25 Jul Minutes of Committee Meeting 20/6/16

1. Present: Bridget Beagan, Guen Innes, Iain McLarty, Pauline McClellan, Julie Morrice, Steve Rooney, Sue Shoosmith, Milda Zinkus.

2. Apologies: No apologies  

3. Minutes of last meeting and matters arising:  

• Newsletter welcomed, will produce another one after this meeting.

4. Rosslyn concert:

• Rosslyn concert went well and has generated a profit. Final figures likely to be

  approx £300 profit including £56.62 from drinks.

• It was agreed the choir should use the venue next season with an increased ticket

  price. Idea of two consecutive concerts at Rosslyn was discussed but rejected as

  unlikely to cover costs given high hourly hire rate.

5. Open rehearsal/membership/auditions:

• Monday 12th September will be an open rehearsal where we will invite singers to

  come along and sing with us with a view to joining the choir.

• BB will liaise with MT to advertise this event. University music societies should be

  emailed. SR and MZ to send BB email addresses.

• All choir members should be encouraged to invite along two friends.
• Although our aim is to have a membership of around 40 singers at present a more

  realistic number would be about 30. New altos and basses are needed for the

  November concert.

• MZ has set in place an audition process for new members and it was felt that a 2

  yearly ‘health check’ would be a good idea for the rest of the choir. IM felt that this

  would be an opportunity for him to give advice to members on what they may need

  to work on.

• Two voice sections are likely to be auditioned before the March concert 2017.

6. November concert:

• IM will email JM and the actors with his programme suggestions.
• Most of the programme will come from the OUP Shakespeare song book ‘Shall I

  Compare Thee’ which choir members will be asked to buy.

• There will also be songs by Vaughan Williams and Jaakko Mäntyjärvi’.
• IM will ask for volunteers to perform solo items.
• The concert will be based on themes; the first half love and death and the second

  half supernatural and nature with 20 mins of music in each half interspersed with

  dramatic interludes. A ‘fool’ will provide the links.

• The concert will be accompanied by a pianist and JM will approach Chris Harding to

  undertake this role.

• The university group are helping organise publicity and JM will liaise between them

  and MT over posters/printing. GI may also be able to help.

• GI to check if the Methodist Church balcony can be used by the actors, if lighting can

  be brought in and if the café will be open.

• A meeting needs to be arranged between the theatre directors, IM and JM/PM. JM

  will email Grace with 2pm on Monday 8th August or Tuesday 9th August as

  suggestions.

7. Christmas Charity Concert:

• We plan to perform a charity concert in Broughton, St Mary’s Church in aid of

  Waverley Care and the Soko fund which helps to educate women in Malawi.

• The charities will cover expenses.
• IM to investigate if brass players could be involved.
• JM to find out if the 10th or 17th Dec suits best and liaise on arrangements with the

  charities.

8. Workshop:

• It was agreed that we should approach Scott Inglis‐Kidger to lead our annual

  workshop. GI to ask Scott if Saturday 4th March or 18th Feb suits best.

• IM suggested inviting a guest leader every second year and using the current musical

  director every other year.

• We could give Scott some suggestions on what the choir could work on e.g.

  intonation, sight‐reading.

• It was felt that a workshop sub‐committee would be useful and GI will approach a

  couple of people if no volunteers are forthcoming.

9. March concert:

• After much discussion it was agreed that we should perform the Brahms requiem

  with piano duet. IM will consider what the rest of the programme will consist of.

• GI will find out if the Methodist Church in Nicolson Square would be available.
• IM suggested that it would be a good idea to think about a 3‐year plan for concerts.
• The Mozart requiem is still a possibility. JM approached the Meadows Orchestra to

  see if they would be interested in a joint venture. They will discuss this at their next

  committee meeting.

• Another suggestion for a future concert was a contemporary programme: The

  Myrrh‐Bearer Tavener, To the Field of Stars Gabriel Jackson, Little Match Girl Passion

  David Lang.

10. Summer concert:

• The Rosslyn concert would be preceded by a concert of the same programme in

  Kelvinside Hillhead Church, Glasgow as part of the West End Festival.

• This will be an unaccompanied programme including madrigals and part songs from

  Monteverdi to modern.

11. South Queensferry concert:

• Publicity is in place.
• MZ to email choir asking them to ensure they leave enough time for travel and bring

  matches to light the candles. MZ also to email those members not singing in this

  concert thanking them for their contribution this term and wishing them a good

  summer. MZ also asked to gain feedback from the two singers on scholarships.

12. Finances:

• SR provided up‐to‐date figures for the bank accounts.
• Discussed payment for IM. Costs are increasing and subscriptions may need to be

  increased.

• Other ways of raising money may need to be considered. SS suggested advertising

  revenue but would need suggestions of who to approach. SS would welcome some

  assistance with this. JM to speak to MT about current adverts in the programme.

13. Website:

• JM showed the committee what Ross Mackay has produced so far. Looks good – JM

  to let Ross know of some suggestions from the committee. JM to investigate if it is

  possible to add sound bites to the website. Content now needs to be added. JM

  happy to complete front page. PM to provide updated list for library.

• Discussed possibility of a season ticket. GI could set that up ‐ £30 for three concerts

  if Rosslyn’s concert is going to be £15. JM asked to meet with GI to become familiar

  with Ticket Source.

14. SCIO:

• Forms have been accepted. Now need to transfer assets. PM to provide SR with

  value of library.

• Once again the committee expressed their thanks to WT, SR and MZ for their hard

  work on this task.

15. Catering:

• Myra has stepped down from her catering duties. The committee would like to

  express their gratitude for Myra’s long‐term contribution to coffee duties.

• MZ is reluctant to continue with catering. Volunteers needed, could take turns term

  by term.

• Decided to stop using disposable cups. Members will need to bring their own mug in

  future.

16. 50th Anniversary

• The choir’s 50th Anniversary is approaching in 2018.
• Should consider a commission to mark the occasion. Rory Boyle or Tom Cunningham

  suggested.

• Making Music is advertising ‘Adopt a Composer’ at the moment. SR to investigate.

17. Date of next meeting: Monday 29th August.