Usina Orquestral
The American press was unanimous in its reviews of the Symphonic Orchestra of the State of São Paulo on the occasion of its USA Tour 2006, which took place in the neighboring country at the end of last year. There was no lack of adjectives such as “exceptional, “dazzling,” “extraordinary,” and “splendid.” While applauding the orchestra, few people know–in the United States and even here–that behind these plaudits and impeccable tones, there is a mechanism of agile logistics and solid foundation that makes the orchestra sparkle. One needs only to imagine the Osesp as a company that sells a cultural product of good quality, an organization that employs 300 people, among them 181 musicians.
“For an orchestra to have rhythm and precision it’s necessary that it be guided by principles of good administration. In the case of Osesp, a team of 40 employees works day and night in various departments: legal, administrative, and marketing, just as if it were a traditional company,” states Marcelo Lopes, executive director of the Osesp Foundation.
Trumpet player with the orchestra since 1984, Lopes became the foundation’s director when the orchestra was transformed into a foundation in 2005. It was a natural transition for him, whose studies included courses in economics, law, and post-graduate emphasis in public administration–a virtuoso with numbers.
Among his hundreds of daily tasks (besides rehearsals, since he is still a musician in the orchestra) there are decisions to make about the restoration and maintenance of the Sala São Paulo, attracting funds by means of the Rouanet law and the signing of contracts. Besides this, Lopes facilitates the legal acceptance of bids, advises the publicity department of Osesp on its relations with specialized media, among dozens of other tasks. “I arrive at the Sala São Paulo early in the morning and leave at 10 p.m.,” he said good-humoredly, while he was overseeing the restoration of a room of the beautiful building, which will be transformed into an art gallery in the coming months. “I managed to combine in one place, in one fell swoop, everything that I like to do, including my hobbies.”
The foundation’s balance sheet, since its beginning, shows that Lopes has guaranteed an administration that is serious and transparent. One only needs to look at the orchestra’s contracts. He succeeded, for example, in diminishing between 15 % and 20% the charges for various services; 35 thousand students from public schools participated in instructive concerts in 2006, helping to build a new audience; and at the same time he developed means to reduce the foundation’s dependence on the State.
“Today we have an annual budget of R$55 million. Of this, R$43 million comes from the government. The rest, from private contributions and ticket sales. If we realize that ten years ago the orchestra was completely dependent on the government, we are going in the right direction. Within the next ten years, we plan to work with a maximum of 50% of government capital,” he said.
Lopes explained that the decision derives from the State’s indecisiveness in relation to culture and fluctuating economic cycles. There are governments that don’t perceive that each Real invested in culture brings numerous results. Today, 1.2 thousand persons work, each month, directly and indirectly, for Osesp, including tourist agencies, and musical instrument factories, etc. It’s culture stimulating the national economy,” he observed.
Besides his bureaucratic responsibilities, the director also plays a diplomatic role on international trips. During the American tour, for example, when he wasn’t resolving logistic problems or performing on stage in concert, he met with ambassadors, the press core, and sold future concerts. “Contracts are essential. The results can be seen in terms of the internationalization of the orchestra. Today, for example, we perform in the best concert halls of European capitals,” he said.
The least I can do is to increase the value of and enhance the artistic projects of our troup. John Neschling (the artistic director of Osesp) is an entrepreneur with a stimulating intellect. He creates projects at the drop of a hat. My job is to support his dreams,” he said modestly.