SR-11-10-2015-13D 13.D
November 10, 2015
Council Meeting: November 10, 2015 Santa Monica, California
1 of 1
CITY CLERK’S OFFICE - MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Sarah Gorman, City Clerk, Records & Elections Services Department
Date: November 10, 2015
13.D Request of Councilmembers Davis and Winterer that Council allocate
$24,000 of discretionary funds to Santa Monica Arts Association -- Samohi
Orchestras, a 501(c)3. These funds would be matched by the recipient
organization to provide $48,000 of financial aid to means-tested students
for the Orchestra's 2016 tour of Paris, Bruges and Amsterda m. Samohi
Principal Eva Mayoral and her staff have identified 21 of the 85 students
participating in the tour as needing financial assistance.
Mayor Kevin McKeown
City Council members
City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street, Room 209
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Re: Santa Monica High School Symphony Orchestra Tour—Paris/Bruges/Amsterdam 2016
November 4, 2015
Dear Mayor McKeown, Mayor Pro Tempore Vazquez and City Council members:
With great excitement and anticipation, the Santa Monica High School Symphony Orchestra is
preparing for a musical tour of Paris, Bruges and Amsterdam over spring break 2016. This trip
will provide 86 students with rich educational experiences and showcase the outstanding music
program at Santa Monica’s public schools. It culminates in a student performance at
Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, one of the world’s great classical music venues. Students will
participate in master classes, hear the Orchestre national d’Île-de-France and the legendary
Concertgebouw Orchestra in concert, and tour culturally significant sites including the Palais
Garnier (Paris opera house), the Louvre, the Rijksmuseum and the Anne Frank House.
The total cost of the tour for the group (including adult chaperons) is anticipated to be
approximately $413,000. This breaks down to just over $4,000 per student. Overseas travel
with musical instruments is expensive! We are busy raising money to provide scholarships to
21 students who have requested financial assistance totaling $48,000. We are committed to
ensuring that all students can participate in the tour. With parent pledges and fundraising
pledges to date, SMAPA – Samohi Orchestras (our nonprofit parents association) has raised
approximately $365,000. We’re working hard to reduce the deficit that remains.
We are deeply appreciative of the City Council’s history of sponsoring the Samohi Symphony
Orchestra as ambassadors of the City of Santa Monica, by providing financial assistance for
previous tours (including $25,000 for 2014 travel to Vienna and Prague). Today we ask you,
the City Council of Santa Monica, to consider allocating $24,000 in matching grant funds to
provide financial aid to students in need. Should the grant be awarded, we will issue a dollar-
for-dollar matching challenge, as detailed in the attached addendum. We have identified other
sources for the remaining costs associated with this tour. City funds will be used exclusively
for student financial aid.
Thank you in advance for considering our request. We will gladly provide any further
information you require. You can see and hear the Santa Monica High School Symphony
Orchestra for yourself at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKcKyI1Jjhw. Our musicians
would be delighted to perform for you at one of your upcoming meetings, if possible. They
look forward to representing Santa Monica in France, Belgium and the Netherland next March.
Sincerely,
Joni Swenson and Jason Aiello Karen Safrit and Jane Bordal
Samohi Orchestras Directors Samohi Orchestra Parents Association
Cc: Eva Mayoral, Samohi Principal
Catherine Baxter, Samohi Dean of Students
Tom Whaley, SMMUSD Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator
Sandra Lyon, SMMUSD Superintendent of Schools
November 4, 2015
TO: Mayor McKeown, Mayor Pro Tempore Vazquez and City Council members
FROM: Santa Monica Parents Arts Association – Samohi Orchestras
RE: Santa Monica High School Symphony Orchestra Tour—Paris/Bruges/Amsterdam 2016 –
addendum
Our commitment is to ensure that ALL students who choose to participate in the tour are
able to. For confidentiality reasons, SMAPA- Samohi Orchestras parent association does
not have income information about families receiving financial assistance. What we do
know is that 24% of Symphony families (21 of 86) requested partial or full financial
assistance, and the SAMOHI administration reviewed and approved all requests, and we
have budgeted $48,000 to meet this need.
MATCHING FUND CAMPAIGN Fundraising for financial assistance
Business sponsorship $3,500
Individual direct donations $3,000
Chamber performances $3,000
Trip-specific fundraising events $7,500
Silent auction $7,000
Total
matching
funds:
$24,000