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MISSION
To ensure the continued existence
of major symphony orchestras in North America through volunteerism.
VIST
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to learn more about AMSOV and download the dues forms |
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JOIN OUR MAILING LIST.
SHARE THE NEWS
Please forward this email to your volunteer organization's officers and board members, so they can learn about AMSOV and benefit from its programs, services and networking. |
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AMSOV BOARD
OF DIRECTORS | | PRESIDENT
Helen Shaffer
Houston Symphony
VICE PRESIDENT AND
CONFERENCE CHAIR
C. Michel Minor
Kansas City Symphony
MinorSolns@aol.com
PAST PRESIDENT AND BYLAWS
Marjorie S. Saulson
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
SECRETARY
Charles W. Cagle
Nashville Symphony Orchestra
TREASURER
Mary de Tray
National Symphony Orchestra (Wash. D.C.)
MEMBERSHIP / DATABASE
Deborah Brown
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
MEMBERSHIP / DIRECTORY & OUTREACH
Iris Harvie
The Cleveland Orchestra
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Arlyss M. Burkett
Los Angeles Philharmonic
arlyss.burkett@verizon.net
WEBSITE
Sally Bullard
The Philadelphia Orchestra
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CONFERENCE DATES
Thursday evening,
May 15 through Sunday evening, May 19, 2013
CONFERENCE HOTEL Westin Crown Center Kansas City, Missouri
EARLY REGISTRATION $525 Fee
$625 Fee after April 1, 2013
CONFERENCE WEB SITE
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Meeting Purposes
- Giving information
- Training
- Discussing
- Generating ideas
- Planning
- Presenting workshops
- Consulting
- Finding solutions/problem solving
- Reporting on performance
- Setting targets and objectives
- Setting tasks and delegating
- Making decisions
- Clarifying policies/issues
- Building a team
- Motivating
- Introducing guest speaker
- Improving a process
Meeting Planner Checklist
- Directions/map to meeting
- Venue
- Date and Time
- Attendees
- Agenda
- Priorities
- Notes from last meeting
- Outcomes
- Materials, such as copies of minutes
- Reference materials for Ad Hoc Committee
- Results and performance data
- Equipment needed
- Flip chart
- Catering arrangements
- Note paper, pens, name tags
- Refreshments
- Additional instructions
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BREAKING NEWS
At the September 22, 2012 business meeting of the AMSOV board, Nancy Osgood, President of The Osgood Group, addressed the board on nonprofit organization management issues. In addition, she introduced board members to The Initiative for Sustainable Arts in America. It is proposed by James L. Bildner, a senior research fellow at the Hauser Center for Non-Profit Organizations at Harvard University. He is spearheading the Center's research on the sustainabiity of arts and cultural institutions in U.S. cities. He is investigating long-term trends and recent changes in the patterns of funding for these institutions and the capacity of their communities to sustain them. His research aims to identify a set of specific issues that funders, policy makers, and institutional leaders agree can and must be addressed if these institutions and their communities are to thrive
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ELECTRONIC FORMAT PROVES TO BE POPULAR
Since AMSOV eNEWS went paperless, members have expressed their pleasure at reading eNEWS quickly. AMSOV eNEWS will continue in its electronic format, and members can expect it to arrive at their desks by means of email. If a member knows anyone who does not use a computer, please print the eNEWS issue for that person. Past issues reside in the AMSOV archives online: www.amsov.org.
Arlyss Burkett, Editor. |
PLAN TO ENJOY KANSAS CITY
 | | Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Fountain, Kansas City |
"Be sure to consider our pre- and post-Conference tours, to enjoy Kansas City at its best." - Mike Minor, AMSOV VP and Conference Chair
"A Fount of Ideas awaits you in the City of Fountains. We are planning a Conference that you won't soon forget." - Karen Hardcastle, Conference Coordinator
"What a thrill to host the 39th Biennial Conference in Kansas City." - Laurie Burgess, Conference Music and Entertainment Chair
"Having chaired a similar conference for opera volunteers in Kansas City in 2006, I know that Kansas City is a terrific confrerence city. We are looking forward to welcoming you all here." - Don Dagenais, Conference Signage Chair
"Welcome to Kansas City where everything is up-to-date." - Barbara Holzmark, Conference Transportation Chair
"I am looking forward to seeing you and eager to tell you about our beautiful city. I hope to learn about your orchestras as we receive your displays. Come see me in the Display and Exhibits Room." - Helen Miller, Conference Display and Exhibit Chair
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MEET THE KANSAS CITY AMSOV CONFERENCE
HOST TEAM
More than 40 Kansas City Symphony volunteers are hard at work planning the AMSOV 39th Biennial Conference, to be held in Kansas City, Missouri next May 16 through 19, 2013. Mike Minor is the AMSOV Vice President and 2013 Conference Chair. (See Introducing AMSOV Board Member C. Michel Minor in the Summer, 2012 issue.) He says, "Our team of volunteers is hard at work planning a Conference rich in ideas, leadership training, and opportunities for networking and sharing best practices, all in great surroundings."
 | | Mike Minor |
 | | Karen Hardcastle |
Karen Hardcastle is the Conference Coordinator and brings extensive planning experience to the position. She served the Junior Women's Symphony Alliance as Vice President-Public Relations; the Symphony Liaison as Vice President-Social and President-elect; and she served as President Pro-Tem (two Years) and President (two years) of the Kansas City Symphony Auxiliary Council. She served two years for both the Kansas City Symphony Board of Directors and the Kansas City Symphony Foundation. This talented person is coordinating all the Conference volunteers, a select group of people experienced in volunteer work.
