The Honolulu Symphony's current financial problem raises a question that's often debated here and across the nation: How much should government help the arts?

The recent announcement that the orchestra won't be able to meet its December payroll shone a harsh spotlight on this issue.

People of differing political philosophies may disagree, but there is at least one compelling reason for Hawai'i's city and state governments to make a sustained commitment to the symphony.

Geography.

If the symphony were to shut down and its musicians pack up and leave town, residents would be forced to travel not to the next city or across the state, but thousands of miles to enjoy professional symphonic music. That means most people would lose the opportunity altogether.

And while university-level and other amateur orchestras would remain, it's the full-time professional musicians who draw famous guest artists — the Sarah Changs and Diana Kralls of the music world — to play in Honolulu.

Does this city really want to become a cultural backwater?

Even more important, it's the professional symphony musicians who live here and supplement their income by giving private lessons to budding musicians: our children.

The symphony also provides outreach to schools, in the form of its Youth Concerts and other educational programs. Given the struggles of our schools to maintain a vibrant program in music and the arts for the keiki, further limiting their opportunities would be an appalling option.

MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS

Over the years, symphony management has been spotty, and the organization has to take responsibility for at least a share of its problems.

One example: By now, the symphony should have made a better good-faith effort to match the funds in the $4 million endowment grant approved by the state Legislature in 2006.

On this issue, there's plenty of fault to go around. Lawmakers did not make it apparent in the legislation that the interest and capital gains on the appropriation should go to the symphony while the endowment is being matched.

The Lingle administration is interpreting the law to mean that interest and gains should revert to the general fund in the meantime; state Rep. Marcus Oshiro, one of the bill's sponsors, said that was not the intent. Last spring, lawmakers gave the symphony until June 2009 to match the principal with cash and pledges; the interest issue should have been clarified at the same time.

Now both sides should meet in the middle: The administration should ensure that interest revenue will benefit the symphony, and orchestra managers must step up their fundraising campaign expressly to match the grant.

CREATIVE SOLUTIONS

The struggles of symphony orchestras, which globally must compete with myriad changes in cultural and entertainment options, are not unique to Hawai'i. The Symphony Orchestra Institute (www.soi.org), based in Illinois, has taken various scholarly looks at ways symphonies can become more sustainable and relevant to their communities.

In one such study, business and music scholars Robert M. Spich and Robert M. Sylvester suggest that symphony organizations need to evolve with out-of-the-box thinking that weave more varied musical programs, presented through newer media, into the mix. Also, umbrella organizations in which compatible arts groups share some resources, are worth considering in some communities, they wrote.

Honolulu's arts community could look for mutual support systems like this.

'LION KING' FALLOUT

As for the more short-term survival proposition: The symphony indeed suffered from being displaced from the Neal Blaisdell Center by "The Lion King" for several months.

Over the past decade or so, the city has given grants-in-aid to the symphony, ranging from about $50,000 to $100,000; the most recent, awarded earlier this month, was $75,000. Additionally, the symphony's rental rates have been adjusted.

But considering the revenues that the city received from the "Lion King" booking, the City Council should consider whether that's enough.

Ultimately, both the organization and its host community have responsibilities to this relationship. This symphony is the community's endowment, and unless the people do their part, the orchestra will die. Once that legacy is lost, it will never be rebuilt.

Make a difference. Donate to The Advertiser Christmas Fund.