Recently The Advertiser ran a story on the financial challenges of the Honolulu Symphony. As an executive board member of the Honolulu Symphony and as chief operating officer of a company that is one of the orchestra's main contributors, I would like to share some of my thoughts about those matters.

I was trained as a professional classical musician before entering the business world, so I feel that I have the experience and credibility to address these matters from a unique and knowledgeable perspective.

The public should understand that their musicians — for they are in effect our local orchestra — are some of the most highly talented, trained and brilliant artists in the world. Our new musical director is one of the world's great conductors, and our executive director is a seasoned professional.

These are facts. It is, therefore, neither logical nor constructive to base one's willingness to support the organization on its current financial stability or board membership — you are either for the arts in your community or you are not. No excuses.

It's not at all unlike the stock market in terms of a self-fulfilling prophecy: If you are afraid the market may not be strong and you pull out, only one thing's for sure — your approach and behavior became an actual part of the collapse.

The true test of people's conviction is how they act in adverse times. The symphony does not need fair-weather fans; it needs consistent loyalty year in and out, period.

Now, if you haven't been to the symphony as of late for any of these reasons then I respectfully suggest that you shed your fears and skepticism and buy a couple of tickets. Start with a lovely dinner at one of Honolulu's many fine eateries and then head on down to the concert hall and prepare to be moved.

If you've never been to a symphony concert, then you need to go! You have one of the world's finest orchestras right in your backyard.

If you are a parent, you have an added inherent responsibility. For the issue is not how you choose to respond to our organization or its interim challenges; the issue is how you choose to respond to Bach, Beethoven and Brahms! In other words, how much do you think your children should be exposed to the greatest art the world has to offer?

This is not about choice; it's about responsibility. After all, great art stands to enrich their lives, spirit and contributions to society. And if you are a person of wealth and influence, you have an incredible opportunity to get involved and make a huge difference to the arts in this city and state.

We are living in a time and in a country where activities such as sports, shopping and television have somehow trumped fine arts and culture for people's attention and financial support.

One true measure of the "health" and prosperity of any ostensibly civilized society is the extent to which a people are willing to live and behave in ways that will advance that society and its cultural environment.

As significant or newsworthy as board shifts, cash shortages or staff changes may seem, they are in fact but part of the normal ongoing activities of any major business operation. If we continue on this path of unproductive distraction, we stand to become the first major city in the United States without a symphony orchestra. That would not only be a blemish on our magnificent state, but a cultural tragedy that will have been of our own doing. So go down to the box office tomorrow, buy yourself tickets and prepare to be dazzled, enriched and transformed. Become part of the solution.

Peter Shaindlin is chief operating officer of Halekulani Corp. He wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.

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