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Meet Day Chair Caryn Stang Hastings
Thursday, May 16, 2013
 | | Caryn Stang Hastings |
Caryn Stang Hastings served on the Core Strategy Committee in preparation for the Conference in Kansas City. She is currently the Day Chair for Thursday. The Conference starts Thursday at
The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center in downtown Kansas City, Missouri: https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/amsov. Caryn is responsible for everything from the pre-Conference tour in the morning to early business sessions to registration for delegates to the evening's photo session and the Opening Night Gala.
Caryn brings strong volunteer experience to her Conference duties. She served as President, Kansas City Symphony Women's Association; President, Kansas City Symphony Auxiliary Council; and she served on the board of directors for AMSOV, Special Projects & Website, and the National Society of Arts & Letters as the Kansas City and Regional President. She has served as President of the Fireside Committee of the Kansas City Art Institute. She currently serves as Vice President-Fundraising for the Symphony Women's Association.
In addition to her Thursday Day Chair duties, Caryn serves as the Meals Chair. She is the person ensuring that the Conference meals are delicious and served promptly.
Caryn says, "In 1937, Kansas City was an AMSOV founding member, and I am very excited to have the AMSOV Conference here in Kansas City for the first time."
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Meet Day Chair Marti Miller
Friday, May 17, 2013
 | | Marti Miller |
Marti Miller is the Friday Day Chair, a day that features Best Practices. The day starts with the First General Session and the Opening Ceremony. Mid-day, attendees will visit the Nelson-Atkins Museum, enjoy lunch in its Lens 2 restaurant, followed by a docent-led tour of the museum. Attendees will meet in the Nelson auditorium for a State of the Arts panel discussion before they return to Westin Crown Center. The day ends with an evening of private parties in members' homes, an AMSOV Conference tradition.
Marti has served as Vice President and President of the Kansas City Symphony Alliance. She has also served as Board Liaison for Community Disability Network; Board of Directors for the Hidden Glen Arts Festival; on the central exchange for the Kansas City Arts & Issues Steering Committee; and as a career coach for the Center for Spirit at Work.
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Meet Day Chair Linda Hartman
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Linda Hartman is the Day Chair for Saturday. This day features Leadership sessions as well as a General Session of business. The day ends with dinner at the Webster House in Kansas City, a restaurant with an antiques gallery. http://www.websterhousekc.com/. Following dinner, attendees will be the guests of the Kansas City Symphony at a concert conducted by Music Director Michael Stern in Herzberg Hall, part of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in 2011 to great fanfare..
Linda served on the AMSOV board for the 2009-2011 term when the Conference was hosted by the Houston Symphony.
 | | Linda Hartman |
Linda understands volunteers. After she retired in 2002 from a 34-year career in education, she volunteered with Friends of the Kansas City Symphony; she served as President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Gift Shop Coordinator. For the Kansas City Symphony Alliance, she served two years as vice President-Membership. Since 2006, Linda and her husband, Gary, have volunteered with the Lee's Summit Symphony, a small orchestra in their community. Linda was elected to serve on the Board of Directors, and currently, she is Co-Chair of the Development Committee.
Linda says, "If you miss this Conference, you are missing the best of everything Kansas City has to offer - from our new Performing Arts Center to Conference programming and entertainment, to dinner in private homes and networking with friendly, experienced volunteers. This will be a Conference you will long remember."
 | | Attendees will enjoy dinner at Webster House Restaurant with its Antiques Gallery. |
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Meet Day Chair Judy Barackman
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Judy Barackman is the Day Chair for Sunday, which is Education Day. Attendees will travel to Park University for a panel discussion on fundraising, a musical presentation, and the third General Business session. The day ends with dinner, jazz, and a tour of Designer's Showhouse, which is the Kansas City volunteers' successful venue for a 2012 fundraiser. With a toast to celebrate AMSOV's 75th Anniversary, the Conference ends.
Judy brings 26 years of volunteer experience with the Kansas City Symphony. During that time,
 | | Judy Barackman |
she served in every job in the organization and as President of the Kansas city Alliance in 1993-94.
She attended a past AMSOV Conference with Judy Clarke, then President-Elect. The AMSOV Conference so inspired both of them that they returned to Kansas City ready to tackle the challenges of their major project, the 25th consecutive Designers' Showhouse. Judy says, "We created and sold a poster that featured each of our 25 showhouses. We organized a bus tour of previous showhouses by knocking on doors of current owners and asking for a chance to revisit the homes that had once been our showhouses. Four owners invited our group to tour their houses, and we had our gala event at the Longview Mansion, which was Showhouse XVIII."
