The Honolulu Symphony yesterday said it has raised more than $450,000 since mid-December, enabling it to pay its employees and pulling it out of a financial hole.

The symphony's 65 full-time musicians, as well as part-timers and staff members, were not paid last month when the Honolulu Symphony Society did not have enough money to meet its $60,000 biweekly payroll.

Officials hoped a year-end fundraising campaign would raise $125,000, but nearly four times that amount has come in since Dec. 13 from 825 individual donations, officials said yesterday.

The symphony has paid half the money it owed employees from December, the symphony said in a news release.

"We are all very grateful for the strong and heartfelt response from our audience members and the public over the last several weeks," said symphony executive director Tom Gulick, who also thanked the musicians and other employees for their dedication.

In addition to the donations, ticket sales have been strong and the city government has pledged support, the symphony said.