For Immediate Release:

Pine Mountain Music Festival
PO Box 406
Hancock, MI 49930

Date: February 1, 2008

Contact: Mick McKellar, mckellar@pmmf.org, (906) 482-1542

18th Season Finds a Leaner Pine Mountain Music Festival

In 2008, a leaner Pine Mountain Music Festival will celebrate its 18th season. Administrative and programming changes reflect the Festival’s commitment to quality as PMMF becomes leanerto reflect the realities of the economic climate.

The Festival enjoyed a breakeven year in 2006, but other recent years have resulted in deficits.  In 2007 the Festival increased ticket sales and reduced operational and programming costs, but a decline in donations brought another overall deficit for the year.  In response to the persistent financial challenge, the Board of Trustees has taken several major steps: 

• The 2008 season will be simpler, while artistic quality will remain as high as ever.  The season, from June 17 to July 13, will include 29 ticketed events throughout the Central and Western Upper Peninsula, down from 35 last season. 
• Staffing changes will reduce costs.  The positions of Executive Director and Artistic Administrator have been eliminated.
• An all-volunteer team of Board members has been named to manage operations.
• PMMF is mounting a critical campaign among individual supporters, businesses and foundations to raise money and finish 2008 with a healthy financial picture.

Joshua Major, Artistic Director for PMMF, promises a fine season next June and July with performances by such luminaries as the Bergonzi String Quartet (their 14th season with PMMF), guitarist Ana Vidovic (the stunning virtuoso returns), pianist Louis Nagel (all Bach, all night), and organist Sarah Hughes (in her first appearance with PMMF). PMMF's Resident Opera Artists will perform in La tragédie de Carmen, the ever-popular opera by Bizet as adapted by Peter Brook, and in a romantic Richard Rodgers Revue.

Although buffeted by the uncertain economy, PMMF will produce a range of classical music events this summer at its usual high quality level, and plans to finish the year in the black to provide a good platform for future years.