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MISSION
To ensure the continued existence of major symphony orchestras in North America through volunteerism.
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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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| PRESIDENT
Mike Minor
Kansas City Symphony
VICE PRESIDENT AND
CONFERENCE CHAIR
Sally Bullard
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Sally.Bullard@amsov.org
PAST PRESIDENT AND BYLAWS
Helen Shaffer
SECRETARY
Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal
TREASURER
David A. Clark
Los Angeles Philharmonic
MEMBERSHIP / DATABASE
Nancy Wagner
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
MEMBERSHIP / DIRECTORY & OUTREACH
Pam Hicks
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Nancy Greenbach
San Francisco Symphony
Nancy.Greenbach@amsov.org
WEBSITE
Lenna Hughes-Recer
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
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message from amsov president
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Dear AMSOV Members,
Louis Pasteur's saying "Chance favors only the prepared mind," has always been a favorite of mine. My interpretation of this is that insights, connections, and discoveries need the right environment to be recognized and utilized. I would broaden Pasteur's saying to "chance and opportunities come to those who prepare."
Preparation is among the most important tasks as leaders of our organizations. Lack of preparation often results in underutilized and unfulfilled volunteers, missed opportunities, stress, and, eventually, a lot of extra work for the leader. When we have good preparation our volunteers are engaged, we anticipate contingencies, and we are freed to be more receptive of ideas and possibilities that are beyond our original goals and intentions. Sharing experiences is one of the main advantages that AMSOV has to offer to its members. Our interactions, sharing best practices, and sharing lessons learned gives us the opportunity to expand our possibilities and extend our reach as leaders.
Attending AMSOV biennial conferences presents us with a great opportunity to expand our possibilities as leaders as we interact with other volunteer leaders and attend one-of-a-kind events presented by the local volunteer organization. Those who attended the AMSOV 2007 Biennial Conference in Dallas, Texas, will recall an excellent example of this. At the Dallas conference we were treated to a presentation by Robert Edsel, titled "Rescuing Da Vinci." You have probably seen Robert Edsel in the national media recently promoting the motion picture Monuments Men, staring George Clooney and Matt Damon, based on Edsel's work documenting the men who rescued art work during and after World War II. We were all very inspired hearing from the author, himself, about these incredible soldiers and their accomplishments saving artworks for future generations.
At the Next Biennial Conference in Philadelphia, conference chair, Sally Bullard (Sally.Bullard@amsov.org), is acting on feedback from previous conferences and enhancing Getting to Know You to provide greater interaction among attendees and to focus more on specific areas of interest. For more information about this see Sally's article following this one.
Thank you for all you do to support your local orchestras. If you have any comments or suggestions for the newsletter, please send them to newsletters@amsov.org.
-Mike Minor, President
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AMSOV 2015 - Philadelphia, pA
March 5 - 8, 2015
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We Listened to You ....
The theme of our conference in Philadelphia is Talent, Dedication, Teamwork. We "teamed" with many AMSOV members to find ways to make the conference relevant and worthwhile, as well as fun. One of the consistent themes was the desire for more time to interact with other members over specific topics. In that regard, we are changing the format of our Getting to Know You sessions. Previously every organization was given 2-3 minutes to tell something about their organization's achievements and/or problems. There was no time for questions or discussion of interesting ideas. So, we are going to change the format. Note:
- We still want to hear from every member, so we will be contacting the president of your organization to provide a written paragraph that will have the same information as the verbal presentations in the past. This will be in put into a booklet and be in your welcome packet. You will have an opportunity to find out what is happening with each organization at the very beginning of the conference.
- The time in the conference previously allocated to the Getting to Know you presentation will be structured as roundtable discussions, covering membership, fundraising and education. There will be multiple sessions so you can be involved in more than one topic.
Our hope is that this will allow for a good dialogue between conference members, which is after all, one of the main goals of the conference. If you have any specific topics or new interesting, ideas that you would like to highlight in these roundtable discussions, please email Sally Bullard at sally.bullard@amsov.org. It is all of us working together that will make a great conference.
We hope to see you in Philadelphia March 5 - 8, 2015.
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Ten Golden Rules for Volunteers
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Be selfless. Selfless is the opposite of selfish. Don't think about what you can do to help yourself. Think about what you can do to help others.
Be well-trained. Know what you're doing as a volunteer. If you need some time to learn your job, take that time. If you need training or need someone to show you what you're supposed to do, speak up. If you're good at your job, it will be much easier to help others (plus you'll have a lot more fun.)
Be dependable. Do what you say you will do, and do your best. Don't show up late, and always keep your promises. People will be relying on you so you don't want to let them down.