She concludes, "The Conference in Kansas City will be an inspiring event, and I look forward to meeting all the dynamic leaders from around the country."
 | | Fountain at The Kauffman Performing Arts Center |
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MESSAGE FROM AMSOV PRESIDENT
HELEN SHAFFER
Houston Symphony Orchestra
 | | Helen Shaffer |
As we begin another year, I thought it might be helpful to share tips on running a productive meeting for your organization. Run properly, a meeting should save time, increase motivation, solve problems, create new ideas, achieve buy-in, and diffuse conflict. A well-run meeting makes people happier and more productive.
The more interaction and brainstorming you have in a meeting, the stronger is the participants' commitment to the decisions. Please remember, reports can be sent by email and read. According to statistical research, the written word carries 7 percent of the true meaning; a telephone call carries 38 percent; while body language carries 55 percent of the meaning. No substitute exists for face-to-face meetings.
Where do you begin? First, know your own organization's mission statement and your parent organization's mission statement. Make certain that you have memorized them. Make certain that your mission statement is printed on every document. Based on your mission statement, set reasonable and achievable goals. Remember, you do not do a goal. You do things that enable you to achieve a goal. A goal without a plan is just a goal. In your thinking, identify cause and effect in achievable stages. Have linked steps to get there and relevant and achievable proportions and timing, using steps, stages, evaluation. Always work from the end to the beginning. You probably have one year to make a difference. What do you want to see accomplished?
How do you plan a meeting? Basic rules for meetings include use of the agenda as a planning tool. Develop a fixed format and circulate the agenda and any reports well in advance of the meeting. Ask for any additions. This technique eliminates adding business at the end of the meeting, which can turn into a free-for-all, and avoids wasting meeting time. Carefully plan the seating and equipment necessary for the meeting and make certain that all can see the equipment easily. See the sidebar, Meeting Planner Checklist.
A handy acronym to follow is POSTAG-TV: Priorities - Outcomes - Sequence - Timings - Agenda - Date - Time - Venue
How do you run a meeting? Remember, time is everything. Plan down to the minute and know what you want to accomplish. Which part of the goals will you focus on? Keep control and assign action items and responsibility. Hand-out working agreements. Follow up on agreed action items and responsibilities. Get feedback on reports. The secretary should sit next to you as the secretary is recording your history. One hour is the amount of time that will be productive. Start with the less important topics at the beginning, follow with those items that require approval or a vote, then present urgent topics, and finish with non-urgent issues, such as the calendar of events. Avoid putting two controversial issues together. People tend to be more sensitive at the beginning of a meeting; therefore, allow participants time to settle-in before you tackle controversial issues.
Your position as leader is crucial to the group and to how they listen and react. If you are comfortable and confident and your authority is not questioned, you can sit close to them. If you expect a challenge, seat yourself further away.
Meetings in which you encourage people's participation and responsibility are more constructive than ones in which the leader instructs and makes all the decisions. The aim and test of a well-run meeting is that the attendees afterwards feel that it took care of their needs as well as the items on the agenda. Badly run meetings are worse than having no meetings. Keep in mind that you are making demands on people's time and attention. Use the time wisely. Manage a meeting to make it positive and helpful.
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CAPABILITY MATURITY MODEL - INTEGRATED
Compliments of C. Michel Minor
Kansas City Symphony  |
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AMSOV BOARD MEETS IN CLEVELAND
The AMSOV board held its Fall, 2012 meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, hosted by Iris Harvie. She is the AMSOV board member in charge of the Membership Directory and Outreach, and she is an active volunteer with the Volunteer Council of The Cleveland Orchestra.
The weekend started Thursday night with a party hosted by Lee Warshawsky in her home in Cleveland Heights. Friday morning, business included a panel discussion with senior management of The Cleveland Orchestra, moderated by Ana Papakhian, Director of Communications. The Archivist conducted a tour of Severance Hall, constructed in 1931. Severance Hall is considered by many as one of the world's most beautiful concert halls. The Hall is a recipient of the Honor Award by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
 | | Severance Hall |
The afternoon included a docent-led tour of The Cleveland Museum of Art. Friday concluded with dinner in a private home co-hosted by Iris and Tom Harvie and Robin and Andy Schachat.
Saturday's business found Nancy Osgood of The Osgood Group joining the board to discuss the book, Leap of Reason. (See the book review in the Summer, 2012 issue of AMSOV eNEWS.) Board members discussed aspirations for major American orchestras, trends that impact orchestras, reflectons in light of the trends, outcomes for focus, and what we can do as volunteers to advance the discussion on outcomes and performance management.
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Board members dined in Severance Hall prior to the evening's concert . Maestro Weiser-Most conducted The Cleveland Orchestra in a performance of Mathler's Symphony No. 3 with choruses, which was the opening of the 2012-2013 season. Following the concert, board members were invited to the Green Room to meet Maestro Franz Welser-Most.
 | The Cleveland Orchestra performs Mahler's
3rd Symphony |
 | Flanking Maestro Franz Welse-Most are AMSOV officers
Marjorie Saulson, Arlyss Burkett and Helen Shaffer |
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AMSOV officers enjoyed a tour of Severance Hall. Front Row: Sally Bullard (Philadelphia); Deborah Brown (Dallas); Mike Minor (Kansas City); Middle Row: Saul and Marjorie Saulson (Detroit); Iris Harvie (Cleveland); Arlyss Burkett (Los Angeles);
Last Row: Helen Shaffer (Houston); Chuck Cagle (Nashville) |
 | | Iris Harvie (right) co-hosts dinner in a private home in Shaker Heights, Ohio. |
 | | Tom Harvie and Robin Schachat (right) co-host dinner in the Schachat's home. |
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CONSIDER SERVING ON THE AMSOV BOARD
by Marjorie Saulson
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
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Marjorie Saulson |
At the 2013 Conference in Kansas City, a new AMSOV Board of Directors will be elected to serve for the 2013 - 2015 biennium. Serving on the AMSOV Board is both a responsibiity and a delight. (Just ask any prior Board member.)
The responsibilities include handling a speciic portfolio, acting as a liaison to four or five member groups, attending four in-person Board meetings (two each year of the biemmium), and participating in teleconference calls in-between Board meetings.
The delights include visiting four different communities, meeting the volunteers from their orchestra groups, hearing their orchestras in their halls, and making new friends from all over the United States and Canada.
The AMSOV Board consists of nine members. In accordance with AMSOV bylaws, the outgoing Conference Chair becomes the President; the incoming Conference Chair becomes the Vice Pesident; and the presiding President becomes the Immediate Past President. This trio of positions guarantees the continuity of AMSOV (a totally volunteer-run organization) and provides the institutional memory for the organization.
Six people will be elected at the Conference to fill the remaining six positions: Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Database, Membership Directory, Newsletter Editor and Website. As of this writing, two positions still remain open for nominations on the 2013-2015 Board, and six positions are open on the 2015 - 2017 Board.
Eligibility and the election process specifics are stated in the bylaws located in the AMSOV Directory or in the Houston Conference binder. To be nominated, it is necessary to attend the Kansas City Conference to be presented to the membership.
If you are interested in serving on the AMSOV Board (either in the coming biennium or some time in the future) or have questions about what is involved, please contact AMSOV Immediate Past President Marjorie Saulson at amsov09@earthlink.net or 248-932-5177 (EST).
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INTRODUCTING AMSOV BOARD MEMBER
SALLY BULLARD
The Philadelphia Orchestra
 | | Sally Bullard |
Sally Bullard, the AMSOV officer in charge of the AMSOV web site, has been involved in volunteer service most of her adult life. She shares her husband Roland's love of The Philadelphia Orchestra, where Yannick Nézet-Séguin currently serves as Music Director.
Since 1998, Sally has been involved as a volunteer with The Philadelphia Orchestra. Her involvement began with a friend's invitation to join the West Philadelphia Committee of The Philadelphia Orchestra. It is one of seven committees giving volunteer service to the Orchestra. She found that she enjoyed making friends with interesting women who loved music, and subsequently, she has been deeply involved for 14 years. She served the West Philadelphia Committee in positions ranging from Treasurer to President. From 2009 through 2012, she served as President of the Volunteer Committees for The Philadelphia Orchestra, the umbrella organization that draws its 500 members from the tri-state area of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, which is the greater Delaware Valley metropolitan region. There have been only 14 Presidents of the Volunteer Committees in its almost 100-year history.
In addition to her volunteer work with The Philadelphia Orchestra, Sally serves on the Board of Directors of People's Light & Theater Company, a regional theater company in Malvern, Pennsylvania, and the Board of Directors of Family Support Service, Philadelphia.
A graduate of West Chester University of Pennsylvania, Sally earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. She pursued a career in banking which took her to the Philadelphia National Bank (now Wells Fargo Bank) and Chemical Bank (now JP Morgan). She next served as Executive Director of a non-profit organization and taught accounting at Peirce College of Philadelphia. Currently, she devotes herself to her family, volunteer work, and a family business, Anchor Miami Propeller, Miami, Florida.
Sally is married to Roland Bullard, and they reside in Philadelphia. They have four children and seven grandchildren.
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AMSOV MEMBER ORGANIZATION DIRECTORY
Watch your mail box for arrival of the updated AMSOV Member Organization Directory. It is a benefit of membership to receive one and serves as a networking tool. Iris Harvie, volunteer with The Cleveland Orchestra and the AMSOV officer in charge of the Directory will mail an updated version before the holidays. If you have questions, contact her at iaharvie@aol.com.
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NATIONAL BLUEPRINT FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN THE ARTS
by James L. Bildner
Harvard University
 | | James L. Bildner |
The Initiative for Sustainable Arts in America is the first comprehensive attempt to address this need and develop a fact-based assessment of the sustainability of urban arts and cultural institutions across the country, from which a national framework can be created. By analyzing and mapping the relationship between capitalization of arts institutions, urban demography, and historical patterns of audience participation, we can create a fact-based debate among all the significant stakeholders in the arts, leading to a cohesive funding framework for arts and cultural institutions in our key urban centers as well as a broader framework for the country as a whole.
This holistic approach will provide institutional leaders, critical individual philanthropists and fiduciaries alike, with the context to understand their current environment, consider likely scenarios for how shifts in capitalization, demography and participation will impact the future of arts and cultural institutions and help shape policies that can create a more sustainable environment for the sector as a whole. Over the past nine months, we have spoken with countless funders, institutional leaders, artists and individual philanthropists in the sector, all of whom agree on the urgency of this work and the power of its uniquely designed approach to create a national blueprint for sustainability in the arts.
Mapping Cultural Assets. A central component of this work is our intensive work in six important cities in the country - Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Los Angeles and Detroit. These cities represent a diverse set of demographics, diversity, arts and cultural institutions and economic and societal opportunities and challenges. Our work will identify innovative opportunities as well as the existing research and data gaps that seem to constrain them. The project work in each city will identify the critical linkages that their core institutions can use in real time to make important strategic adaptations to reach new demographic audiences and find new modes to participate with them.
One of the project's greatest value to the cities themselves ... is that the project will leave behind a robust customized planning tool that will allow funders and others the opportunity to input new variables, such as a new venue, to see what likely changes in the overall ecology would happen. Equally important, this scenario planning tool will also project the likely inferences that can be drawn from the failure or collapse of an existing arts and cultural institution. To the best of our knowledge, this kind of tool simply does not exist today....
Conclusion. ...We believe we can finally reach a fact-based policy consensus that can bring about real change and which can be adopted into everyday funding and operating decisions at both a regional and national level. |
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VOLUNTEER SERVICE IDEAS FROM VOLUNTEERS
Ways in which volunteers serve their orchestras is featured in this issue. Many volunteers total their volunteer hours for the year and multiple them by a dollar amount. The total, which they present to the orchestra's management, is part of their contributions to the "bottom line." One way to calculate a dollar value on volunteers' time is presented in a table format by state at www.independentsector.org.
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BOSTON SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTEERS
 Volunteers were an integral part of the new Tanglewood Family Fun Fest, created this past summer for Tanglewood's 75th anniversary season. Tanglewood, nestled in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts, is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra's staff acknowledged that only eight percent of Berkshire households attend classical music concerts at Tanglewood. One hope for the Tanglewood Family Fun Fest was to show that classical music can be a fun family activity. The goal was to have 500 people participate, and ultimately, 850 households registered, and 2,400 people attended. Pre-registration contact information, staff-secured email and mailing addresses can be used for future communications about the Boston Symphony Orchestra's educational programs, both in Boston and in the Berkshires.
The greatest obstacles for creating a new event were the "bones of the event," including recruiting and training volunteers, securing in-kind donations, creating the clues for the scavenger hunt and predicting the number of attendees. In addition, Tanglewood had to determine the best way to communicate the event information to Berkshire families. Fortunately, a volunteer, who was a former school superintendent, connected the Tanglewood staff with the local school groups.
Tanglewood Family Fun Fest took place on Friday, June 29th from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Families arrived and received a map with 12 stamped boxes. Families then needed to go to the 12 locations on campus, where they would complete an activity, and then volunteers would stamp their maps. Some of these activities were Tanglewood-centric questions that needed to be answered by the families, with volunteers offering clues as needed. Others were more interactive, including an Instrument Playground, which consisted of a percussion demonstration and craft activities.
A successful event, the Boston Symphony Orchestra plans to repeat it this coming year. They plan to expand it by involving additional Berkshire arts groups who can create performances and activities along the scavenger-hunt route.
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BUFFALO PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA VOLUNTEERS
To make music come alive in the community, Friends of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra hold an event, The Joy of Music and Wine Festival. This Fall, it will be held in Kleinhans Music Hall, home of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. The project started 10 years ago to provide an opportunity for the volunteers to get to know the musicians better and learn about their
 | | Music Director Jo Ann Falletta |
musical and personal lives through a small gathering and also for the musicians to educate the volunteers about music and their instruments. By increasing more interest and knowledge about music and the musicians, the volunteers believed they would increase attendance. The idea took root, and the volunteers today are more involved with the musicians as well as with the orchestra's managers.
The Joy of Music and Wine Festival has grown into a fundraiser. Guests enjoy tasting wine with food samples catered by local merchants, and volunteers introduce the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra musicians who then perform. The idea of interaction with the musicians grew to include another event. Musicians and board members are models at the volunteer's Champagne Brunch Fashion Show, held in the Spring of each year. |
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CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION
Through volunteer services, members of the Cincinnati Symphony Volunteer Association engage in activities and projects that are designed to enhance the public relations and financial strength of the orchestra. The volunteer board is comprised of five audience engagement committees and three event planning committees. This issue will summarize the audience engagement committees.
Encore. Its mission is to reach and cultivate the next generation of Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra patrons by creating opportunities for a diverse group of urban professionals to get introduced to the Cincinnati Symphony and the Pops Orchestra and to engage with the orchestra and with people who share their interest. The Encore Committee organizes four to five events each year aligned with performances. Nearly all events have exceeded participation expectations. The most recent event, Chinese New Year, the Lang Lang concert, reached a capacity crowd of nearly 200 attendees.
 | | Lang Lang |
Friends of the Pops. Formed by the late Cincinnati Pops Founder and Conductor Emeritus Erich Kunzel in 1991, this group has grown to more than 200 members. It continues to provide Pops music lovers from all walks of life an outlet where they can have fun, meet fellow concertgoers, and support the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. Friends of the Pops offers exclusive opportunities to interact with the Pops Conductor and with orchestra members at pre-concert dinners and social events as well as day trips, tours and performances.
Lollipops. The Cincinnati Pops Lollipops Family Concerts are interactive, creatively themed programs designed for children aged three to ten and their families and are offered on Saturday mornings. They offer a fun-filled introduction to the symphonic experience. A structured Lollipop Committee, established in 2011, has the goal of identifying and engaging more young families.
Mutl-Cultural Awareness Council. This is a group of diverse, community volunteers. The mission is to foster and increase awareness of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra programs through cultural and diverse music programs, educational and community partnerships, scholarships for talented minority student musicians, and build diverse audiences and artistic development.
Pride/LGBT Community. Engaging the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT) community is the annual Pride Night. This event surrounds a Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's Saturday evening concert and offers cocktails and desserts after the concert. In 2011, the Pride Committee formed to transition the annual Pride Night event into an ongoing community of supporters who can plan and execute events throughout the year.
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DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA LEAGUE
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra League looks forward to the Fall when projects launch. Throughout the long, hot summer, project chairs worked tirelessly planning their events.
 | Kay Weeks, Shelle Sills and Sharon Barbee at
Deb Announcement Festivities |
During the Announcement Weekend festivities held last June 1-3, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra League introduced the 2012-2013 debutantes.
That weekend marked the official start of a series of events that will culminate with the 27th Presentation Ball, to be held on February 2, 2013.
Over the years, the Presentation Ball has raised more than $9 million for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
October was a very busy month for the volunteers.
October 3 was the New Member Luncheon celebrating the "Joie de Vivre" and welcoming over 150 new members to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra League. On October 24, the League held its Fall Membership Tea. The program, "Outstanding New Musicians of the Dallas Symphony" featured two artists who performed - Christina Huang, violist and Nan Zhang, cellist. Also in October, the Up Close and Classical Committee presented a wonderful evening with delicious food and a featured artist.
"We have a very busy and exciting year planned," reports League President Sharon Barbee, "In addition to the events mentioned, we are preparing for the Junior Symphony Ball on January 26, 2013, the Season Ticket Campaign, Youth Concerts and Competitions, Orchestra Appreciation Luncheon and the Symphony Derby."
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DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
VOLUNTEER COUNCIL
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra Volunteer Council created two distinct awards to honor its volunteers for their time, dedication and commitment to the organization. In 2001, the "Volunteer of the Year" award was initiated to recognize a volunteer(s) for outstanding service during the year in which it is given. In 2008, the "Alice Berberian Haidostian Service Award" was initiated. It is not necessarily awarded each year and is considered a Lifetime Achievement Award. Each award honors a volunteer(s) with distinct criteria. The recipients are announced at the Annual Meeting and are presented with a personalized engraved crystal award. Besides keeping the recipient's name a secret, the Volunteer Council contacts the recipient's family in order for them to make arrangements to attend the award ceremony.
 | | Three recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award are Mary Beattie, Alice Berberian Haidostian and Marjorie Saulson. |
Volunteer of the year award guidelines include:
- An individual may receive it more than once and must be an active member of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Volunteer Council (VC).
- The recipient should be a role model for other VC members and personify great volunteer service.
- It is permissible for an individual to receive both the Volunteer of the Year Award and the Alice Berberian Haidostian award in the same year.
- The recipient does not need to be a VC Board member.
- The sitting President is exempt from receiving this award.
- To nominate an individual for this award, a Nomination form must be submitted to the current Awards Chair.
- A committee decides who shall receive the award. The committee consists of the President, the Parliamentarian, the Awards Chair and one ad hoc member appointed by the President.
Volunteer Council President Janet Ankers explains that the Alice Berberian Haidostian Service Award was created to honor Alice who has been the "heart and soul" of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Volunteer Council for many, many years. "She was our 'secret weapon' who was always there to help out whether to arrange for food for the Musicians' Luncheon, raise money for the Annual Fund, provide water for the volunteers at the Showhouse, or to play the piano for any and every event," says Janet.
Alice was the first recipient of the award. Since Alice, there have been two additional recipients.
Alice Berberian Haidostian Service Award guidelines include:
- It can only be awarded once, and the honoree must have been a member of the VC for more than five years.
- The recipient must be an active member of the VC. It can, however, be awarded posthumously to a previous member.
- The recipient should have given dedicated and consistent service over a long period of time.
- The recipient may have previously received the Volunteer of the Year award.
- The recipient does not need to be a VC Board member.
- The sitting President is exempt from receiving this award.
- Nominations for this award are verbal and are made to someone on the VC Executive Committee, including the President.
- Individuals will be chosen for this award by vote of the Executive Committee.
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GRAND RAPIDS SYMPHONY WOMEN'S COMMITTEE
For the 2012 - 2013 season, the Grand Rapids Symphony Women's Committee will focus on its launch of a cookbook, published In time for the holidays. Planned are Pre-Parties and Launch Parties. Already, Tasting Parties have been hosted by individual ladies, to boost pre-sales of the cookbook.
Volunteers have planned a trip from Grand Rapids to Detroit, to engage volunteers in a social event and an evening concert of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
 | Women in West Michigan plan to visit the
Detroit Symphony Orchestra. |
President Sarah Bowman Peterson says, "We try to show people our fun side as well as our philanthropic one."
