Eugene Symphony Association Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

In the 2024/2025 season, the Eugene Symphony Association (ESA) presented nine Symphonic Series subscription concerts and a range of special performances and community events that reflected both artistic excellence and a period of major organizational transition. The season marked the final year of Music Director Francesco Lecce-Chongs transformative tenure with the Eugene Symphony and served as the centerpiece of ESAs international search for its next artistic leader. Across the season, ESA welcomed thousands of patrons to performances in Silva Concert Hall, the Soreng Theater, and community venues throughout Greater Eugene.Season highlights included the continuation of ESAs complete Beethoven Piano Concerto cycle featuring a distinguished roster of guest pianists, as well as performances by five Music Director finalists: Alexander Prior, Farkhad Khudyev, Rory Macdonald, Tania Miller, and Taichi Fukumura. Each candidate led a full subscription program, engaging deeply with orchestra musicians, audiences, donors, and the broader community throughout an extensive public search process. The search generated significant regional and national interest and represented one of the most ambitious artistic leadership transitions in ESAs history.The season balanced cornerstone orchestral repertoire with contemporary voices and audience development programming. Performances included Beethovens Piano Concertos Nos. 15; Dvorks Symphony No. 8; Tchaikovskys Symphony No. 4; Rachmaninoffs Symphony No. 2; Mussorgskys Night on Bald Mountain; Florence Prices Andante Moderato; Anna Clynes Masquerade; and works by Jennifer Higdon, Gabriela Smith, and others. The season opened with former Music Director Francesco Lecce-Chong conducting Stravinskys The Rite of Spring alongside Jennifer Higdons Violin Concerto featuring acclaimed violinist Benjamin Beilman. The season also included major audience favorites such as Music from Studio Ghibli and Star Wars Live in Concert, reflecting ESAs ongoing commitment to diversifying programming and welcoming new audiences into the concert hall.A defining artistic moment of the season was the culmination of Francesco Lecce-Chongs tenure, celebrated through performances that highlighted his adventurous programming, commitment to contemporary music, and deep connection to the Eugene community. Under his leadership, ESA continued to build a national reputation for innovative programming and meaningful audience engagement.The 2024/2025 season also marked the first full season under the leadership of Executive Director Dave Moss, who joined ESA in January 2024. Moss advanced initiatives focused on long-term financial sustainability, audience growth, digital engagement, and expanded civic partnerships. During the season, ESA emphasized revenue diversification strategies, increased marketing and media initiatives, expanded donor engagement efforts, and strengthened regional visibility throughout Lane County and beyond.In addition, ESA continued implementation of its recently negotiated three-year collective bargaining agreement with its union musicians, reinforcing the organizations commitment to artistic excellence, institutional stability, and long-term sustainability. Together, these efforts demonstrated ESAs growing role as both a leading cultural institution and a vital civic partner in Oregon.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 80.7%; rating input score 81
• Program expense ratio: 75.9%; rating input score 76
• Fundraising efficiency: $7.6 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -6.2%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.2; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.35; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 5.3%; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 3.2% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 2.9% per year; rating input score 100; 26th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -0.5% per year; rating input score 0; 11th percentile among comparable filings