Dear Harleston Choral Society

Congratulations on a first class concert on Saturday night at St John’s!

It was terrific to have such an enthusiastic audience who were in such good voice in the audience carols and were so warm in their appreciation of your musical offerings. I thought that you did very well in all of the items, particularly so when letting your hair down in the Twelve Days of Christmas. You did well in the carols that you sang on your own – and our two soloists, Sue and John, shone in Behold that Star. Perhaps we need to add an S to the title??

The First Nowell was always going to be a challenge as there were not that many numbers where you had any substantial singing and the bits that you did have were interspersed with instrumental or solo items, or items just for upper or lower voices. I thought that the men did a great job in the lower voices only passages, but I was full of admiration for how well the sopranos and altos did in the four-verse item with the soprano soloist – the parts were tricky but the sopranos and altos brought the whole thing off very well indeed. Well done!

Our two soloists for the evening, Jo Westaway and Gary Griffiths, brought a lot of stylish singing to the Vaughan Williams, which I felt helped to bind the performance. I hope that finally hearing the whole thing in the concert helped to make sense of it from the choir’s point of view.

I know that the soloists and the instrumentalists felt that they had been treated like royalty during the concert tea – so many thanks to Julia and her team for making and serving that. Thanks also to John Awty’s team of stage assemblers and dismantlers – as always, the operation was so efficient that it appeared effortless, which is no mean feat with all of the items that need to be transported in and out of the trailer.

The concert was a lovely occasion and many of the audience came up to tell me exactly that at the end. I hope that you also received positive feedback from your own audience members.

Finally, I would like to thank each and every one of you for putting so much effort into learning the pieces both outside and in rehearsals, and for being such a rewarding group of people to work with. Since January 2018 we have embarked upon an amazing musical journey together and I am really looking forward to starting the summer concert repertoire with you in January 2020.

With all good wishes to you and your families for Christmas and the New Year.

Janette

Venue:  St John’s Church, 6 Broad Street, Harleston IP20 9AZ

Here available as a pdf for printing if required

Dress Rehearsal Schedule 

Choir returns for concert: 19.00

Concert 

Suggested start time: 19.30

Interval Refreshments: 20.30 -20.45

Estimated finish time: 21.30

                                      HARLESTON CHORAL SOCIETY

                        MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Held on Monday 23 September 2019 at 8.45 pm in The Church at London Road, Harleston

Jo (Chair) welcomed Janette (Musical Director), Karen (Accompanist), Nathaniel Gee (Patron) and choir members, and declared the meeting open.

1.         Apologies for absence

Received from Joanna Barfield, Heather and Malcolm Butcher, Tom Crisp and Caroline Rodbourne.

2.         Minutes of the last AGM (24 September 2018)

On the proposal of Peter Heard, seconded by John Awty, the Minutes were approved and signed by the Chair

3.         Report by Musical Director
Rather unusually, I am going to begin my report by looking to the future with our current season before I look back at the achievements of 2018-19.

The concert on December 14th combines seasonal choral music with some Christmas carols for choir and audience; the string accompaniment will be provided by The Dargason Ensemble.  The main works will be Vaughan Williams’ The First Nowell and Bob Chilcott’s Twelve Days of Christmas. The concert on June 20^th 2020 is a collection of some lighter repertoire, John Rutter’s collection of spirituals Feel the Spirit and Bob Chilcott’s Songs and Cries of London Town.  The concert will be accompanied by a piano duet and we plan to include a local children’s choir to sing with us in the Chilcott piece and to present some of their own items.

Both of these concerts will take us into what will be, for most of you, new choral singing territory.  I very much hope that you will grow to love, enjoy and understand these pieces – they are yet another part of our choral journey together as a choir, and they will lay more blocks in the firm foundation for our future development.

The major works in our first concert of the 2018-19 season included the first part of Handel’s Messiah  and Telemann’sMagnificat.  The Dargason Ensemble accompanied us – with the modest forces of a string quartet, two oboes and Karen on the keyboard (who conjured some excellent harpsichord and organ sounds from our rehearsal piano).  Our professional soloists for the evening were Beverley Lockyer, Christine Petch, Mitesh Khatri and Gary Griffiths.  We included two audience carols, the world premiere of my carol, That blessed babe complete with solos from Sue Foster and John Layton.

When you step back and look at the range of musical styles in that single concert it was an audacious selection. But I had every confidence that you could all pull it off.  On the day you all came together musically, and you gave exciting and stylistically appropriate performances in each genre.

If we all thought that moving in June to a programme of music by one 17^th century composer would maybe simpler than the December programme that covered from the 18^th to the 21^st centuries, then we could not have been more wrong !  Yes, all of the works were by Henry Purcell, but the genres included an a cappella anthem, three accompanied verse anthems and an opera, in which the chorus was required to sing in different accents to depict courtiers, sailors, witches . . . the list goes on.  There were musical and vocal challenges galore, but everyone worked very hard in rehearsals and at home so that, in the end, we gave memorable performances of all the pieces.

