January, 2015

NORTHWEST CHORAL SOCIETY
MEETING MINUTES
January 13, 2015

 

CALL TO ORDER:
The January 2015 Board Meeting of the Northwest Choral Society was held at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 1095 Dempster/Thacker, Des Plaines, IL. The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM by NWCS Board President Penny Perles.  The following board members were present:

 

Meredith Bechtel Mary Jane Matecki
Robyn Waldman Borek Penny Perles
Greykell Dutton John Schindler
Kelsey Green Diane Szuberla
David Hitch Ruta Veitmanis
Noreen LaValle
                         
Also present: Alan Wellman, Artistic Director.

2016  CONCERT  TOUR:

Prior to this board meeting, Penny Perles sent board members tour proposals from four travel agencies.  These were evaluated.  The board decided to pursue the 12 day tour proposal from Group Travel Planners of Germany, Austria and Prague.  She asked board members to email her with ideas how to improve the itinerary to best suit our group.  She will then submit these proposals to GTP.

MEETING  MINUTES:

The meeting minutes of the November 11, 2014 board meeting were reviewed.  No corrections were needed.  Diane Szuberla made a motion to accept the minutes.  The motion was seconded by Mary Jane Matecki.  The motion passed.

TREASURER’S  REPORT:

  • Noreen LaValle presented the treasurer’s report for November 2014.  Cash disbursements totaled $2,242.25.  Cash receipts totaled $4,460.35.  Our regular account balance now was $10,153.88.  Including petty cash, our final total was $10,188.88.  
  • Noreen also presented the treasurer’s report for December 2014.  Cash disbursements totaled $10,275.94.  Cash receipts totaled $14,484.30.  Our regular account balance was $14,397.24.  Including petty cash, our final total was $14,432.24. 
  • The Profit/Loss Report for the fall 2014 session will follow next month.
CORRESPONDING  SECRETARY:
  • Thank you notes to chorus members for their donations to the Annual Support Fund will be handed out this evening.
  • Thank you notes to all other donors are also being sent.
ARTISTIC  DIRECTOR:
Now that we have decided to do a concert tour of Germany, Austria and Prague, Alan Wellman will begin planning the music for our 2015-2016 season accordingly. 

PROMOTIONS:

Diane submitted the results of our December 2014 concerts.  These last two concerts gave us the highest income and attendance of the last four years’ December concerts.

  • Ticket sales were $7,631.64.
  • Attendance was 323 audience members – 104 on Saturday and 219 on Sunday.  The majority of attendees were seniors/students.  
  • 49 chorus members sold 156 tickets.  92 tickets were sold by the top 9 sellers.
  • 107 tickets were sold at the door.
MEMBERSHIP  COMMITTEE:
Greykell Dutton stated that several people have shown an interest in joining our group, but no arrangements have been discussed.  Also, several present members will not be singing with us this session.

PUBLICITY:

  • David Hitch will ask the Holocaust Museum in Skokie if they would help with reciprocal advertising for our Annelies concert.
  • Chorus member John Morrison, who usually does our pre-concert lectures, suggested we ask someone with more knowledge of Jewish music to present the pre-concert lecture at our Annelies concert.  Alan pointed out that the music of Annelies is not Jewish.  James Whitbourn’s background is in Episcopal choral music.  The pre-concert lecture could be more about the subject of the piece. 
FACEBOOK:
Kelsey Green stated that everything is going well with our Facebo
ok page.  She will post a link to the finished segment of our recording of Pinkham’s Christmas Cantata.

WEBSITE:

Mary Jane stated that there are a few problems with our website, but the committee members are working on them.

50th  ANNIVERSARY  COMMITTEE:

The committee will be meeting January 20th at 6:45 PM.  They are asking members’ help in finding an appropriate banquet hall for about 50 – 75 people.

NEXT MEETING:

Our next Board Meeting will be Tuesday, February 10, 6:30 PM, before rehearsal at St. Martin’s. 

ADJOURNMENT:

The Board Meeting was adjourned at 7:25 PM by a motion from Noreen and a second from Diane.  The motion passed.

 

Ruta Veitmanis 
Recording Secretary
Northwest Choral Society