Philharmonic finds new concert home in historic downtown building
The San Antonio Philharmonic has entered into a partnership with the Scottish Rite building downtown, which will become the orchestra’s home venue for concerts.
The move was celebrated Thursday morning with a signing ceremony attended by orchestra leadership and musicians, Scottish Rite leadership, Philharmonic donors and members of the media.
Having co-ownership in the building will help solve several issues for the philharmonic going forward, said Executive Director Roberto Treviño, mainly in avoiding substantial rental fees required to rehearse and perform in its other venues, relieving pressure on the orchestra’s bottom line.
An ownership stake in the building will be an investment essentially equivalent to an endowment, he added, which could lessen the strain of annual fundraising.
“If we can create a business model where … we own the venue,” Treviño said, “we can really bring in … some incredible artists, bring in more concerts, make tickets affordable.”
However, co-ownership in the 100-year-old building presents other issues, from needing to bring the building into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards to updating safety features including a sprinkler system.
The cost could ultimately run from $50 million to $100 million, Treviño acknowledged following a ceremony Thursday morning in which he signed a letter of intent with Scottish Rite Chairman Robert Park. The necessary funds would potentially come from a combination of tax credits, fundraising and donors, he said.
Treviño assured that the philharmonic will maintain its administrative headquarters in the Avenida Guadalupe building on the city’s West Side.
‘Crystal clear and warm’
Philharmonic Music Director Jeffrey Kahane said it took only five notes from a violin for him to recognize the exceptional acoustical qualities of the 2,200-seat Scottish Rite Auditorium.
During an earlier tour, several musicians accompanied Philharmonic leadership and played briefly to give a sense of the sound.
“The sound is crystal clear and warm,” Kahane said. “It’s going to be an amazing experience, both for the musicians, but for the public to hear symphonic music here in San Antonio played in this kind of acoustics.”
Modifications will be made to the space, Park said, including the removal of some seating that will reduce overall audience capacity to help with ADA regulations. And the auditorium features a large stage extension beyond the orchestra pit, used in the past for Scottish Rite ceremonial purposes, that might or might not be useful to the Philharmonic.
But the move from First Baptist Church, the philharmonic’s main venue for the past two seasons before incorporating performances at the Majestic Theatre for its third season, will allow the orchestra to expand its repertoire beyond what the church’s smaller stage area could accommodate, Kahane said.
Even as the nonprofit orchestra has been beset by board turmoil and a postponement of its October concerts, Treviño said the philharmonic will need to raise $750,000 for an architectural assessment by July 1 to understand the scope of renovations and modifications required in the new concert space.
Estimated costs for an infrastructure modernization solving key safety issues could run anywhere from $5 million to $10 million, he said. The hope would be to make the building accessible to the public by the start of the 2025-2026 season next fall.
Honoring Masons
When the philharmonic can begin public performances in the space will depend upon a number of factors including building updates, Treviño said. He hopes the space will be ready in time for a spring season performance of a specially-themed concert programmed by Kahane to honor Freemasonry, a fraternal organization with roots dating to Medieval times in which the Scottish Rite organization maintains membership.
Several well-known classic and modern composers were Masons, as members of the organization are known, including Mozart, Jean Sibelius, John Philip Sousa, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, Kahane said, and his program will include their music.
During the signing ceremony, Treviño and Park mentioned that the former San Antonio Symphony — the nonprofit orchestra that became the musician-led San Antonio Philharmonic after its board declared bankruptcy in June 2022 — had once sought a permanent home in the Scottish Rite building.
“We’ve actually been trying to do this since the ’70s. So this has been a long process,” Park said.
While plans are in the works for future concerts, Kahane said, the orchestra will begin rehearsals in the Scottish Rite Auditorium for its upcoming Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at the Majestic, several of which will be open to students and the public.
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