In September, the International Symphony Orchestra was preparing to build momentum in its 68th season.

Weeks later, that season was cancelled .

The Sarnia and Port Huron, Mich. semi-professional orchestra had been selling fewer tickets in recent years, and memorial gifts and grants had been drying up, said treasurer Brian Austin Jr.

With less than $65,000 in assets, “we were maybe optimistic and we thought we could push to get ticket sales up to a point where it would cover enough of the expenses and we could move forward,” he said about the last-minute marketing push to keep the season alive, followed by the decision earlier this month to pause when ticket sales floundered.

The season opener would have been Oct. 26.

An expected Canada Revenue Agency refund also still hasn’t come th

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