Musicians who performed with the local symphony orchestra are no longer playing a happy tune, as many of them have not been paid for their January performances.

The Key West Symphony Orchestra is struggling financially while reorganizing and expanding its reach to Fort Lauderdale venues.

Musicians who played in the January concert series, which ended Jan. 16, have not been paid for those performances or reimbursed for their travel expenses. They claim the symphony management is ignoring them while continuing with plans for an April concert series before paying for the January shows.

Edward Boreth, president of the symphony's board of directors, on Tuesday acknowledged the problems, but said the organization is working with a new board of directors and new CEO Jacqueline Lorber to correct them.

"A lot of this happened well before my time and I am still trying to come to an understanding of what happened," he said. "We are working to get the musicians paid, because without them, there is no symphony."

Boreth, who joined the board three or four weeks ago, said many former board members resigned in November while there were plans in place to hold shows in Fort Lauderdale and Key West.

Those shows were dependent on a variety of funding sources, including private donations and a grant from the Rodel Charitable Foundation.

"But some of the money did not come in, essentially leaving [Music Director Sebrina Alfonso] holding the bag," Boreth said.

Alfonso founded the local orchestra and continues as its conductor.

"Sebrina was working frantically, but being a conductor and not a businessperson, she may not have handled the communication with musicians as well as she could have," Boreth said.

Lorber said she and others were expecting a lump-sum payment from Rodel for three concerts, but instead the money was spread out among all three shows.

"It was my understanding that all the money would come in around the second concert, but that was not the case and we were caught off guard," she said, adding that Rodel has been one of the symphony's most unflagging supporters.

Boreth said most of the musicians have received some money, but the plan is to have them all paid before the April concerts.

"There are a lot of bills to be paid and there is a certain amount of juggling going on," Boreth said, estimating each musician is owed less than $1,000, but that he did not have exact figures in front of him.

He and Lorber would not say how much money is owed, how much Rodel pledged or how many musicians performed in January. Alfonso did not return The Citizen's phone calls Tuesday seeking comment about the number of musicians who performed in January.

Lorber and Boreth emphasized that plans are moving forward for the April concert series, and the new board is seeking support from patrons that could be financial or in the form of volunteer hours.

For example, the symphony Web site is outdated and does not feature the names of current board members, Lorber said.

"We can't have an outdated Web site that potential donors will see," she said. "But that's not something we can spend money on right now."

Lorber asks anyone interested in helping the symphony with volunteer hours, Web design or financial support to contact her at jlorber@keywestsymphony.com.

mbolen@keysnews.com