A very good discussion on who owns a symphony, plus intriguing comments at the end of the article:
http://www.adaptistration.com/adaptistration/2008/01/who-owns-a-symp.html

Good issue.

First question: how is the entity structured?

Profit or Non-profit?

Most of the time it would be a Non-profit entity.

If a normal corp then the answer is easier.

Meaning it would be nice if symphonies were profitable.

So were are back at the issue of the meaning of the music v. a v. the paying populace.

And/or the marketing thereof.

Well, I personally wish you could buy and sell stock in non profits. Then maybe the public could have more of a say.