Camarata Music turns to donations to survive pandemic

Ryan Goessl, center, conducts a Camarata Music event. / Courtesy of Camarata Music

By Jon Dunbar

After Camarata Music has given so much to the local community, now it needs community support to continue its existence and survive the pandemic.

The nonprofit music organization, which operates several music groups including choirs, musical theater and a chamber orchestra, has been hit hard by the pandemic, so Jamie Wheatley launched a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe to help the organization cover costs.

"After being out of it for an entire year, we weren't sure if we were going to have an organization to come back to. We were worried it may not survive," Wheatley, who has been with Camarata for about seven years, told The Korea Times.

"As with a lot of arts orgs over the last year, Camarata was hit really hard by the pandemic. The heart and soul of what we do is music obviously, but the choirs haven't been able to run because of the restrictions. And all the things that keep the organization running have been canceled which has left it in a bit of a tough spot."

"Funds are getting very thin," Dr. Ryan Goessl, conductor of Camarata's Chorale and Chamber Singers, said. "We were lucky to be in a good place when the pandemic started. Even with supporters it's getting very scary. We want Camarata to continue to thrive because it's a special organization."

Ryan Goessl / Courtesy of Camarata Music

According to Goessl, Camarata has to pay fixed prices such as rent and salaries, as well as various other costs.

"People think about Camarata Music as a live concert organization but they don't realize all the details that go on behind the scenes from an administrative perspective. Just because we're not performing right now doesn't mean there's not a lot of expenses. Even doing things virtually costs money. Everything hits you financially."

He said about 80 percent of the company's income comes from live concerts, having held about 30 to 40 events annually prior to 2020. "To lose that, it's a really huge hit," he said.

Additionally, Camarata is uniquely hurt by the pandemic, worse than other Korean choirs which rely mainly on local residents. Goessl estimates Camarata's membership has been about 60 percent foreigners. But while events including marketing and recruitment are down, Camarata can't bring in new members, all the while existing members are slipping away as many foreign residents move away after a couple years.

A 2015 concert of the Camarata Youth Choir / Courtesy of Camarata Music

"We are losing a lot of choir members and those are our most effective marketers and recruiting tools through word of mouth," he said, adding that the recruitment rate is approximately 1.5 people per every member, which had sustained a healthy growing community until a little over a year ago.

When the pandemic broke out last year, Goessl began postponing rehearsals due to health concerns, even before social distancing orders banned such gatherings.

"You can't be singing up close to people, because you're using deep air in your lungs, so you have to be far apart," he explained. "I want to be extra careful about what's going on because first and foremost is my choir members' health."

While everyone waits for the end of the pandemic, Camarata is holding events online where possible. It has held virtual choirs, in which members sing along at home to a video of Goessl's conducting, and the individual recordings of each member are then put together by an engineer. Using this technique combined with past footage, it held its annual Christmas concert virtually last year.

"It's not true choristry in the sense that everyone's singing together," Goessl said. "Virtual events and live events are very different. What makes Camarata different is the family atmosphere, members from 107 countries coming together and being one through music. So they're not getting that aspect of being together with each other."

Meanwhile, Goessl is working on introducing a new Camarata online programming, including a singing competition that pits singers head-to-head against each other, as well as an online music academy. And he hopes to continue with the virtual choir for spring and summer.

"All that stuff also takes expenses too," he said. "Just doing one song takes about 80 to 100 hours of work."

As well as the crowdfunding campaign, Camarata's website offers subscription partnerships, and Goessl hopes to provide unique content for supporters donating at least 50,000 won per month, including biweekly small performances, an online music talk show and a podcast.

Camarata makes a believable claim that it is one of the world's most diverse musical organizations, having had over 5,000 members from 107 countries since 2009. Its oldest members are in their mid-80s, and youngest member prior to the pandemic was five years old. As of the start of the pandemic, it had 300 active members in its choirs and orchestra.

"We want to be accepting of everyone, regardless of age, nationality, orientation or culture," Goessl said. "We're a completely open organization."

A cast picture from Camarata Musical Theatre's performance of "The Pirates of Penzance" in 2015 / Courtesy of Camarata Music

Wheatley added that Camarata also supports the community through charity. Last year its "Gift From the Heart" program, in partnership with Four Seasons Hotel, collected more than 200 Christmas presents for Seoul area children whose families are most in need. And through the Helping Hands program it provides support including donations and a food drive to families in need. The organization also donates food, gift certificates and other necessities to Galwol Center, Yongsan District's welfare center. There are plans for Camarata to start a music and arts program for children and senior citizens at the center after the pandemic ends.

"If you're a lover of music, it's a wonderful organization," Wheatley said. "Community is at the heart of what we do. It's great to support the arts, promote the arts within Seoul and Korea, and also it's a place for Koreans and foreigners alike to come together and find a new community with people from all over the world, and celebrate great music too."

As well as the GoFundMe campaign, Camarata has also been planning its Spring Gala for April 24, but it appears the date is being postponed due to pandemic concerns.

As well as covering the pending costs the organization faces, the donated money will help Camarata hit the ground running post-pandemic. Visit gofundme.com/savecamarata to donate, or go to camaratamusic.org or email info@camaratamusic.com to learn more.