The Dargason Ensemble accompanied us with the modest forces of a string quartet and Karen on the keyboard.  The strings played what is possibly the most famous of all Purcell’s works for strings, the Chaconne in G minor.  Our professional soloists for the evening were Carole Bowerman (Dido), Gary Griffiths (Aeneas), Christine Petch (Sorceress), Beverley Lockyer (Belinda), Jo Westaway (Second Woman), Tracey Rayner (First Witch), Shirley Smith (Second Witch) and Mitesh Khatri (Sailor).   We also had our own semi-chorus from the choir who sung the Echo Chorus – Sue Foster, Julia Awty, Tom Crisp and John Awty.  I was delighted at how well the evening went musically and very proud of your achievements.

At last year’s AGM I said that learning your names would be an ongoing process for at least the rest of the 2018-019 season.  I still have some way to go on the name learning front, so maybe the end of 2019-20 would have been more realistic?

Our Monday night rehearsals have continued to be great fun, even if we are all, at times taken outside of our own individual comfort zones.  That said, you have all worked extremely hard to learn complicated new repertoire, which some of you admitted was ‘not your cup of tea’.  I have enjoyed going on that journey with you and felt that, by the time that we got to the concert, we all finally understood what we were meant to be doing!

During the entire 2018-19 seasons it’s been a pleasure to be working with all of you and with our excellent accompanist, Karen Smith, and I am really looking forward to this season’s concerts and to those that will follow in the years to come.

Finally, I would like to thank Jo Curry for her excellent chairmanship of the choir.  As most of you are not members of the committee you will not be aware how skilfully she has undertaken that role, how supportive she has been of me as the group’s new musical director or how empowering she has been of others.  Thanks, Jo, you’ve done a great deal to support the choir’s continuing musical journey and I hope that you will enjoy being able to focus just on the music and your singing in the future.

4.         Chair’s Report

I would like to thank Janette for her kind words and say how lucky we are to have her as our Musical Director. We have had a very successful year under her baton, starting with our Christmas concert, one of the highlights of which was ‘That Blessed Babe’, a carol specially composed for us by Janette and which I hope we shall get another opportunity to sing. Our concert in the summer, ‘An Evening with Henry Purcell’ was challenging, but with Janette’s sure leadership it was a terrific evening with many comments from the audience that it was our best concert yet. So, many thanks to Janette for continuing to be inspirational and energising; and also to Karen for expert and humorous accompanying.

As well as our concerts and the really enjoyable Monday evening practices, we have continued to put on social and fundraising events, as members requested in the survey we did the year before last. Our Quiz evening at St James was very well attended, great fun and raised a good amount more than in the previous year. In July we had a delightful garden party at Julia and John Awty’s lovely home – many thanks to them for hosting us again, to Stella and Fiona for devising the quiz, and to all who helped.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who work behind the scenes to make the choir the well run, welcoming and thriving organisation that it is. The Committee has changed during the year and I would like to thank Heather, who though she stood down last year has continued to print the programme, and design the posters and tickets, for which we are very grateful; also Richard, who has now moved away from Harleston but who was an invaluable support in his time with us. Thank you, Sheena and Pat, for helping organise the musicians; Margaret and her team for the ever-efficient front of house; John, Malcolm and the team of helpers who erect and dismantle the staging; Julia for her role as Librarian and for producing delicious food for the musicians’ teas, Joanna for being a welcoming Membership Secretary, Paul for managing the website; Sheila and Carol for doing the Bonus Ball; Fiona for running the raffles; Lynda and Chris for providing refreshments during our breaks. There will be others and do forgive me if I have missed you out, but the biggest thanks this year must go to Jenny who is standing down after five years of being the most efficient, untiring Publicity and Minutes Secretary. I could not have managed my role without her huge help and encouragement.

I would also like to thank Malcolm, our Treasurer, who is not here this evening but who has provided us with the audited accounts, of which you should all have a copy. We were unfortunate in not getting the grant that we applied for from the Garfield Weston Foundation, but other avenues are being explored. Thanks to some generous donations we are in a reasonably healthy state to move into the next year.

Finally, I would like to thank Nathaniel for continuing to be our Patron and for making a generous donation to our funds. He will be speaking to you next but before that, I would like to say how much I have valued and learned these past five years of chairing the choir. It has at times been challenging as well as a privilege and I wish the next Chair, Stella, all the very best in her new role.

5.         Report by HCS Patron

Nathaniel said what a privilege it has been to be HCS’s Patron, and to continue to support the choir which Anne Gee (Nathaniel’s mother) founded nearly twenty years ago.  He hoped to be able to pass on soon a donation from Tommy (Gee) – which Nathaniel said would have to be ‘soon’, given that Tommy is now 94 !  Nathaniel expressed his thanks to all those choir members who work so hard behind the scenes, especially to Jo and to Jenny for the last few years and for stepping up to take on one more year at the 2018 AGM.  He also congratulated Janette on her truly inspirational leadership. Finally, Nathaniel said that he hopes to sing with HCS in the Christmas concert 2019, for which he has the music, and to support the dwindling number of Basses in the choir.

6.         Treasurer’s Report

During the year we produced two very good concerts and on both occasions we sold over £1000 worth of tickets.   However, as always, the expenditure relating to concerts is always much greater than the income and this year the excess of expenditure to income was just under £3000.  

Because the average choir numbers were greater than the previous year the income from subscriptions was up by £1420 which was very encouraging.   At the end of the year though the numbers were down to 47 whereas we had started the year with 59.   Let us hope that the numbers come up again for the new choir year.   Because of increased subscriptions we were able to claim back an increased sum from gift aid.  We had a very successful quiz evening in March where we made a surplus of £530 and sales of CDs and weekly refreshments and bonus ball income was higher because more people attended choir practices.  During the year we applied for a grant from Garfield Weston, but regrettably we were unsuccessful.   We haven’t given up looking for external funding though and maybe we will be luckier in the future.  

The closing cash balance this year is £5917.  This has gone up from the previous year by £1500 and this is mainly due to a very welcome donation from our Patron, Nathaniel Gee, and additional gift aid that was applied for on his behalf.   The projection for the next twelve months is a further shortfall of over £2000, unless we can increase the numbers of singers.

However difficult it sometimes is to maintain a positive cash position it is always good to come to rehearsals and have a good sing and to meet up with each other and enjoy the music we are learning, and it isn’t always just about concerts, although we have had some good ones and I am sure we will continue to enjoy them.

On the proposal of Carol Hammond, seconded by Julia Awty, the Treasurer’s Report was approved.

The audited accounts for the year ended 31 August 2019, Income & Expenditure for the years ended 31 August 2018 and 2019, the Cash Budget 1 September 2018 – 31August 2020, and the Cash Forecast 1 September 2018 – 31 August 2020 will be filed with the Minutes.  Any queries should be directed to Malcolm Butcher on his return to choir on 7 October.

7.         Re-Appointment of Auditor

On the proposal of John Awty, seconded by Peter Heard, Robin Farrar was re-appointed as Auditor.

8.         Friends of Harleston Choral Society

Carol Hammond reminded choir members that HCS Friends have supported HCS loyally for the best part of twenty years.  The Committee is currently investigating the possibility of recruiting new Friends and perhaps making changes to the terms of membership, in order to reflect our increasing costs.  Carol said that it is her hope that new Friends will join the scheme and continue to grow with HCS.  She concluded by saying that she would like to take this opportunity to record HCS’s thanks to HCS Friends for the sustained warmth of their generosity and lively interest in the choir over many years.

9.         Election of Committee members for the year 2019/20

Jo explained that she, Jenny Hyams and Carol Hammond are resigning from the Committee, and that there are therefore four vacancies to be filled on the Committee caused by these resignations and by one historically unfilled vacancy.  As from [this] AGM Stella Brownsea will replace Jo as Chair; Kate Peacher will replace Jenny as Publicity Secretary and may be responsible for the compilation of the concert programmes; John Layton will be a Committee member.

John Formston has indicated that he is willing to stand as a Committee member; and Sue Foster has agreed to stand as Minutes Secretary, thus bringing the total number of Committee members to ten.

Joanna Barfield (Membership Secretary) was elected for three years at the 2016 AGM and therefore seeks re-election.

Therefore, on the proposal of Carol Hammond, seconded by John Layton, John Formston and Sue Foster were elected to the Committee.

And, on the proposal of Sue Foster, seconded by John Awty,                     Joanna Barfield was re-elected to the Committee.

Fiona Bartlett pointed out that although she is not a Committee Member, she is taking on the role of Friends Co-ordinator.  Jo and Jenny apologised for omitting Fiona from the new appointments and thanked her very much for taking on this role.

10.       AOB

Julia Awty, on behalf of the choir, thanked Jo and Jenny for all their hard work and commitment to HCS over the last five+ years, and the choir presented them with bouquets of beautiful flowers and a bottle each of Adnams pink fizz, which rendered them both speechless . . .

11.       Date of next AGM:  Monday 28 September 2020

Harleston Choral Society

Report on Minutes of Committee Meeting

Downloadable here as a pdf file for printing

Wednesday, 16^th October, 2019

A discussion about membership began our meeting.  Whilst it is pleasing to note that we have a few new members, we would like more new singers, particularly, bass voices.  Janette is chasing up possible singers to join us.

The ‘Sing With Us’ practice in January had been a useful event to advertise and we will, with some rewording on the advertisement, repeat this on 20th January, 2020 in our attempt to encourage some new members.

At the St John’s Church pre-Christmas event it was agreed we sing ‘Three Ships’.  It was agreed not to sing at the Harleston Christmas lights ‘switch on’ event at the end of November.

We discussed organizing an a cappella Concert with Janette, Karen and professional singers to raise funds for the choir.  This will be at St John’s Church, on Sunday, 10th May, 2020 and could be a focus for our ‘Mayflower Celebrations’ – watch this space.

Our new Chairperson, Stella Brownsea was welcomed by the Committee, as was the new ‘Minutes’ Secretary, Sue Foster.  They drew attention to the marvellous job done previously by Jo Curry and Jenny Hyams. Testament to this was the well-organized folders of Reports, Agendas, Minutes, and other Charity Commission documentation.  As it is H.C.S.’s 20^th Anniversary this year, we hope a display of some of this ‘paperwork’ archive will be on show at our Christmas Concert.  It was also agreed that in the New Year these documents should be safely stored at Norwich Records Office.