Every year, the Grand Rapids Symphony Women's Committee holds a drawing for new members to receive gift cards, and members host Coffee Gatherings for new members and prospective members. Members make their presence known at the Grand Rapids Symphonhy's summer concerts where they host a booth for raffles and to attract new members. |
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KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY ALLIANCE
Volunteers of the Kansas City Symphony Alliance are hard at work planning the 39th AMSOV Biennial Conference, scheduled in Kansas City from May 16 through 19, 2013. In addition, the volunteers have other activities in motion.
Last Spring, the organization held a Kansas City Symphony Alliance Membership Contest. The goal was 200 members by June 1, 2012. For every volunteer who brought in a new member before June 1st, the member's name was entered into a drawing for a prize valued at $50. Members had to notify the Membership Vice President of both their own name and the potential member's name to be entered into the drawing. At the Spring Luncheon, the winner was announced.
 | | Chairing the annual Spring Luncheon are Cynthia Seifert, Suzanne Castleberry and Sharon Manies. |
The Kansas City Symphony Alliance holds membership meetings and documents them in its online newsletter. For example, in January, 2012, members enjoyed an all-membership gathering at the Country Club Congregational Church. Speaker was Llewellyn Crain, the Kansas City Symphony Director of Development, who talked about the Symphony programs. Next, members heard from Karen Hardcastle, the Committee Chair of the 43rd Symphony Designers' Showhouse and from others on the committee. In this way, they could publicize the upcoming Showhouse and build excitement for this major fundraising event benefiting the Kansas City Symphony. New members were introduced, and the meeting concluded with refreshments. A similar format exists for other membership meetings during the year.
Just for fun, members and guests of the Kansas City Symphony Alliance enjoyed an After Concert Party on a Sunday evening at Schmitt Music in Overland Park. The event followed the Kansas City Symphony's orchestral and choral concert of Mahler's Symphony No. 2.
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LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC AFFILIATES
The Committee of Professional Women of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Affiliates won a League of American Orchestra's Gold Book award for its Instrument Drive conducted as a "shout out" auction benefiting the children participating in Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA).
Volunteering for YOLA is a new opportunity for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Affiliates. YOLA is based on the Venezuelan model of El Sistema. In Los Angeles, it offers children music lessons for children from disadvantaged neighborhoods and the experience of playing together in a youth orchestra. The Los Angeles program has grown from one site to three.
 | | Glenda Burnett |
Glenda Burnett, a volunteer with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Affiliates Valley CommitteeS, coordinates the volunteer effort. Glenda encourages the Affiliate committees to tour the YOLA facilities with the LA Philharmonic Education Department staff, and to learn how the LA Philharmonic partners with the social service agencies.
Currently, Glenda's volunteer efforts center on YOLA at Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) facility. She recruits Affiliates to assist children with their after-school activities, such as homework and to guide the children to their instrument lessons and vocal lessons. This routine continues Monday through Thursday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Volunteers may assist as many days as possible The highlight for each YOLA is a visit from Los Angeles Philharmonic Music Director Gustavo Dudamel.
 | | YOLA children playing on their paper violins, a first step. |
The Los Angeles Philharmonic Affiliates have been volunteering for other LA Phil Education Department programs for years. The Toyota Symphonies for Youth concerts on Saturdays require 35 volunteers each time to help with pre-concert activities such as arts and crafts, story telling, dance, rhythms and the Instrument Petting Zoo where children can touch and try out instruments.
The Symphonies for Youth concerts, held one week each Spring, require 200 volunteers to meet the school buses and guide children to their seats in Walt Disney Concert Hall.
The Music Mobile program requires numerous volunteers in this program designed to teach elementary school children about the orchestra and orchestral instruments. |
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MONTREAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA/
ORCHESTRE SYMPHONIQUE DE MONTREAL
The main token of appreciation from the Montreal Symphony Orchestra Association to the volunteers is one complementary concert ticket for every 30 hours of work. The work can be for the Volunteer Association or directly for the Orchestra, such as mailings, press reviews, guest artists' greetings, and other activities. At the beginning of each season, the Orchestra's management gives four tickets per concert to the President of the Volunteer Association. The tickets are then given to volunteers on a first-come, first-served basis during the year as they perform volunteer work.
 | | Interior of concert hall in Montreal |
When the presence of volunteers is required for a specific concert, such as volunteering at the Welcoming table or offering coffee service at a matinee, each volunteer receives a ticket to attend that concert. The docents who travel to the schools to prepare the children prior to a concert are invited to attend the concert. About 50 volunteers are needed for the Orchestra's Standard Life Competition each year, and each volunteer receives a ticket to the Competition's Laureate Concert. In addition, the volunteers are treated to a luncheon.
The Orchestra's administration has increased its gestures of appreciation. During Volunteers' Week in April, the Volunteer Association received a huge bouquet and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) sent a thank you note to each volunteer, reports Carolyn Roper, Montreal Symphony Orchestra Volunteer member. An annual concert, which used to be "Sponsored by the Volunteer Committee" with a post-concert reception honoring department heads and first chairs as the volunteers' guests, is now changed to "In Recognition of the Volunteers," and the administration picks up the cost for the reception. The cost of the annual Christmas luncheon, which used to be handled solely by the Volunteer Association, is now shared by the administration and the musicians.
