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Memphis Symphony Orchestra Faces Financial Hurdles

Memphis Symphony board chair Gayle Rose and President and CEO Roland Valliere discuss the financial challenges facing the group.

The Memphis Symphony Orchestra is facing perhaps the biggest financial challenge in its history, ironically coming on the heels of some of the most successful artistic seasons, led by dynamic Music Director Mei-Ann Chen.  MSO President and CEO Roland Valliere and Board Chairman Gayle S. Rose joined me in the studio for a frank and wide-ranging discussion of the current situation, how we got there, and plans to carry on.

I began piano lessons at age 6, trumpet at age 9, and began teaching myself the guitar at 10. My electronics knowledge comes from my father, who had the RCA television and stereo shop in my hometown of Pocahontas, Arkansas for nearly 20 years. My dad is still fixing televisions at age 79.