concerts and events.
“We would like to be able to move forward,” says the orchestra’s website. “We are asking the Bardavon Board of Directors and Management to provide a reasonable response to our proposal for a fair separation and transfer of the HVP’s assets. We want to get back to doing what we love and continue serving the community.”
