President's Message

VPO President, Cathy McCashin, welcomes all of you to the 2009/10 season. It is a season full of beauty, passion and energy. The orchestra along with Maestro Jin Zhang, is excited to begin playing music for you, our audience, after a restful and fun summer.

VPO has just received notice from B.C. Gaming that we have been denied the annual grant we have received for over 20 years. This grant comprised almost 50% of our operating expenses. This is dire news for us. We will need your help to complete the season. The Board has met and is trimming the budget drastically. The members will be asked to support a proposal for a 50% raise in fees. After so many years of growth and improvement it seems we have been gutted. We will still provide the heartfelt and great concerts we always do, but we will need extra help from our supporters and members. If you have expertise in financial planning and can help us to weather this problem please know we would welcome your expertise. If you love music as passionately as we do please consider a tax deductible donation to VPO. This government is slashing the arts, let's not let them destroy the arts. There is a silver lining in any cloud; let's improve our teamwork, pull hard together, and help VPO continue its 47 year tradition of growth and high quality, affordable concerts. I can not imagine a world without music. Join us to make sure we do not have to.

Cathy McCashin
Outgoing President – Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra