MMEA-WD Meeting

October 4, 2005

Westfield Pub

Westfield, MA

Call to order: 4:10 PM

Secretary’s Report: Rebecca - M/S/P to accept report.

Treasurer’s Report: Scott - Scott had to amend our tres. report form last month due to an error he discovered. The current report contains the changes he made for July and August reports as well as September’s statement. M/S/P to accept treasurer’s report as presented/

Announcements: MMEA is now officially a non-profit status organization which means there are new rules and regulations we must follow. All voting is to be done by executive board members only as mandated by state laws governing non-profit agencies. Motions and seconds can come from the floor. These rules also apply to our financial practices as well.

Senior High Business

Chorus: Aldonna - Everything is set to go. Sarah Marlow will be accompanying the   group. All music is ordered.

Band: Megan Carr - Presented 3 possible programs from Mark DeTurk. M/S/P to accept  program 2 as presented. (see attached)

Orchestra: Steve - Don Dregalla will be conducting the orchestra. The Hungarian Dance   has been ordered and the rest of the music Don will provide. M/S/P to pay Mr. Dregalla   $30.00 for his handling fee for obtaining this music with the stipulation that this does not set a precedent. Steve is looking for an assistant manager.

Jazz: Patrick Kennedy - Dennis Wrenn is all set as conductor. Patrick is looking for an   assistant manager.

Junior High Business

Male Chorus: Holly-Joy Pearson - Proposed Ramsay Kurdi as conductor. After discussion M/S/P to accept Mr. Kurdi as conductor. Holly is waiting to receive proposed   programs from him. Rebecca will accompany.

Treble Chorus: Mike (absent) and Staci - Proposed Kevin MacDonald for conductor.   M/S/P to accept Kevin with one abstention.

Jazz: Bill Chapman - absent. Carol reporting. Proposed Ted Levine as conductor.   Concern was raised that Ted may not be appropriate for the junior high age group. Several  other suggestions for conductors who might be more experienced with this age group were  made. Bill will be contacted to consider some of these and we may keep Ted in mind for   senior festival.

Orchestra: Grace - absent. Carol reporting. Tim Vinci will be conducting. Concern   expressed regarding the length and difficulty of the program which has been approved.   Grace is looking for an assistant. Megan Carr offered to assist.

Band: Andy - Andy Boysen is all set to conduct. Presented 2 possible programs.   Discussion around the logistics of having both treble and male choruses singing in the   Concord Hymn. After much discussion the board voted on whether or not to go through   with the Concord Hymn. A split decision was arrived at and a floor vote was taken. By   show of hands a majority felt we should not go ahead with the Concord Hymn. A final   M/S/P to accept program #2 (see attached) substituting Flourish for Salvation. 

Elementary Business

SGMM announces that their festival is tentatively set for May 6 at UMass Lowell. Please try and get the word out to our membership and encourage them to get involved. SGMM is looking to have the festival in Worcester next year.

Coordinator Reports

Classroom/Outreach/Advocacy: Diane - absent. Carol reporting. There is an effort   under way to get a workshop together  for classroom teachers. Possibly a Friday night or Saturday morning sharing or reading session at CMSS. Hoping to offer PDP’s and use the mailing list to get the word out.

Auditions: Scott - All set with rooms. Taped auditions are discouraged, but accepted as long as the coordinator has been notified.

Strings: Denise - Still looking for judges, cello. Tammy Watson offered to assistant   manage for sr. orchestra.

Vocal: Kayla - absent. Carol reporting. Carol has choral packets and copies of the   corrected Dona Nobis Pacem (an error was found in the one passed around).

Jazz: Brian  - absent. Carol reporting. All set with judges. Reminder that auditioners need to bring their own mallets and amps.

Website: Beth - Sue Dunbar gave Beth an updated library list on disc to be placed on the website. 

Unfinished Business - Symphony Hall Scholars - Lavada Studely will be addressing this in her address to us.

New Business

Lavada Studley addressed the meeting. Make sure to check out the All-State website and give feedback and suggestions. Symphony Hall Scholars is raising money so that the All-State festival can continue to be affordable to students. Fees have gone up for students this year to $200.00.

Patrick Kennedy spoke about IAJE hoping to get more involvement from the district in this group.

Faith Lueth, Conference Choir, spoke about the All-State conference. Pay on line at a discount rate if you register before the deadline. Peter Webster will be the keynote speaker. E-mail Faith with questions and feedback.

Break for wonderful music from Zanetti School Chorus

Tony DiGiore has brought up the possibility of holding All-State in either Springfield at the newly renovated Civic center, or Worcester Centrum. Discussion about this was tabled for next meeting.

Peter Thomson brought up the issue of limits on choral auditions. He would like to re-open the discussion and questioned the legality of our policy. carol said she checked on this with a lawyer and we are fine from the legal standpoint. Since the meeting was getting very long, and we have just voted on this issue last year, this discussion was tabled for another meeting

Carol asked that anyone with strong feelings about this issue to please let the board members hear from you. We want to be responsive to our membership.

Agawam is hosting a professional day Nov. 8 on Finale and Smartmusic. Contact Scott if interested.

Adjourn to dinner and guest speaker Vera Baker: 6:20

Respectfully submitted,

Rebecca Phelps, secretary