Napa Valley Opera House Founds New Orchestra

From the :

The Napa Valley Opera House (NVOH), as part of its newly launched classical music series, has formed Orchestra Napa Valley (ONV), a medium-sized regional orchestra based in the Napa Valley.  

“We have listened to our community and are delighted to present a new program designed to fill the void created by the dissolution of the Napa Valley Symphony,” said Bob Almeida, Board Chair of NVOH. 

ONV will be led by Richard Aldag, the former Artistic Director of the Napa Valley Symphony and will operate as a core program of NVOH. Internationally renowned conductor violinist Dmitry Sitkovetsky will serve as Principal Conductor. 

ONV will strive to be the finest regional orchestra in the San Francisco Bay Area, maintaining the highest levels of artistic integrity, preserving the classic repertoire and fostering the ongoing development of contemporary symphonic music.

ONV’s core programming, to launch in Spring 2013, will consist of subscription-series concerts and ultimately seasonal festivals, including Mozart Napa Valley. The program will complement the touring artists presented at NVOH.

NVOH Executive & Artistic Director Peter Williams noted, “during my first year at the Opera House, the call for more classical music has been one of the top requests from patrons. In response to this request, we have developed a newly launched series of classical and chamber presentations featuring such artists as The Kronos Quartet, Cantus and The Vienna Boys’ Choir.” 

In addition to the formation of ONV, the Opera House is also announcing the launch of its Classical Founders’ Society, which, according to Almeida will be “a unique opportunity for enthusiasts to help shape the future of classical music in Napa Valley.” Founders’ Society members will meet with the NVOH artistic director and series curators to provide input to future artists, programs and educational programs, will be entitled to prime seating and personalized ticket service; and be invited to receptions with visiting artists.

For more information about joining the Classical Founders’ Society, please contact NVOH Marketing Director Julie Dalrymple at Julie@nvoh.org or 707.603.2338.

Napa Valley Opera House / Orchestra Napa Valley Questions & Answers

Will the Orchestra fall under the NVOH nonprofit?

• Orchestra Napa Valley (ONV) will be established as a segregated program within the existing Napa Valley Opera House (NVOH) non-profit organization. It has no legal relationship to the former Napa Valley Symphony and no new non-profit is being established. 

How will this orchestra be funded?

• ONV will be funded from donations that are solicited to support the new symphonic program and from ticket sales at concerts.

How can donors be sure their financial support for the orchestra will be earmarked specifically for the orchestra?

• Any donations that are specifically designated for ONV programs will be segregated in restricted accounts and not commingled with other NVOH monies. 

Will the Orchestra fall under the NVOH Board of Directors?

• As a program of NVOH, all activities of ONV will be supervised by the existing Opera House board. The board of NVOH will also be actively recruiting new members who are interested in being involved in the new classical music program, including ONV.

Will any special consideration be provided to previous subscribers of the Napa Valley Symphony?

• NVOH had no connection to the Napa Valley Symphony (NVS) and cannot be responsible for its obligations. However, we will gladly work with former patrons of NVS to assist them in securing seats that are as close as feasible to their prior preferences.

How many shows per year will the Orchestra present?

• In the initial year ONV intends to present two programs; each will feature a Friday night and Sunday afternoon performance. 

What happened to the Symphony's endowment and will that money be used for this new Orchestra? 

• The Symphony's endowment is a separate legal entity, with its own governing board.  The eligibility of ONV for funding will be determined by the board of the endowment.

Source: Napa Valley Opera House