Fort Myers orchestra to shutter, reasons for demise in dispute

The Southwest Florida Symphony in Fort Myers, one of the oldest symphony orchestras in Florida, is closing down after operating for nearly 65 years. 

The symphony, according to a statement from its board, will continue operations through the end of the fiscal year June 30. The reasons behind the shuttering of the symphony, founded in 1961 as a community orchestra consisting of 24 volunteer musicians, when it was called the Fort Myers Symphony, are in dispute: The nonprofit's board cites, among other factors, repeated annual operating deficits and a declining interest in classical music. Officials with the union that represent the musicians, meanwhile, cite “failed leadership” that chose “to shrink rather than innovate" as the reasons for the closure. 

The symphony, according to its public tax filings filed for 2023, had $2.99 million in assets and $1.84 million in revenue in its most recent fiscal year, and posted a loss of about $12,000. In the prior year it had $1.28 million in revenue and a profit of $148,637, the filings show. The symphony generated $417,302 in ticket sales during the fiscal year, the tax documents state, and $861,026 in its budget came from gifts and grants. Another $145,788 came from government grants. The government funding, according to a story on industry website ViolinChannel.com on the closing, is an annual grant that was cut by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office. Symphony officials cite the loss of state funding as well in its statement about the closure.