Grant applications were discussed and we would like to thank Jo Curry for her submission to Festival Voices, in a bid to secure some of their funding, as they seek to disband and re-distribute their funds to worthy recipients.  The Committee is investigating how to make submissions to The National Lottery and to Music for All for funding future projects, recitals and expenses.  It was agreed to shelve, for now, ideas on ‘Crowd Funding’.

All the organisational jobs necessary for our forthcoming Christmas Concert were divvied out to the Committee members and we look forward to a successful festive concert once again.

The Summer Concert date has changed, due to a wedding in St John’s Church on 20^th June, 2020, so our concert will now be on Saturday, 27^th June, 2020.

HCS has now taken over total management of our website and, whilst there were some glitches during the handover, we hope these have now been ironed out. We will continue to develop it and would be grateful for your feedback.

 Fiona Brownsea has now taken on the job of administering H.C.S. Friends.  Thanks to Carol for her past commitment to this role. 

Future Dates for Your Diary:

• Start of Spring Term 2020  – Monday, 13^th January – (begin at 7.00pm for payment of subscriptions please)
• Open Rehearsal 2020 – Saturday, 20^th January – begin at 7pm please
• Quiz Evening 2020 – Saturday, 21^st March at St James Village Hall 
• End of Spring Term 2020 – Monday, 30^th March
• Start of Summer Term 2020 – Monday, 20^th April – (begin at 7pm for payment of subscriptions please)
• Summer concert Rehearsal – Friday, 26^th June at 7pm
• Summer Concert and end of term 2020 – Saturday, 27^th June

Next Committee Meetings are: 

Monday, 9^th December at 7pm and Thursday, 6^th February at 11am.

Sue Foster (Nov 2019)

HARLESTON CHORAL SOCIETY

                   REPORT of the Committee Meeting held on 19 June 2019

at 2.30 pm at Grange Barn, St James South Elmham

Present:  John Awty, Julia Awty, Stella Brownsea, Malcolm Butcher, Jo Curry, Carol Hammond, Jenny Hyams, John Layton, Kate Peacher, Caroline Rodbourne

1. Apologies for Absence – received from Joanna Barfield and Janette Ruocco

2. Minutes of the last meeting (Thursday 23 May 2019)

Confirmed and signed as a correct record, subject to amending 10 June to 3 June in [3], [5] and [9]; and adding Stella Brownsea’s offer to run a Quiz for the Summer Party [5].

3. Matters arising

(i) Acapella Concert:  Janette has confirmed a possible date of 6 October, or to postpone the concert until the Spring.  This will be discussed at the September Committee meeting.

(ii) Voice part leaders:  there has been no progress on this, despite Jo’s appeal in person to choir members on 3 June, and on the website.

(iii) May Bank Holiday practices:  the proposal to abandon these and to hold an all-day workshop instead on 23 May 2020 was discussed.  However, when the workshop was first mooted, we were not aware that the early May Bank Holiday will be Friday 8 May (ie not 4 May, as previously assumed).   A provisional booking will be made anyway for the Village Hall, St James South Elmham on 23 May 2020, and the workshop will be discussed further at the September Committee Meeting.

(iv) ‘Come and Sing with Us’:  the open practice was confirmed for Monday 16 September.

4. Treasurer’s Report

Malcolm distributed copies of the Income & Expenditure for the year ended 31 August 2019, and the Cash Budget (previously called the Cash Forecast) 1 September 2018 – 31 August 2020 (copies will be filed with the Minutes).  He said that there has not been a lot of change since the last meeting.  All subs for this term are now in, Gift Aid in the sum of £350.00 is expected shortly, and the overall picture compares favourably with last year’s.  Malcolm anticipated that we shall break even this year, although next year could be more difficult, but if we are successful in our bid to GWF for a grant of £5,000, that will help enormously.

5. Summer Concert, 22 June 2019

The Committee went through the checklist and confirmed that everything is in order and ready to go.

6. Future Concerts

(i) Christmas Concert, 14 December 2019, ‘The First Nowell’:  Julia and John will be going to pick up the music from Somerset Music early in September.

(ii) Summer Concert, 20 June 2020, ‘Songs and Cries’:  no update, but everything is progressing as planned.

(iii) 2020 – 2021 concerts:  Jo distributed Janette’s proposals for these concerts (a copy will be filed with the Minutes), and the Committee expressed its appreciation.

7. Website

The website is up to date.  Jo read out an email from Joanna, thanking Jenny for enabling the setting up of the website and for maintaining it so effectively over many years.  

8. Dates of next meetings

(i) AGM:  Monday 23 September, during choir practice:  Nathaniel will be coming

(ii) next Committee Meeting: TBC

9. AOB

Singing at other events and venues:  HCS has been asked if we would participate in St John’s pre-Christmas event on Tuesday 10 December, 6.00 – 7.30 pm.  HCS’s participation in this, and in other ‘external’ events (eg care homes) will be discussed at the September Committee meeting.

