The San Antonio Philharmonic has signed a deal to make downtown’s Scottish Rite Cathedral its permanent home.
The orchestra, which formed two years ago from the ashes of the San Antonio Symphony, reached an agreement Thursday with the building’s ownership allowing joint use of its 2,200-seat auditorium.
Most of the Philharmonic’s musicians previously served in the now-defunct Symphony, the Tobin Center’s resident arts organization. However, the performance space hasn’t extended that invitation to the new orchestra, forcing it to rent out First Baptist Church for concerts or arrange performances elsewhere.
Philharmonic Executive Director Roberto Treviño has called securing a permanent performance space a necessary step for the nonprofit orchestra’s stability and fiscal health.
“We’re fighting very, very hard to keep culture here and to become one of the best orchestras in the country,” Treviño said at a Thursday media event unveiling the agreement.
The Symphony tried to work a deal to move into Scottish Rite building roughly two decades ago, but that effort ultimately fell through, Treviño added.
“One of our main tenets is to promote public education of the arts. That’s what this building was built for, and that’s what happened here for half a century,” said Robert Park, board chairman for the San Antonio Scottish Rite chapter. “I’m glad that it’s happening again.”
The 1924 Scottish Rite Cathedral features elaborate architecture, including sculpted bronze doors created noted artist Pompeo Coppini, and its auditorium is equipped with a 100-ton pipe organ built by renowned instrument-maker M.P. Möller.
Even so, the building’s use and upkeep have dwindled over the decades as its membership, like that of other Masonic groups, slid into decline.
Officials with both organizations said they want the Symphony to begin performing in the auditorium for 2025-26 season. But that will require major upgrades, including making it compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, installing a new HVAC system and fixing its plumbing and electricity.
Treviño — an architect and former San Antonio councilman — said an architecture firm estimates the auditorium will need $5 million to $10 million in upgrades for its first phase of improvements. Still, not all must be made before next season, and some temporary fixes can be used until the money’s there for permanent ones.
A full slate of improvements for the facility would likely run $50 million or more, according to Treviño.
“There’s a lot that can wait,” he said.
The Philharmonic will seek local, state and federal funding for the building improvements, Treviño said. The organization also will launch a capital campaign to raise money from donors.
However, those fundraising efforts come with the Philharmonic embroiled in multiple lawsuits over who controls its operations. Earlier this month, Treviño told the Current the orchestra had been “impacted financially” by the legal disputes, forcing it to postpone its Oct. 18-19 classics concerts.
On Thursday, Treviño declined to say whether the court cases make it harder to raise funds from donors or apply for government money.
“We have those issues in the rearview mirror,” he said of the court fights. “We have a great attorney working for us.”
Scottish Rite’s Park said he wants the Symphony’s move into the cathedral — and the accompanying building upgrades — to make the structure an event destination and sought-after performance space.
Scottish Rite and the Philharmonic will work to establish on-site bars, concession stands and VIP areas to generate revenue, he added. Unlike some masonic orders, Scottish Rite groups aren’t prohibited from obtaining liquor licenses or serving alcohol on-site.
“We want to keep this place busy — like every weekend,” Park said.
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This article appears in Oct 16-29, 2024.
