August 13, 2015

Organization Increased Ticket Sales, Attendance and Fundraising Again in 2014/2015

Nashville, Tenn. (August 13, 2015) – For the second year running, the Nashville Symphony has broken its own record for ticket sales and fundraising in the recently completed 2014/15 concert season.

Ticket sales for the 2014/15 season, which concluded on July 31, totaled $9 million and exceeded sales from the previous season by more than $250,000. Other notable figures:

• The fill rate – the number of tickets sold as measured against sellable inventory – was 79 percent, a 2 percent increase from the previous season. Total attendance for the season was 167,863.
• The Symphony presented 125 concerts last season, up from 120 the previous season.
• 36,340 ticket buyers purchased a total of 174,994 tickets; 18,763, or 51 percent, of those ticket buyers were new patrons.

The organization also raised more than $6.7 million during 2014/15, up 12 percent from the prior season. This increase came from:

• A 39 percent increase in corporate support.
• A 36 percent increase in event revenue from the 2014 Symphony Ball and 2015 Symphony Fashion Show.
• A new Governing Members development initiative has seen 11 percent growth in the number of participating households since it was launched in April.

“We are incredibly proud of the Nashville Symphony’s phenomenal progress, which is truly a testament to our amazing musicians, staff and volunteers, and simply would not be possible without the overwhelming support of the entire Middle Tennessee community,” said Alan D. Valentine, Nashville Symphony president and CEO. “Recent years have seen our organization re-focus and adapt while never losing sight of our role as a leader in Music City’s vibrant culture of music, and I’m confident that those efforts are creating a solid foundation for even greater success and future growth.”

The Symphony performed better than its budget projections for the second consecutive season as well, exceeding expectations by more than $150,000, and remains on track to eliminate its operating deficit within the next two years.

The Nashville Symphony’s 2015/16 season begins with performances of Beethoven’s Ninth on September 10-13, and features more than 120 classical, pops and jazz concerts, as well as special events with Smokey Robinson, Kristin Chenoweth, Don McLean, Burt Bacharach and many more. For a full listing of all 2015/16 performances, please visit: https://www.nashvillesymphony.org/tickets/calendar.