NORTHWEST CHORAL SOCIETY
MEETING MINUTES
May 10, 2016
CALL TO ORDER:
The May 2016 Board Meeting of the Northwest Choral Society was held on May 10th at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 1095 Dempster/Thacker, Des Plaines, IL. The meeting was called to order at 6:38 PM by NWCS President Penny Perles. The following board members were present:
Meredith Bechtel Mary Jane Matecki
Angela Carlson Penny Perles
Kelsey Green Diane Szuberla
David Hitch Ruta Veitmanis
Noreen LaValle
Also present: Alan Wellman, Artistic Director
MEETING MINUTES:
- The meeting minutes of the February 9, 2016 board meeting were reviewed. No corrections were needed. Mary Jane Matecki made a motion to accept the minutes. The motion was seconded by Noreen LaValle. The motion passed.
- The meeting minutes of the March 8, 2016 board meeting were reviewed. No corrections were needed. Mary Jane Matecki made a motion to accept the minutes. The motion was seconded by David Hitch. The motion passed.
- The meeting minutes of the April 12, 2016 board meeting were reviewed. No corrections were needed. Mary Jane Matecki made a motion to accept the minutes. The motion was seconded by Noreen LaValle. The motion passed.
TREASURER’S REPORT:
- Noreen LaValle presented the treasurer’s report for March 2016. Cash disbursements totaled $2,180.48. Cash receipts totaled $1,161.00. Our regular account balance now was $15,433.60. Including petty cash, our final total was $15,468.60. David Hitch made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report. The motion was seconded by Ruta Veitmanis. The motion passed.
- Noreen also presented the treasurer’s report for April 2016. Cash disbursements totaled $6,524.87. Cash receipts totaled $7,254.07. Our regular account balance now was $16,162.80. Including petty cash, our final total was $16,197.80. Mary Jane made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report. The motion was seconded by Ruta. The motion passed.
MUSIC DIRECTOR:
- Alan Wellman has received two CDs from the Windy City Choral Festival – one of our solo performance and the other of the entire chorus performance. He has also received a CD of the Gargoyle Brass from them.
- Alan also presented our program for the 2016-17 season:
▫ Sunday, December 4, 2016, 4:00 PM. St. Raymond’s, Mount Prospect, has been booked.
The concert will be called Come Celebrate! The two main selections will be Bach Cantata No. 6 – Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland and Joseph Martin’s A Celebration of Carols. We will be accompanied by a small chamber orchestra.
▫ Sunday, April 2, 2017, 4:00 PM. The venue will be either Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest or First United Church of Oak Park. The concert will be called Hymns of Praise. The two main selections will be Schubert Mass in G (strings accompaniment) and Mendelssohn Hymn of Praise (orchestra and organ accompaniment).
▫ Saturday, June 3, 2017, 7:30 PM. The concert will be called Celebrate the 70’s. Choral selections will be music of disco and dancing. 2017 is the 40th anniversary of the Saturday Night Fever movie. A small band will accompany us.
PROMOTIONS:
- Diane Szuberla is working on getting ticket takers/sellers and ushers for the June concert. Tickets for members to sell are ready to be handed out this evening.
- Penny clarified an email reminder she had sent to members. She described the women’s attire for the June concert as a black blouse. Actually it could be similar to a black top that we bought for our Minneapolis chorus trip.
ADVERTISING COMMITTEE:
Kelsey presented a revised copy of our advertisement submission slip. She still has questions about our contact phone number and email address.
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE:
David is still working on getting Glenview State Bank as a corporate donor. He is having lunch with a bank representative tomorrow.
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE:
Former members Martha Conlon and David Lee will be singing the anniversary concert with us.
PUBLICITY:
The press release is ready to be sent out. In the article Penny has included information about the June concert, our 50th anniversary and the Windy City Choral Festival.
FACEBOOK:
- Kelsey Green has posted a photo from our concert at Orchestra Hall on Facebook.
- Kelsey also asked who answers questions that people ask us on Facebook. Whoever sees the questions first will answer. Recently there was an incorrect answer to a question about the rehearsals that former members must attend to sing a few songs with the chorus at the June concert. The correct answer is now posted on Facebook.
WEBSITE:
Mary Jane has updated our website. She removed the information about our anniversary dinner and corrected a few other items. She is learning how to transfer videos to our website. She will also post photos from our anniversary dinner and the Orchestra Hall concert.
OLD BUSINESS:
- Our 50th anniversary gala dinner:
▫ Penny presented the report of the dinner. The expenses were $2,075.09. The income was $4,620.00. This gave us a gain of $2,544.91. The full report is at the end of the minutes.
▫ Penny also presented the report of the recognition pins and certificates presented to members at the dinner. The total cost was $1,307.87. In the future, pins and certificates will be awarded at the annual Meet & Greet party or the first September rehearsal. The full report follows these minutes.
- Our annual meeting of the whole:
▫ Nominees for the Board for the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons are: present members Penny, Diane, Mary Jane and David Hitch, and new member Kristie Webb-Williams. The election will take place at our annual meeting of the whole during our Saturday rehearsal May 21st.
▫ Penny, Noreen, Diane and Alan will prepare reports for the meeting.
▫ Luncheon for our Saturday rehearsal and meeting will be all food donated by members.
- Our end of year party will be Tuesday, June 7th, at Emmett’s Tavern & Brewing Co. in Palatine.
NEW BUSINESS:
- Penny handed out letters with our new IL tax exempt number.
- Penny introduced a possible new project for our chorus: “Soothe the Soul – sing for individuals who need uplifting of the spirit to encourage well-being and healing”. We would visit nursing homes and community centers with meeting places for seniors, disadvantaged children and individuals with disabilities. Our singing groups would be small with a set list of songs so that whoever is available could participate. A full description of the project follows.
- RobynWaldman Borek has taken a job in New York City and will be leaving our chorus.
NEXT MEETING:
- Our next Board Meeting will be Tuesday, June 7th, after the party at Emmett’s
ADJOURNMENT:
The Board Meeting was adjourned at 7:20 PM by a motion from Noreen and a second from Mary Jane. The motion passed.
Ruta Veitmanis
Recording Secretary
Northwest Choral Society