10. Summer Garden Party, Saturday 13 July, at John and Julia’s

The arrangements for the Party were discussed and confirmed.  

Present:  John Awty, Julia Awty, Joanna Barfield, Stella Brownsea, Jo Curry, Carol Hammond, Jenny Hyams, John Layton

In attendance:  Janette Ruocco, Sue Foster

Welcome:  Jo welcomed Sue to the meeting and thanked her for attending.

1. Apologies for Absence – received from Malcolm Butcher, Kate Peacher and Caroline Rodbourne

2. Minutes of the last meeting (Thursday 19 June 2019)

Confirmed and signed as a correct record.

3. Matters arising which do not appear elsewhere on the agenda

(i) Acapella Concert:  Janette will liaise with her singers, to try and find a mutually convenient date on a Sunday after Easter 2020.

(ii) May Bank Holiday practices:  it was agreed that as 4 May 2020 is reinstated as a practice – because the early May Bank Holiday moves to Friday 8 May – it will not be necessary to hold an all-day workshop in May.  However it was agreed that an extra half hour in the run-up to the Summer Concert would be extremely useful, dependent on how the choir is doing at the time. It was further agreed that another Open Rehearsal, at the start of the Spring Term 2020, would also be a good idea.

(iv) Singing at other events and venues:  Nigel Tuffnell has asked HCS to take part in St John’s pre-Christmas event on Tuesday 10 December.  Janette suggested carols from ‘100 Carols for Choirs’, which could be sung without an accompanist.

4. Treasurer

(i) Report:  Malcolm did not submit a report for this meeting, but the full audited accounts will be presented in his absence at the AGM.

(ii) Hire of grand piano for Summer Concert 2020:  Janette reported on the progress to date for a second player for Songs and Cries of London Town, and reiterated that she does not feel that the HCS keyboard is really good enough for this concert, but that the additional cost of hiring a grand piano would be well worthwhile.

(iii) future grant applications:  Jo and Jenny said that these would obviously be up to the new Committee, but in the meantime they suggested that grant applications should be the responsibility of one (or more) Committee member, whom they would be happy to help if necessary.  HCS has received an anonymous donation of £2000, which is hugely appreciated, as is HCS’s Patron’s generous donation.

(iv) crowd-funding:  Janette said that this might be an option for the new Committee to consider, but pointed out that crowd-funding is usually more successful for one small item at a time, eg one piano key per person.

5. Summer Concert, 22 June:  there were very few responses from choir members to Jo’s email asking for feedback on the concert.  However, feedback from the audience was very positive and appreciative. Stella suggested that more practice on standing/sitting would have made the concert go more smoothly.  John A suggested that for future concerts it would be better to leave taking down the staging until the audience has dispersed, and added that it is really essential to have more than three helpers after the concerts to help load the trailer.

6. Future concerts

(i) Christmas Concert, 14 December 2019:  King George Hall and St John’s are booked.  Janette said that there will be eight musicians (strings), who will do one item on their own, plus Karen.  Jo Westaway will do the Soprano solo, and Gary Griffiths the bass solo. Julia will do teas for the musicians and soloists, as usual, and the Committee thanked her very much for her continued delicious catering.

(ii) Summer Concert, 20 June 2020:  considerable discussion ensued on the pros and cons of involving local school children in this concert.  It was agreed that the children would sing in both halves of the programme; and that it would be preferable to recruit local-to-Harleston children, rather than going further afield, so that the concert is a Harleston event.  The various options for recruitment will be explored by Julia and Janette.

7. AGM:  everything is in place for 8.30 pm on 23^rd.  Nathaniel Gee, our Patron, will be there.  Stella will take over as HCS Chair as from the AGM.  Kate will take on the role of Publicity Secretary, and will possibly compile the concert programmes.  Sue Foster will take over as Minutes Secretary. Fiona Bartlett has offered to take on the role of Friends Co-ordinator.  Jo thanked all of them very much for effectively saving the future of the choir.

8. Website

(i) update:  because of adverse personal circumstances, Paul Cope has not been able to update the website, but will do so as soon as possible.  Joanna will take back giving Paul necessary website updates when circumstances allow her to do so.

(ii) Linda Barden’s photos:  it was agreed that these, together with Eleanor Usher’s and Jo’s, will  

be selected by Paul to put on the Members’ area of the website, under the heading ‘We Do Have Fun Too !’

(iii) Members database:  John A has agreed to be the ‘back stop’ for those occasions when Joanna may be out of action and when choir members need to be contacted.  The Committee thanked both for making this contingency arrangement.

(iv) music clips:  Janette said that she made a recording of the Summer Concert and would like Paul to put some clips on to the website, to replace gradually some of the now very out of date clips.

9. Friends:  Carol suggested that Friends recruitment needs looking at again.  Numbers are dwindling – currently nine, plus one Honorary Friend – and most of those remaining have been Friends for twenty years.  Previously, the Committee agreed that Friends’ recruitment should cease, but Carol emphasised the importance of good will and supporting our supporters.  However, she also drew attention to the problem of cost-effectiveness, ie Friends’ annual sub v. HCS’s current ticket prices. On behalf of the Committee, Jo thanked Carol for her hard work and commitment to the Friends.

