For generations of Plymouth’s classical music lovers, the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra and Memorial Hall have been closely linked. Now, the relationship is official.
The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra has been named Orchestra-in-Residence with the Town of Plymouth at Memorial Hall, formalizing a partnership between the 112-year-old orchestra, the town and the historic performance venue at 83 Court St.
The designation was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. Sept. 30, on the steps of Memorial Hall. Town and state officials, musicians, The Phil staff and Music Director and Conductor Steven Karidoyanes were there.
The title is more than ceremonial.
As Orchestra-in-Residence, The Phil will have first right of refusal on available Memorial Hall dates up to 12 months in advance, giving the organization greater certainty when planning its concert seasons, and while booking musicians and guest artists. The orchestra will also receive a reduced rental rate and, perhaps most significantly for its long-term future, have a voice in discussions involving Memorial Hall.
“The Phil has had a long relationship with Memorial Hall and the Town of Plymouth, so in many ways this formalizes a partnership that has been growing for years,” said Kara McEachern, executive director of the orchestra. “As we enter our 111th season, it felt like the right time to recognize that history while also creating a stronger foundation for the future.”
The arrangement could mean the return of some concerts that The Phil had moved from Memorial Hall to other venues. McEachern said the orchestra will continue performing in different spaces as part of its effort to reach audiences throughout the area, but the new agreement makes planning performances at Memorial Hall more predictable.
That stability matters for an independent nonprofit organization that does not own the building where many assume it has always had its home.
Although the orchestra has been associated with Memorial Hall for decades, The Phil and the hall were not previously in formal partnership. Memorial Hall is owned and operated by the Town of Plymouth, while the orchestra is an independent nonprofit.
“I think there has sometimes been an assumption that a formal relationship like this already existed,” McEachern said.
The new designation puts a structure around that relationship.
It also gives The Phil a place in discussions about Memorial Hall and its future, something McEachern considers particularly important because decisions involving the building can directly affect the orchestra, its musicians and audiences.
“We have a long history in that building,” she said. “Having a seat at that table is incredibly important to us.”
For Karidoyanes, who is in his 33rd season leading the orchestra, the announcement brings him back to his first interview for the job in 1993.
He remembers being asked why he wanted to become music director of the Plymouth Philharmonic. His answer then, he said, remains his answer today.
“I could see then as I see now the valued contributions the orchestra brings to the quality of life in our region,” Karidoyanes said.
He compared access to an orchestra with other resources that help create a strong community, including public schools, libraries and health care.
“The orchestra brings access to beauty, inspiration and excitement to the people we serve,” he said. “This is desperately needed nourishment for the soul, and our commitment to this has never wavered.”
In some respects, Karidoyanes said, the official designation is simply catching up with the way he has viewed the orchestra all along.
“I guess I have always considered the Plymouth Philharmonic as the Town’s and Memorial Hall’s orchestra-in-residence,” he said. “This official delineation just puts a nice bow around it.”
The orchestra’s relationship with Plymouth extends beyond its concerts. Education has long been part of its mission, and this season The Phil is bringing its school-based education program back into Plymouth Public Schools.
McEachern does not expect the residency designation itself to immediately change the orchestra’s educational programming. Instead, she sees the strengthened relationship with the town as opening the door to conversations about additional ways to connect children and families with music. Already, several of The Phil’s performances are designated as family-friendly.
And while Memorial Hall is now its official Plymouth home, the orchestra does not intend to retreat inside it.
McEachern said The Phil will continue performing at venues throughout the South Shore while building on its relationship with Memorial Hall. Over the next three to five years, she hopes the partnership evolves to create opportunities beyond what the town or the orchestra has yet envisioned.
For an orchestra well into its second century, the significance of having a home may be as much about the future as the past.
“Being named Orchestra-in-Residence with the Town of Plymouth at Memorial Hall gives that relationship a formal structure, while recognizing The Phil as an important part of the arts and cultural life of Plymouth,” McEachern said. “For an organization that has been part of this community for more than a century, that recognition is incredibly meaningful and gives us a strong foundation for the future.”
For information about the Plymouth Philharmonic or to purchase tickets, go here.
Julia Marie Davis can be reached at julia@plymouthindependent.org.