New board hopes to revive Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony

There’s new hope for the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, nearly nine months after the organization declared bankruptcy.

At a Zoom meeting Thursday evening, a new board of nine members was elected with a goal of reviving the symphony.

It’s good news for Jung Tsai, a violinist who came to Kitchener when she got a job with the symphony and performed with it for six years, though she says there’s still a long road ahead.

“It’s definitely good news for sure, although it still has some obstacles ahead of us,” Tsai says. “But at least we know it’s in the right direction.”

In September, the symphony abruptly cancelled its upcoming season and declared bankruptcy. The board at that time also resigned.

Government records show the organization reported $916,182 in total liabilities and $273,620 in total assets.

Bill Poole, one of the newly elected board members, says there’s a reason they’re trying to rebuild as opposed to starting something new.

“If we can revive the symphony as it is, it means we could be eligible for Canada Council Grants, Ontario Arts Council grants, whereas as if we started a whole new orchestra, typically you have to wait five years before you could be eligible for operating funding,” Poole says.

The goal is now to come up with a sustainable operating model and business plan that Poole says will likely include numerous performances in different venues.

However, first creditors will have to approve a proposal in which they won’t get any money, given the symphony has none.

“If that’s approved, then that goes forward to a judge, to a court, and the court will decide if this has all been done in an acceptable way,” Poole explains. “And if that comes to pass, then the K-W Symphony as it exists will be ready to start business again.”

Poole, whose resume includes stints at the Shaw Festival, National Ballet of Canada, University of Waterloo and Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery, is feeling positive about what’s ahead.

“I have a great sense of excitement about this with a board of nine people, all of whom want to make a contribution to bringing this back, and so now I see it as a really exciting opportunity for us to do something very special in Kitchener-Waterloo.”

Poole says some of the 52 musicians that were under contract when the symphony shut down have now moved on, but most do want to return.

K-W Symphony violinist Jung Tsai started learning the instrument at age five. (Jeff Pickel/CTV Kitchener)

Tsai is one of them and is prepared for the long haul.

“It’s not just we come back and play. There is going to be a lot of planning behind that. And we have to figure out a direction and just to know what we want and what will work, and that will take a lot of time,” she says.

In the meantime, she says she’s been busy teaching as well as performing with other classical orchestras in Toronto, something she’s enjoyed, other than the commute.

“People just reached out to me, and yeah, I’m lucky.”