Over the last two years, the orchestra said, single-ticket sales for its main classical series have gone up 64 percent.
Officials attributed the increased sales to the higher profile of music director Hans Graf and the work of marketing agency Fogarty Klein Monroe, which has created direct mail, television, radio, outdoor, and print advertising campaigns for the orchestra for the last two years.
"Hans Graf is building on his great reputation both here and all over the world," said CEO Matthew VanBeisien. "Two weeks ago I saw Hans thrill Vienna audiences. Right now he's in Zurich, and he regularly conducts the leading orchestras in America and abroad. The Houston community is responding to our great Houston Symphony under Hans' leadership. Our upward trend in sales and attendance is also due in large part to the creative assistance of Fogarty Klein Monroe."
After posting deficits in 2002-03 and 2003-04, the orchestra reached a balanced budget in 2004-05 and has projected a balanced budget for 2005-06.