3rd Avenue Arts to join San Juan Symphony

For the San Juan Symphony community in Farmington, the merger signals the expansion of opportunities into San Juan County as well, with new concerts and education programs planned to expand into Farmington. “This is an exciting time for the Symphony,” notes Chandra Stubbs, Executive Director. “ We are thrilled to be able to expand our repertoire, utilize the legacy of 3rd Ave. Arts, and create a powerful and lasting impact on the arts in our communities.

From the San Juan Symphony

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

The highly anticipated announcement can now be made official: 3rd Ave. Arts will become part of the San Juan Symphony. The joining of the two non-profit organizations is an unprecedented merger in the performing arts community of Durango. The San Juan Symphony will inherit a range of established and popular community programs from 3rd Ave. Arts, which include the Durango Bach Festival, the Durango Chamber Singers ensemble, the Majesty of Christmas concert, and the Musician Makers Scholarship awards, among many others.

The catalyst for the merger was the retirement of the 3rd Ave. Arts leadership. They presented the idea that the Symphony could take over, with the benefits of increased programming, building audiences, greater efficiencies in marketing and management, and the coalescing of precious sponsorship dollars. After months of discussion between the two organizations, an agreement was signed on April 11, finalizing the details of the merger that takes effect on July 1, 2023.

"Throughout this complex process, we have been thinking of the community," remarks Dr. Thomas Heuser, Music Director of the San Juan Symphony since 2016. "We wanted to expand our programming, and this partnership emerged as the perfect opportunity. The Symphony fully intends to keep these beloved programs running, while remaining firmly focused on our mission as a Symphony. We are thrilled to grow our outreach footprint, and to expand the opportunities we can provide for our musicians and students.”

3rd Ave. Arts emerged in 2004 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, one of the most iconic churches on 3rd Avenue in historic Durango. Today 3rd Ave. Arts is known for its unique and exquisite chamber music programs, as well as its thriving community of volunteers, whose specialty is welcoming patrons and organizing elegant receptions after concerts – a huge benefit to the audiences who feel a sense of community around the performing arts. The volunteers have agreed to continue their work under the umbrella of the San Juan Symphony.

According to Steve Kiely, a co-founder, Board President and Treasurer of 3rd Ave. Arts: “Since he organized the first Recital Series in 2004, Scott Hagler’s creativity and entrepreneurial spirit as the Director of Music at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church drove the creation of the St. Mark’s Recital Series, the Majesty of Christmas annual concert, the Durango Bach Festival, the Durango Chamber Music Festival, the Durango Chamber Academy, the Durango Piano Academy, and more. Over time, this prolific creativity gave rise to the need for an organization to support all the activity, and 3rd Ave. Arts was established as its host in 2006. In 2015, 3rd Ave. Arts became operationally independent of St. Mark’s and Mr. Hagler, its Executive Director, moved to Santa Fe, NM. As Scott plans his retirement beginning this summer, we feel we’ve found the perfect answer to perpetuating his 3rd Ave, Arts legacy for the future.”

“I’m very pleased about the merging of these two organizations,” notes Hagler. “From the very beginning, 3rd Ave. Arts has provided opportunities to perform for local and regional musicians, and I couldn’t be happier that these opportunities, along with our education programs, will continue and grow.”

As the San Juan Symphony enters its 38th season, the addition of 3rd Ave. Arts programming gives the organization a host of new opportunities. Keeping the Symphony as the flagship ensemble, these new chamber music and festival programs signal growth across the entire spectrum of operations. New staff roles will be created, and the focus on music education will gain momentum. While the San Juan Symphony Youth Orchestra program continues to grow and thrive, their success will be augmented by a robust lessons scholarship program, new in-school programs, summer camps for a range of ages, and much more. For the San Juan Symphony community in Farmington, the merger signals the expansion of opportunities into San Juan County as well, with new concerts and education programs planned to expand into Farmington.

“This is an exciting time for the Symphony,” notes Chandra Stubbs, Executive Director. “ We are thrilled to be able to expand our repertoire, utilize the legacy of 3rd Ave. Arts, and create a powerful and lasting impact on the arts in our communities. I am honored to be a part of this exciting journey.”

The Durango community is home to an ever-growing number of non-profit organizations. The merger between 3rd Ave. and the San Juan Symphony means that supporters of the performing arts can consolidate their giving in support of similar causes. Already, several major donors have pledged to continue their current levels of support for both organizations. Elizabeth Crawford is one of those supporters, who also serves as Artistic Director of the Durango Chamber Singers. Mrs. Crawford shares the enthusiasm: “We are excited about the expanded artistic and educational offerings and organizational strength of the combined 3rd Ave. Arts and San Juan Symphony. We want to support this expansion by donating at the same level as when they were separate entities. For the Chamber Singers, the merger represents expanded artistic and collaborative opportunities, professionalism, and operational efficiencies.”

“One of the most exciting aspects of the merger is the expanded artistic palette we now have at the Symphony,” continues Dr. Heuser of the SJS. “Our focus on orchestral music can now branch out and include chamber music and choral music, with new audiences and musical experiences around every corner. My mind is absolutely buzzing with the possibilities; we are highly anticipating our first season with this increased artistic capacity.”

Stay tuned for the announcement of the 38th Season of the San Juan Symphony. Details will be revealed at the Symphony Spring Social on Sunday, May 7th, from 4-7pm at the Union Social House in Durango. Complete details will then be posted at www.sanjuansymphony.org and will include all the musical offerings in store during the 2023-24 season–called “New Horizons.” In addition to this historic merger, there are more surprises and announcements coming soon from the Symphony, so you won’t want to miss a beat! Sign up for our email newsletter and stay informed. Thank you, one and all, for supporting the performing arts in the Four Corners. We’ll see you at the Symphony!