Be enthusiastic. Don't moan and groan your way through your volunteer work. If you really don't like what you're doing, find something else. Always have a positive attitude and show others that you're doing this because you WANT to.
Be open-minded. One of the really great things about being a volunteer is the chance to learn and experience new things. Keep your mind open to new possibilities, and you'll probably grow as a person.
Be respectful. Always remember to show respect for other people and other cultures. Keep in mind that your way of thinking or living is not the only way there is.
Be cooperative. Don't be a "hot shot" or a loaner. Don't try to do everything yourself. Work as part of a team to make sure everyone gets a chance to participate and do his or her fair share of work. If someone asks for help, be willing to lend a hand. If you need help, ask politely for it.
Be understanding. Try to see things through other people's eyes. Try your best to understand what other people are going through; even if it's something you have never dealt with yourself.
Be humble. Humble people don't brag or go around telling everyone about all the good things they've done just to get attention or feel superior. They're happy knowing that they're making a difference, and don't need to shout about it.
Be friendly. Treat others like friends and they do the same for you. Many people who volunteer meet new people with whom they want to stay friends. You might just meet someone who becomes a buddy for the rest of your life.
-With many thanks for sharing, from materials given to new volunteers at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Affiliates 2013 Leadership Workshop
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LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC CELEBRATES
TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL
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 | | Disney Hall Exterior |
The entire 2013-2014 concert season of the Los Angeles Philharmonic is dedicated to celebrating the ten year anniversary of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles. The original vision for a new performance space for the LA Philharmonic came from Lillian B. Disney, who donated $50 million to kick off the fundraising for a new concert hall in honor of her late husband Walt Disney.
When it opened ten years ago, in October 2003, Walt Disney Concert Hall was immediately acclaimed for its architecture and its acoustics. Architect Frank Gehry won the commission decisively, with a thoroughly considered design and the potential for a highly original architectural statement.
The building of Walt Disney Concert Hall presented construction and engineering challenges because of its curving stainless steel exterior, but when it finally opened in October 2003, this architectural masterpiece and acoustical marvel forever changed the musical landscape of Los Angeles.
 | | Disney Hall Interior |
Inside the warm, Douglas fir-lined interior are 2,265 seats that are steeply raked and surround the stage. Ernest Fleischmann, former Executive Director of the LA Phil, felt that balconies and boxes reinforced a social hierarchy and proscenium arches separated players from listeners, and he urged that they be eliminated. In Walt Disney Concert Hall, the orchestra plays in the space in which the audience sits. The vineyard style seating brings the audience close to the orchestra, and offers an intimate view of the musicians and conductor from any seat.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic, now in its 95th season, has flourished in its new home over the past ten years, and looks forward to celebrating its 100th Anniversary in the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
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Conference Call Or Face-to-Face Meeting?
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Has your organization ever considered replacing some face-to-face meetings with conference calls?
Advancements in technology now allow affordable or no-cost conference calling for volunteer organizations. Some services are voice only using a telephone. However, other services allow PC and tablet screen sharing and videoconferencing. Most, newer laptop PCs and tablets have built-in cameras that can take advantage of these features. Some services offer voice over the Internet using your computer's microphone and speakers, so a telephone is not necessary. Note that for videoconferencing attendees will probably need a higher speed Internet connection. If you are doing conference calling for the first time or you have new attendees, you may want to have a practice meeting for anyone who is interested prior to the meeting. It is also a good idea to establish conference call etiquette for attendees and some sort of additional training for the meeting facilitator.
Here are some examples of when conference calls might be considered:
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Weekly or monthly status meetings
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Key team members are out-of-town or cannot meet face-to-face
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Follow-up meetings for face-to-face meetings
Here are some examples of when face-to-face meetings might be considered:
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Large project kick-off meetings
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New member orientation meetings
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Recognition and award meetings
In the fall newsletter there was an article about using SWOT Analyses to help with decision making. Here is a SWOT analysis for considering conference calls to replace some meetings:
Strengths
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Saves travel time for volunteers
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Members can attend multiple meetings on the same day
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No need to reserve a meeting room or be concerned about the size of the room
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Some members my use conference calling in the work place and be very comfortable with this format
Weaknesses
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Attendees may "multitask" and be distracted from meeting
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There may be a steep learning curve for some attendees or some members may not want to use this technology
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Loss of personal interaction
Opportunities
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May attract new members who cannot attend meetings
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Environmentally Friendly - no travel required
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Increased availability of members since no travel is necessary
Threats
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Technical difficulties may disrupt or delay the meeting
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If a free service cannot be found, there may be additional costs for the organization
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If real-time PC or tablet screen sharing is not available for the call, collaboration may be difficult
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Here is what is happening with some of our member orchestras. Watch this column in this and future E-Newsletters for ideas and to celebrate the successes of other volunteer groups. If you have an update for a future E-Newsletter, be sure to send it to newsletter@amsov.org.
