Mike Wolanin | The Republic Incoming Columbus Indiana Philharmonic Board President Patrick Vogt, bottom right, listens to remarks by outgoing Columbus Indiana Philharmonic Board President Rajesh Thyagarajan during the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic annual meeting at Helen Haddad Hall in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2025.
The Columbus Indiana Philharmonic reaffirmed its mission at its annual meeting Thursday, reflecting on the impact their donors, patrons, staff, volunteers and board members have made.
That mission being, according to former board president Rajesh Thyagarajan, to connect people to diverse musical experiences that create memorable moments, embody inclusiveness and embrace life’s journey through music education, performances and community events.
“This past season was filled with unforgettable performances from our talented musicians,” Thyagarajan wrote in the report. “From the Classical Concert Series to Cabaret at the Commons, from Jazz at Helen’s to our educational programs, the Philharmonic continued to deliver the excellence that Columbus and the surrounding communities have come to cherish.”
Thursday’s meeting saw the retirement of Thyagarajan and fellow board member Mark Henderson from their respective roles on the board and the appointment of Patrick Vogt as the new Columbus Indiana Philharmonic board president. The 2025-2026 board, as inducted Thursday, are vice president Michael McIver, treasurer Jonas Howell and secretary Magen Pillar.
The meeting also announced Helen Haddad Hall’s mortgage retirement. Columbus Indiana Philharmonic Executive Director Donnie Robinette said they have had a large mortgage on the hall since its construction to complete the building process, but they have now completed the final mortgage payment.
“Everybody felt great (Thursday)… from a board perspective and a staff perspective, it’s a great relief not to have the mortgage payments floating over our heads,” Robinette said.
According to the annual report, the Philharmonic made $287,397 in ticket sales, $11,000 in rental income, $255,155 in total donations and $52,185 in total education tuition. About $133,550 was given in total grants, $150,974 was given in endowments and $150,015 was given in total sponsorships.
Robinette said the Philharmonic has not fully recovered yet from the pandemic, with their average crowds per show being 550 to 600 compared to their pre-pandemic average crowds of 800. He said season subscribers have steadily increased since the pandemic, but they are still trying to rebound from that.
The 2024-2025 CIP season saw 318 season subscribers, 4,000 total attendees and 1,700 single tickets sold. The season also saw six community collaborations with Mental Health Matters Bartholomew County, Landmark Columbus Foundation, Dancers Studio, Mill Race Theatre Company, DSI and Sojourn Coffee.
“For a long time, the Philharmonic wasn’t so engaged in the community and now we’re engaging other organizations, other organizations are reaching out to us and we’re able to offer these type of collaborations with other organizations,” Robinette said. “Like Mill Race, we did ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,’ or like our partnership with Dancers Studio and the ‘The Nutcracker.’”
The Fall 2024 series and the Spring 2025 series of Cabaret at the Commons continued with 150 average series subscribers, 1,400 single tickets sold and 270 average attendees. Six Broadway stars, including Reeve Carney, Mary Claire King, Orfeh, Norbert Leo Butz, Matthew Morrison and Patti Murin took to the stage over the course of the fall and spring.
“Cabaret at the Commons, it also had a little bit of a hit from the pandemic, but we’re averaging between 250 to 300 folks per show, which is a good size for us,” Robinette said. “And the Cabaret, fortunately, it allows us to fund other operations within the CIP such as the shortfall with the Philharmonic season and education, so it’s nice to have Cabaret be able to do that.”
Jazz at Helen’s continued to show success throughout its Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025 seasons. According to the annual report, over a course of 12 performances, five of those sold out and 742 tickets were sold. The series also had an average of 30 subscribers.
Robinette said they have been able to increase the number of classes they offer and the number of schools they are in. Their Strings in Schools program had classes in 12 schools with 250 total students, and this year they will offer it in 13 schools. Their Strings Camp hosted 106 students, and their Adventure Concerts series welcomed 2,200 students, according to the report.
Throughout the different choirs, the Concert Choir had 24 students, the Descant Choir had 15 students and the Prep Choir had 17 students. A total of 170 scholarships were also awarded.
“Your support makes it possible to create extraordinary musical moments right here in Columbus, Indiana,” Thyagarajan wrote in the report. “Together, we are ensuring that the Philharmonic remains a vital part of our community for years to come.”