10. Dates

(i) AGM: Monday 23 September 2019, during choir practic

(ii) next Committee Meeting:  Wednesday 16 October, 11.00 am.  Venue TBC.

(iii) end of Autumn Term 2019:  Saturday 14 December

(iv) start of Spring Term 2020:  Monday 13 January

(v) Quiz Evening:  Saturday 21 March.  

(vi) end of Spring Term 2020:  Monday 30 March

(vii) start of Summer Term 2020:  Monday 20 April

(viii) end of Summer Term 2020:   Saturday 20 June

11. AOB:  None

24 June 2019

Dear committee and choir members

Congratulations on Saturday night’s concert performance! 

I was amazed by how much the choir upped their game in the evening – it was so much better than what was achieved in the afternoon, and that was good!

The choir’s attention to details we had covered in rehearsal was first class – attention to words, vowel sounds, word endings and the ends of phrases was terrific and that, combined with the range of speaking accents and the full-on commitment to bringing the drama of the opera off the page and into a theatre rather than a church was, in all honesty, a wonder to behold. It seemed to me that in the concert that you all had a sudden ‘lightbulb’ moment and it showed in your faces and in your singing.

Your singing in the first half was also impressive. I am sure that you will all have your own favourite moments, but for me the control and sincerity of the a cappella  Thou knowest Lord, the secrets of our hearts, was truly spectacular. I found your singing really moving.

The extra singers that came along to support us all commented on how welcome you made them feel and how they were in awe of the amazing concert tea produced and served by Julia and her team. As members of several different choirs they were also very impressed by the efficiency of the team that took down the staging at the end of the concert. 

You have all done a fantastic job this term – working hard on learning the notes and then being put through your paces on how I actually wanted them to be sung. Now that you have performed those piece to an audience I hope that you feel that all of that effort was worth it. 

The soloists and several members of the audience that spoke to me in the interval and at the end of the concert were fulsome in their praise for your performances. Well done team you’ve done a great job!

I look forward to seeing you all again in September for our Christmas repertoire, which includes substantial works by Vaughan Williams and Bob Chilcott, plus some carols for audience and some for us on our own.

With very best wishes to you and your families for a great summer break!

Janette

Click here to download this report as a printable pdf file.

Present: John Awty, Joanna Barfield, Stella Brownsea, Malcolm Butcher, Jo Curry, Carol Hammond, Jenny Hyams, John Layton, Kate Peacher, Caroline Rodbourne
In attendance: Janette Ruocco

1. Apologies for Absence – received from Julia Awty.
2. Minutes of the last meeting (Thursday 7 March 2019)

Confirmed and signed as a correct record, subject to amending the time of that meeting to 2.30 pm.

1. Matters arising

(i) Quiz Evening: it was agreed that this was a big success, with a profit of £529.00 which included over £100.00 of raffle tickets sold by Fiona Bartlett. Jo thanked everyone who had helped and contributed to the evening, including the East of England Co-op which donated £20.00.
(ii) Acapella Concert: Janette is seeing her Acapella group shortly and will then be able to fix a date for a concert in mid-September.
(iii) Voice part leaders: Janette reiterated the benefits of having voice part leaders as a first point of contact for choir members, especially for newcomers. Jo will ask again for volunteers at choir practice on Monday 3 June, with a fuller explanation of why voice part leaders are needed; this will also be posted on the Members’ area of the website.
(iv) funding application to Garfield Weston Foundation: Jo confirmed that the application to GWF, for £5,000 revenue funding, has now been acknowledged, but there could be up to five months before the outcome is known. As Jo and Jenny will be retiring from the Committee at the AGM, responsibility for grant applications in the future will need to be considered.
(v) ‘Come and Sing with Us’: it was agreed to hold an open practice on Monday 16 September, with an extra half hour to orientate potential new members. This will be included in the July/August publicity and on the website. Current choir members will be encouraged to ‘bring a friend’.
(vi) Barclays sponsorship: Stella reported that she has approached Barclays in Harleston to see if they would sponsor HCS, but was told that the bank no longer does local sponsorships.