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
Thursday and Friday, February 13 and February 14, 2014, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra br ought a childhood classic to life: Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit. This program was designed for Children ages 3 through 6. In the weeks leading up to the concert, volunteers visited Pre-K classes for the purpose of reading and sharing the story of Peter Rabbit and his friends. During the concerts, the children followed Peter on his adventure through Mr. McGregor's garden with a narrator/vocalist and the FWSO musicians leading the way! The program also featured an introduction to the instrument families of the orchestra. There were two performances each day. Between performances on the second day, the Symphony League of Fort Worth served lunch to the musicians.
February 21-23, 2014, the FWSO will perform Felix Mendelssohn's magnificent Elijah. Soloists will include two Fort Worth favorites - Ava Pine, soprano, and Jonathan Beyer, baritone, as well as members of the Texas Christian University Chorale, Baylor Chorale, and Southwestern Baptist Seminary Singers.
Kansas City Symphony
The Kansas City Symphony Alliance is working on its 45th Symphony Designers' Showhouse. Pictures and history of the house, built in 1921, can be seen at http://www.showhouse.org. Following the very successful preview tour in January, prominent designers in the metro area are getting the house ready for tours April 26 through May 18. You can also follow the progression of the work on the Showhouse on FaceBook: Symphony Designers' Showhouse.
Interested in doing a Showhouse of your own? A video on how to do a Showhouse can all be obtained through the web site.
Los Angeles Philharmonic
In February, the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela will visit Los Angeles to take part in the LA Philharmonic's "TchaikovskyFest." During a two-week period, these two orchestras (individually and combined) will perform all six of Tchaikovsky's symphonies, as well as the Violin Concerto, 1812 Overture, and selections from several overture fantasies and concertos. Also during this time, both Orchestras will participate in the "Take a Stand" Symposium, a collaborative initiative of the LA Phil, Longy School of Music, and Bard College. The 2014 Take a Stand Symposium will deal with empowering school age children to take control of their future through music education.
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
Forte - Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra's Volunteer League is busy planning its 54th Annual Gala - The Emerald City Soiree on April 12, 2014. The Wizard of Oz will be shown on the big screen with Judy Garland's original 1939 vocals and Harold Arlen's lost scores played live by the MSO. Guests will follow the yellow brick road to a magical Oz inspired post-concert experience including dinner, live auction, raffle and dancing.
Next big fundraiser will be our 16th Annual Grape Expectations Wine Tasting Extravaganza on July, 18, 2014. Cheers!
Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal
The Big Event
On May 28, 2014 Montréal's music world will celebrate a very special occasion: the inauguration of the Grand Orgue Pierre-Béique at the Maison symphonique, the home of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. As you may have heard, this hall is in itself a jewel due to its acoustical qualities. Thanks to the generosity of Mrs. Jacqueline Desmarais, an organ has been included in the design and Quebec organ builder Casavant Frères was mandated by the OSM to create a pipe organ which should fully constitute a music instrument in the Orchestra, according to the specifications prepared by Olivier Latry, titular organist of the Grand Orgue de Notre-Dame de Paris. It has 6,489 pipes, 109 registers, 83 stops, and 116 ranks. The organ comprises two consoles, one mechanical that is fixed to the base of the instrument, about 15 feet over the stage, the other electrical and moveable which can be placed at the center of the orchestra. It is considered to be a really unique instrument because of its versatility.
The OSM Volunteer Association sponsors tickets for the Youth Concerts.
Education has always ranked high among the Association's objectives. Since the very beginning in the late 1930's, volunteer docents go into school requesting their services before the Youth Concerts (1 to 3 a year). This year, as it was decided to use more funds toward education, the Board chose to give 500 tickets to schools whose children didn't have the means to pay for such outings. These schools were selected by an association called Une école montréalaise pour tous whose objective is the support of schools in the city's most socially-disadvantaged areas .
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Here are some interesting items on the web. In this E-Newsletter we are focusing on Why Music Matters with three interviews featuring two maestros and a composer.
Maestro, Yannick Nézet-Séguin on His Philadelphia Orchestra:
Kansas City Symphony Artistic Director, Michael Stern, on Why Music Matters:
Composer Mason Bates chats about the Beethoven & Bates Festival at the San Francisco Symphony:
Have a link you would like for us to consider for the next E-Newsletter? Send it to newsletter@amsov.org.
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