Philharmonic considering deep cuts.

Money troubles forced Tulsa's Philharmonic to cancel three shows last month and now it may cost Tulsa a valuable resource.<br><br>News on Six reporter Ashli Sims found out that an economic slowdown

Sunday, October 13th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Money troubles forced Tulsa's Philharmonic to cancel three shows last month and now it may cost Tulsa a valuable resource.

News on Six reporter Ashli Sims found out that an economic slowdown may silence the music.

Philharmonic managers are now talking about making the only full time orchestra in this region part-time.

Rick Wagner says "Unless Tulsa comes forward to provide the support for the orchestra we will lose them."

Wagner says this isn't the first time Tulsa's philharmonic has been in financial trouble. He played french horn for the orchestra when they declared bankruptcy in 1994.

"At that point I decided that it would probably be best for me at that time to reduce myself to part time status and to get a full-time job in education."

Wagner says if the whole orchestra becomes part-time Tulsa will lose musicians. He says they've lost seven already.

"The longer this discussion stays up in the air more and more musicians will leave."

Philharmonic organizers say they just don't have the money to sustain a full-time orchestra. Ticket sales and contributions fell half-a-million dollars short of the organization's operating costs.

Dr. Gordon Lantz, "We've noticed over the last three years particularly that those are even falling off and that I think is reflected around the country in aging and changing audiences."

So far the music is still playing. The orchestra is rehearsing with Tulsa's opera for its next production, La Boheme.

Wagner says, "There isn't that sort of resource to get nationally recognized musicians into schools that the Tulsa philharmonic provides."

And Wagner says Tulsa's 20-year investment in strings, drums, and winds will be hard to replace.

The Tulsa Philharmonic has not made any decisions regarding the orchestra's full-time status yet. Before they will agree the musicians' union wants an independent audit of the organization's financial status.