1. Treasurer’s Report
   Malcolm distributed copies of the Income & Expenditure for the year ended 31 August 2019, and the Cash Budget (previously called the Cash Forecast) 1 September 2018 – 31 August 2020. He said that that it is disappointing that the surge in choir numbers at the beginning of the Autumn term has now reduced, with a subsequent drop in subs; and six members have not yet paid their subs for this term. £350.00 is still to come from Gift Aid. The closing cash balances show that HCS does need funding from GWF, and from other sources, if it is to survive financially.
2. Summer Concert, 22 June 2019
   Janette’s dress rehearsal schedule and the concert running order is now on the members’ area of the website. Janette confirmed that there will be three additional Basses for the concert; that some of the professional Sopranos will join the choir Sopranos; and that she is thinking about asking Mitesh Khatri to join the Tenors. Further action was confirmed re the evening rehearsal on 21 June: extra chairs for the concert on 22nd (now that the pews in St John’s have been removed); front-of-house arrangements; the concert programme; staging; the musicians’ tea; and the concert poster.
3. Future Concerts
   (i) Christmas Concert, 14 December 2019, ‘The First Nowell’
   Janette distributed copies of her updated plan for this concert, and reported that Julia has sourced the music for The First Nowell. Janette has been in touch with the OUP re the music for a reduced orchestra, and has made tentative bookings for the Soprano and the Bass and the string quartet. The carols in the second half of the programme are all in ‘100 Carols for Choirs’, of which HCS has sufficient copies. Jenny will check for accuracy the dates on Janette’s plan, and will let Malcolm know dates so that he can book and pay for the London Road Church for 2020 choir practices.
   (ii) Summer Concert, 20 June 2020, ‘Songs and Cries’
   Janette distributed copies of her revised plan for this concert, which will require only one soloist, a second pianist, and the hire of a grand piano. Janette will approach the local primary schools[s] in September re the possibility of recruiting a children’s choir, which she would personally coach, for the ‘Songs and Cries’ and school choir items in the programme. The Committee agreed that involving local school children is an ideal opportunity to engage with the local community and to recruit new choir members. Jo thanked Janette for her very helpful future planning.
4. Bank Holiday practices
   Janette said that she has been thinking about the possibility of abandoning choir practices on the two May Bank Holidays, and replacing these with an all-day workshop/social on a Saturday in May; this could then become part of the normal choir schedule. The proposal was welcomed by the Committee, and a date will now be arranged.
5. HCS 20th anniversary
   It was agreed that the Summer Concert 2020 should be called a ’20th Anniversary Concert’, and referred to as such in publicity, on posters and on the website. It was further agreed to discuss this, and the possibility of holding a celebratory summer party, early in the New Year.
6. Roles of Chair and Publicity & Minutes Secretary post-AGM
   Jo once again pointed out the urgency of finding replacements for her especially, and for Jenny. If no-one has stepped up to the role of Chair by the AGM, the choir will have to be dissolved under the Charity Commission’s regulations (its protocol for a charity’s dissolution is on the CC website). The only alternative would be for the choir to abandon its charity status and go it alone, which would also mean that it would lose vital income, and that any cash balance would have to be distributed to other charities.
7. Website
   Joanna thanked Jenny for taking back this part of her job for the time being. After considerable discussion, and bearing in mind the average hourly rate for website managers, and the possible further depletion of HCS funds, it was unanimously agreed that Paul Cope should be given an annual retainer, from May this year, and that this should be reviewed annually. It was agreed that a future Committee might consider using Facebook, and linking on line with other local choirs.
8. Summer Garden Party, Saturday 13 July
   John Awty said that help with setting up would be much appreciated, which everyone present agreed to. On the specifics, those who offered will bring/set up gazebos, folding chairs, tables, and garden games. A sub-committee was formed to co-ordinate the arrangements. Joanna will email current choir non-attenders, to invite them to the Garden Party; Jo will ask at choir practice for numbers planning to come, and for pudding volunteers; the Committee will provide savouries.
9. Calendar for 2020
   Jenny will give all confirmed dates to Paul for the website.
10. Dates of next meetings
    (i) pre-concert check list meeting, Monday 17 June, 7.00 pm
    (ii) next Committee Meeting: Wednesday 19 June, 2.30 pm
    (iii) Summer Garden Party, Saturday 13 July
    (iv) AGM: Monday 23 September, during choir practice
11. AOB
    (i) Elsie White: Jo will attend Elsie’s funeral on Thursday 30 May, on behalf of HCS, and to say thank you for Elsie’s 20 years of commitment to HCS and – until recently – the provision of juice for choir practices.
    (ii) Dido and Aeneas: attention was drawn to forthcoming local-ish productions:
    Cantamus choir, Friday 31 March 2019, 7.00 pm, Holy Trinity West Runton Church NR27 9QT
    Bury Bach Choir, Saturday 15 June 2019, 7.30 pm, The Apex, Bury St Edmunds

Copy of the report as a printable pdf

HARLESTON CHORAL SOCIETY

Report of the Committee Meeting held on Thursday 7 March 2019

Present: John Awty, Julia Awty, Joanna Barfield, Stella Brownsea, Malcolm Butcher, Jo Curry, Carol Hammond, Jenny Hyams, John Layton, Kate Peacher, Caroline Rodbourne

In attendance: Janette Ruocco

Jo welcomed everyone to the meeting, especially new Committee members Stella Brownsea, John Layton and Kate Peacher.

1. Apologies for Absence – none

2. Minutes of the last meeting (Thursday 24 January 2019)

Confirmed and signed as a correct record, subject to two minor amendments.

3. Matters arising

(i) Acapella Concert: there are no immediate developments, but on Janette’s suggestion it was agreed to try to arrange an Acapella Concert for a Sunday afternoon at the end of September/beginning of October.

(ii) Voice part leaders: it was agreed that this is necessary, as a point of contact for all voice parts and especially for new choir members. Jo will ask for volunteers at choir practice.