Carolyn says, "When Music Director Kent Nagano passes on the premises, he often comes over to say 'Hello.' As volunteers, we consider it a privilege to meet and chat with our Maestro and our musicians."
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St. Louis Symphony Volunteer Association
The St. Louis Symphony underwent a re-branding process over the last year. The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra is now known by its new name, St. Louis Symphony.
 | | Gypsy Caravan is held on the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis. |
The St. Louis Symphony Volunteer Association celebrated a milestone this past summer. Its Gypsy Caravan, involving the largest number of volunteers and its most successful fundraiser, celebrated its 40th anniversary.
President Becky Brown reports that an event of this magnitude requires a committed volunteer core coordinated by a steering committee that works tirelessly for several months leading up to this favorite St. Louis Memorial Day tradition. Merchandise and food vendor relations and contracts, children's corner activities, volunteer recruitment and assignments, event signage, publicity and communications, event gate workers, finance processing, and booklet production, as well as other activities are just some of the activities involved to make Gypsy Caravan a success.
The month of May started the countdown. On May 4, over 100 friends and fans of Gypsy Caravan attended a soiree at the Norman K. Probstein Golf Course Champion's Room, to celebrate 40 years of Gypsy Caravan and raise a profit of more than $5,400.
Once again, St. Louis Symphony Volunteer Association members answered the call to become a Friend of Gypsy Caravan. Members who donated $10 or more were acknowledged on a special page in the 2012 Gypsy Caravan Shopper's Guide that raised more than $1,700. Members sold advertising space and prepared the layout for the Shopper's Guide which has proved invaluable for vendors and attendees alike.
Thousands of shoppers descended upon the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis on Memorial Day to search for that special antique, craft, or flea market find from over 350 vendor spaces coming from several different states.
Using Groupon sales to entice "early bird" shoppers, general admission pre-sales at the St. Louis Symphony Box Office, and an entrance fee increase (the first in 20 years), the organization expects to make a profit of more than $130,000 this year.
Volunteers generously give of their time and talents to Gypsy Caravan and are proud to have been able to donate more than $3.5 million to the St. Louis Symphony since the inception of Gypsy Caravan 40 years ago.
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Seattle Symphony Volunteers
The Seattle Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1903, has a treasure that recently received attention - its rich archive of programs, music and photos for its archives. Because of a lack of archiving and storage capabilities, very few people knew about this treasure until the Orchestra moved into the new orchestra hall in 2000. Since that move, the library has embarked on a journey to preserve stories of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra's history and tradition. It is using ideas, talents and technology from the community to provide new services to the musicians and is raising the visibility of the Orchestra in the community.
During the past year, the Seattle Symphony Volunteers became aware of this project and the need to replace deteriorated boxes used to catalog orchestra parts played by the musicians. The volunteer organization donated money from its fundraising projects to purchase 750 new acid-free boxes to preserve the music. This change allowed the library to increase its archive storage capacity by almost 20 percent. In addition, several volunteers, who have skills in library archiving, are donating their time to catalogue and switch old to new boxes which is estimated to take about three months.
 | | Insights and Essays on the Music Performance Library, edited by Russ Girsberg and laurie Lake, published by Meredith Music Publications, 2012 |
Recently, Insights and Essays on the Music Performance Library was published by Meredith Music Publications (www.meredithmusic.com or garwoodw@comcast.net). The book features a chapter written by Robert Olivia, Seattle Symphony Orchestra Associate Principal Librarian. Olivia points out the innovations undertaken by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra's library over the past five years were made possible by borrowing ideas and technology from non-artistic formats and adopting them to the orchestral environment. To this end, partnerships were formed with local businesses, universities, museums, public services and volunteers.
Olivia was recently interviewed and gratefully acknowledged, "None of what we've been able to accomplish over the past five years would have been possible without the direct help of our dedicated volunteers. Whether from the Symphony, Seattle Art Museum, University of Washington School, National Park Service, Macy's, Amazon, Nintendo, Microsoft etc., the volunteers have given countless hours of professional expertise. Volunteers are integrally involved in various aspects of the library's work such as integrating computer databases and time-honored hand work such as building wrappers and labels for new sets of parts. All of us at the Seattle Symphony are very grateful for their unique contributions."
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WOMEN'S COMMITTEE FOR THE
NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
(WASHINGTON, D.C.)
 | | A volunteer helps a child at the Instrument Petting Zoo at Halloween Spooktacular. |
The Women's Committee for the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. received a Round Table Award of 2012 from the League of American Orchestras for Haunted Hall - Halloween Instrument Petting Zoo, held in October of 2012, reports volunteer Carla Jones Batka.
On October 28, the National Symphony Orchestra presented its family concert, Halloween Spooktacular. Musicians, volunteers and children, dressed in Halloween costumes. The Women's Committee sponsored the pre-concert activities, trick-or-treats and a special Haunted Hall Musical Instrument Petting Zoo.
The National Symphony Orchestra performed a "spirited" performance as musicians dressed in costumes as ghosts, ghouls, and goblins. An incognito Ankush Kumar Bahl conducted selections from Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique, John William's Imperial March from Star Wars, Dukas' Socerer's Apprentice with narration, and Prokofiev's Cinderella Suite No. 1.
Following the matinee concert, children could ask questions in an up-close-and-personal talk with the concert artists. |
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