Symphony Hall to Bear Copley Name in Honor of Donation

SAN DIEGO —  The donor of $2.5 million to the San Diego Symphony has been identified as Helen K. Copley, and Symphony Hall has been renamed in her honor, officials said in a statement released Sunday.

The concert hall will now be called Copley Symphony Hall, officials said.

When symphony officials announced the substantial gift Jan. 25, the donor was withheld at the request of Copley, who is owner of Copley Newspapers, publisher of the San Diego Union and the Tribune. Coupled with the willingness of four San Diego banks to forgive an additional capital debt of $1.8 million, Copely’s contribution eliminated the outstanding debt on the symphony’s physical plant, the former Fox Theatre, which it had acquired in 1984.

The elimination of the symphony’s debt, however, did not bring about a flood of new donations to symphony coffers. Last month symphony development director Jim Bastis noted that even though concert attendance had improved over the current season, corporate giving for this budget year had declined.

“The goal we had set to be contributed from corporations is nearly 50% below our projections. A problem we’re having is that because we received the $2.5-million gift to pay off our capital debt, people think we are afloat in dollars, which is not the case. We paid off the debt on our mortgage, but we still have to pay our current expenditures,” said Bastis.

Symphony board chairman Herbert J. Solomon confirmed that some potential symphony donors had used the anonymous $2.5-million contribution as a reason to divert their arts dollars to other causes.

“When Mrs. Copley made the donation, she recognized her gift would not have any effect on the current year’s budget. She told me that she hopes to dismiss the erroneous impression that her gift somehow relieves the symphony from raising other funds.”

Solomon added that he hoped other San Diegans would identify with Copley’s enthusiasm and come forth with additional support for the symphony.

“Her gift demonstrated her high regard for the orchestra and its future plans,” he said.

During the 1984-85 capital fund-raising campaign for Symphony Hall’s acquisition and renovation, the James S. Copley Foundation made the largest single contribution ($250,000). According to Bastis, Copley made a personal contribution of $100,000 to the symphony’s annual campaign in the fall of 1989.

By June 1, Symphony Hall’s new name will be placed on the Seventh and Eighth Ave. sides of the building in 18-inch brass lettering. A marquee over the B Street entrance to the hall, which will also bear the new designation, will be constructed before the 1990-91 season opens in October.

While Copley does not serve on the symphony board of directors, Solomon noted that his colleagues would honor her during the first week of the upcoming season.

“We will host a very nice dinner for her preceding the opening night concert,” Solomon said.