Change is always scary. The recent letters to the editor decrying the end of the Mary Green era at the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra proves this adage.
Some people don't like to think of the orchestra without Green because they probably view change as negative. While some are having difficulty imagining the future, the board has a very positive vision and will re-energize the organization at a time when the need is desperate if we are going to succeed in the future.
Today, good management understands that if you are standing still, you are really going backward because all organizations have to be reinventing themselves to stay alive.
This fixation by some on the conductor being solely responsible for our past success is sad. I wonder how the musicians feel about this when they make the music. I wonder how the staff, volunteers and board members feel. They work 12 months a year to assure that we have a viable enterprise.
The concerts have not been selling out, as one of the letters stated. Declining audiences and revenues and higher expenses are issues the board has to deal with constantly. So we should support these individuals who care so much about continuing the institution. They view the entire picture and spend the most time solving the problems to keep the orchestra in business.
Let's not let this current decision cause a collapse like the Charleston orchestra's collapse before a proactive plan is carried out to its fruition.
Liz ClistHilton Head Island
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