Palma.25 years of musical history could be lost this year if the Council of Majorca and Palma City Council goes ahead and slashes the Balearic Symphony Orchestra's budget by as much as 32 and 37 percent respectively.
Add to that the Balearic government's ten percent cut in funding and members of the 74-strong orchestra fear it would mark the end of the tight knit community of highly professional musicians from over 24 different countries.
Yesterday's free half an hour concert was just the start of a campaign to save the orchestra which is going to play on until they get some kind of climb down from the local authorities.
The next free concert is going to be on Saturday, March 24 and yesterday, apart from huge banners bearing the slogan Tots amb l´Orquestra Simfònica de Balears, tots amb la cultura (Support the Balearic Symphony Orchestra, support the arts), stickers were being handed out by supporters to the two hundred-plus members of the public who turned out to give their backing to the cause.
People of all ages and nationalities gathered in front of Palma Town Hall to enjoy the concert which features pieces from Bizet's Carmen.
A Facebook campaign under the same slogan has also been launched.
There was some hope for the orchestra because yesterday, the city council and the Council of Majorca were due to meet and decide upon their budgetary cuts for the orchestra this year.
However, that meeting was postponed hopefully it was because of the protest concert.
And, not only is the orchestra being let down financially, its full potential as a marketing and a promotional tool is not being fully recognised either and members of the orchestra are keen to help boost quality tourism during the winter. Yesterday was just the first movement of what the orchestra hopes develops into a successful protest symphony.
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