AGM Waiheke Choral Society Incorporated – 2019

The AGM of the Waiheke Choral Society was held on 19 March 2019 at the Waiheke Musical Museum.

Present:

Andy Spence, Anne Jocelyn, Anne Willmann, Dee Austring, Elizabeth Haylock, Erica Hailstone, Flynn Washington, Gavin Smart, Gillian Reeve, Hiromi Stewart, Jeanne Mellamphy, Joan Kirk, Maya Spence, Nassai Herren, Nicolas Herren, Nika Diblenko, Norma Cross, Mary Batten, Pam Manktelow, Philip Symonds, Richard Melville, Saskia Herren, Shona McIvor, Susan Triggs, Trevor Hynds.

Apologies:  Eileen Boghurst, Christine Beardon, Jane Griffith, Mark James, Nora West

Meeting opened: by Saskia Herren at 6:33pm

Minutes: of the last meeting read by Susan.

Dee Austring proposed minutes be accepted as a true and accurate record/seconded by Gillian Reeves.

President’s Report presented by Saskia Herren

Before we get into the full swing of this AGM and the *president's speech* I would like to just take a moment to address the Friday terrorist attack in Christchurch. It was a horrendous unforgivable act of violence against our countrymen that’s left me absolutely devastated. I want you to know that we will be dedicating our concert to the victims and their families, and profits shall go to the Christchurch give-a-little page. Please join me now in a moment of silence.

Ok. Onto something lighter. This year for the choir started with the abdication of Andy Spence from the position of President, an office which he had held for four years. So we replaced him with the next best thing: Me. Or at least I hope I am (look around) Do you regret it yet? At any rate, we then had both the youngest president in the history of the choir, and the youngest conductor; Ariane Duclos. Together with the choir we put on our first concert of the year, Mozart & More, in May.

Ariane had recently got her masters in choral conducting in Montreal and set to conducting our little community choir with a handful of fun, energy, and kind-hearted discipline. The Mozart & More Concert was a financial success, and a great time for all involved. After the concert, Ariane left us to do some further travelling in New Zealand and to work with the Bach Choir in Auckland, and for her time here we are very thankful.

With that, Richard returned from hiatus to begin preparation for the Messa di Gloria which we will be performing on the weekend (!) It was amazing to experience the conducting styles of Anne and Ariane during his absence, but I think we can all say that it’s also been great to have him back again.

In July we performed E Pari Ra with the other choral groups on the island as a part of the “Maumahara Flames”, the closing ceremony of the Matariki festival at Matiatia this year. A truly magical performance with fireworks and natural phosphorescence in the sea that night! Another community focused performance was that of Elgar’s Lux Aeterna at the RSA marking the 100-year anniversary of Armistice Day. For our annual Christmas concert, we performed the Messiah along with carols. And! We shall perform this weekend the Messa Di Gloria.

Richard will be going away after this concert on holiday but fear not! I’m excited to announce that Anne will be returning for another concert in the style of Pot Pourri, dates TBA. Please join me in giving a huge round of applause for Richard and all that he’s done with us this year, and in welcoming Anne back to the choir!

As for other business, Mark will fill us in (in absentia) on our financial situation later.

I already know that Andy will be stepping down from the committee this year, as he and Maya will be travelling for a large portion of the coming year. We are therefore short once again of committee members and - yes, I’m looking at you - we are hoping for some new blood, some fresh meat so to say, will come forward to help this choir continue into the future.

I myself will be standing again for President, and...

Saskia gave a special thanks to Andy Spence for being a backbone of the choir for many years as a choir member, member of the committee and director of shows, and to Carolyn Smart for being our practice pianist all year.

So saying I would like to call for nominations for the position of President.

Election of Officers:

Saskia Herren was nominated for president by Gillian Reeves and seconded by Joan Kirk. Approved by acclamation.

Mark, Susan, Maya, Gavin and Nicolas are already committee members and are happy to stand again.

Mark is nominated to continue as Treasurer by Dee Austring and seconded by Philip Symonds

Susan is nominated to continue as Secretary by Nicolas Herren and seconded by Maya Spence

Maya Spence is nominated to be Vice President by Susan Triggs and seconded by Joan Kirk

All approved by acclamation.

Anne Willmann has offered to be the musical director for the first part of the year with a proposed concert in June

Carolyn Smart has offered to be our practise pianist again for the 2019 - 2020 year.

A quorum of this committee is four.

No Musical Director’s report was tabled.

Treasurer’s Report: presented by Andy Spence in Mark James' absence.

2018 was a quiet year, financially speaking, for the Choral Society.  We made a small profit overall of $342, with a nice income from our Mozart concert covering our expenses for the year.  The only special feature of the year was that, for the first time in our history, we levied a separate $75 fee on our members in order to pay a conductor.  This worked out well, covering Ariane's expenses, but there was one problem: Income from our regular $30 subscriptions was down $600, or about 40%, from the previous year; it seems that a number of our members were not up for paying both fees.

The spreadsheet shows a large jump in hall hire costs, from $337 in 2017 to $920 in 2018.  This isn't really an increase in costs; it's just that Whittaker's forgot to bill us for the last five months of 2017, so we wound up paying that in 2018.  Hall hire has been averaging about $600 to $700 per year.

We've started 2019 with a solid base, with $14,000 in our regular bank account and $6000 more in our reserve account.  We would be in a good position to attack a major show, if we should choose to do so.

It was moved that the treasurer’s report be accepted by Gavin Smart and seconded by Nicolas Herren. All in favour.

Finances:

Mark proposes that we keep our auditor as Rocky Rhodes, seconded by Andy. All in favour.

The subscription fee is proposed to remain at $30 for an individual and $50 for a family Proposed Saskia / seconded by Susan. All in favour.

Mary Batten requested that we be sent an account to remind and this was generally agreed to be a good idea and Dee offered to send an email with the amount owing and the bank details.

Other business.

Show

Nicholas asked if we would be doing a show?
This is a matter for the new committee, but it is unlikely this year, unless someone has the time to commit to offer to direct a show.

Licensing usual needs to be secured some months in advance, so now is a good time to be thinking of shows for late 2019 or 2020.

Refreshments

Don’t forget the tin for tea and biscuits. We ask people to drop a $1 a week in the tin if they are having a cup of tea and a biscuit to cover the costs.

Housekeeping

Anne Jocelyn as a representative of the Waiheke Musical Museum Trust Board said that fire regulations require us to have a Fire warden. Joan Kirk, Gillian Reeves and Saskia Herren offered to take on this role and the Trust Board will be in touch to explain these duties.

Meeting Closed

The meeting was closed at 7:02 pm by Saskia.