Room to Resonate
The Wilmington Symphony Orchestra (WSO) recently moved into a larger space at 922 Market St. in Wilmington. (Photo courtesy of the WSO)
With a new, larger space on Market Street, the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra (WSO) has plans to expand its reach by adding new programming.
The group recently moved into the Reibman Center at 922 Market St., taking up roughly half of the building or over 7,000 square feet, according to WSO Executive Director Liz Scanlon. The new space includes administrative offices, along with practice rooms, a music library and a performance space.
The WSO will host a ribbon-cutting for the new space on Tuesday. Scanlon said the larger footprint will allow the group to add more youth programming and offer the orchestra’s musicians additional practice space and more flexibility.
“We are looking to expand our footprint because we want to have more after-school programs,” Scanlon said. “Currently, we're at First Baptist Activity Center; we're at UNCW; we're at Roland-Grise. We rely on the kindness of others in using their space.”
Over the years, the WSO has occupied a series of office spaces across the Wilmington area, Scanlon said.
Their previous 1,600-square-foot space primarily housed administrative offices, along with a single practice space. That meant just one chamber group could practice at a time; in the new space, up to four groups can practice at once, Scanlon said. (A practice room is shown below.)
Scanlon began looking for a larger space for the WSO about three years ago. She found out through word of mouth that the space at the Reibman Center was available after a school that operated in part of the building moved.
“We share the space,” she said about the building. “Half of the offices and chamber rooms are dedicated to us, but if we wanted to have a performance or if we wanted to have a rehearsal, we just sign up for it.”
With the new space, the WSO plans to add more ensembles and expand its summer programming, with new classes and summer camps. They also plan to launch a large chamber string ensemble in the fall, along with a new keyboard lab.
Scanlon said while the WSO will continue its existing relationships, such as with the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where the symphony got its start in 1971, the new space offers more flexibility.
“We now have options to do every day after school programs, whereas before, we could only do Tuesdays here and Thursdays there,” she said. “We have opened up to six days a week.”
The location also comes with built-in “prospects,” Scanlon said, because of its proximity to schools near downtown Wilmington, such as the International School at Gregory, Williston Middle School and New Hanover High School.
“We have students that are within walking distance of the symphony,” she said, “so if they wanted to do some after-school programs, they could walk here.”
The location on Market Street also gives the symphony more visibility in the community. The WSO is currently fundraising for a large sign for the side of the building that fronts onto Market, Scanlon said.
“We want people to drive by and say, ‘Oh my God, we have a symphony?’” she said. “With so many new people coming into town, it's great for them to know that they're moving into a very culturally rich city that has theater, music, opera, classical, jazz – you name it, we have it.”
The WSO’s ribbon-cutting and open house will take place on Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and features music, building tours and more.