4. EGM

Jo thanked Caroline and Jenny for deputising for her. Responding to the criticisms which have arisen about the Chair’s job description, she pointed out that all HCS Chairs have carried out duties as they have seen fit, but she agreed that some duties in her job description could be delegated.

Jo went on to say how important the choir is locally, and although the choir could continue to function without charitable status, ie without a Chair, it would then lose considerable financial benefits. It is therefore imperative to have a new Chair at the AGM (23 September), and she hopes that the next six months will allow adequate time for someone from the existing Committee to come forward and to shadow her, and that this should be before the end of the summer term (22 June). Kate will begin to shadow Carol’s role as Friends Co-ordinator immediately, and was thanked for this initiative.

On the question of an aisle/or not at choir practices, Janette said that the only way it can work is to have the men at the front. It was agreed that there are benefits in moving around. Janette will consider: moving the 2nd Sopranos behind the 1st Sopranos; when necessary, asking Karen to play voice parts, and also a pause after the Altos’ first note and before that of the 2nd Sopranos; and giving specific homework from week to week.

5. Treasurer’s report

(i) Current state of finances: Malcolm distributed copies of the Income & Expenditure for the year ended 31 August 2019, and the Cash Forecast 1 September 2018 – 31 August 2019. He said that it is very disappointing that the surge in choir numbers to 62 at the beginning of the Autumn term has now reduced to 48, which means a drop in subs of £1700, although Gift Aid is £380.00. It is hoped that some leavers may come back in September. The predicted cash balance at 31 August 2019 is £4062.00.

Janette suggested that one way of increasing choir numbers might be to hold two dedicated ‘Come and Sing with Us’ sessions, with a friend, during the early part of the Autumn and Spring terms, possibly during choir practice, or as a Workshop.

Kate pointed out that there are various other local ways of raising money for the choir, ie getting the Co-op to designate one of its green discs for HCS; and approaching Barclays, as the one remaining bank in Harleston, for sponsorship. Malcolm also suggested again asking Harleston & Redenhall Town Council for a grant.

(ii) Raffle: Stella reported that both the St John’s Revd Canon and the Church Warden are happy for HCS to hold raffles in any part of St John’s. The pews are going, and will be replaced in the next few months by chairs, for which they are asking for sponsorship. The chairs will mean that there will be an opportunity for more ticket sales, and also for hiring out the increased space to other organisations. Jo thanked Stella for her successful negotiating.

(iii) Expenses protocol: there was considerable discussion on the pros and cons of having a protocol. It was finally agreed that expenses are there to be claimed, should the claimant feel it is necessary, and that a protocol removes the inherent guilt from the process of claiming. On this basis, the earlier version of the protocol was amended and will now be posted on the Members’ area of the website.

(iv) funding application to GWF: Jenny and Jo reported that this is ready to go, subject to registering the application on line, which they will do next week. Malcolm suggested, and it was agreed, that it would be sensible to apply for £5,000 rather than the £2,500 currently requested.

6. Summer Concert, 22 June 2019

Janette distributed copies of the proposed dress rehearsal schedule and Concert running order (a copy of this will be posted on the Members’ area of the website after the Easter break).

7. Future Concerts

(i) Christmas Concert, 14 December 2019, ‘The First Nowell’

Janette distributed copies of her plan for this concert. She asked the Committee to consider holding a bring a friend’/open rehearsal (and see 5 [i] above) on 14 or 21 September.

(ii) Summer Concert, 20 June 2020, ‘Songs and Cries’

Janette distributed copies of her plan for this concert, which will require only one soloist and a second pianist, and possibly a children’s choir from the local primary school, which she would personally coach. She feels that this would be an ideal opportunity to engage with the local community and to recruit new choir members. Jo thanked Janette for her very helpful future planning.

8. Quiz Evening, Saturday 30 March 2019

The sub-committee reported that everything is in hand. Jo will ask at choir practice how many are expecting to come and, if they are not coming, if they would be prepared to donate raffle prizes.

9. Dates of next meetings

Committee Meeting: Thursday 23 May, 2.30 pm

Pre-concert checklist meeting: Monday 17 June, 7.00 pm

Summer Party: Saturday 13 July

AGM: Monday 23 September

10. AOB

(i) Friends: Carol reported that the number of Friends is dwindling. It was therefore agreed that the benefits of being a Friend should be promoted and that more people should be encouraged to become Friends.

(ii) HCS 20th year

Joanna pointed out that 2019 is HCS’s 20th year and suggested that this should be appropriately marked. It was agreed to incorporate this in publicity, and on the programme for the Summer Concert.

HARLESTON CHORAL SOCIETY

MINUTES of the Extraordinary General Meeting held on Monday 25 February 2019 during choir practice

Printable pdf file of EGM Minutes available here

1. Welcome

Caroline Rodbourne (Vice Chair) welcomed everyone to the meeting.  She stressed the importance of the EGM, reminding choir members that it had been called because no-one to date has come forward to replace Jo Curry as Chair at the AGM on 23 September 2019; and that under the Charity Commission’s regulations, if a charity does not have a Chair, the Charity Commissioners will dissolve the organisation.

2. Apologies for absence were received (prior to the meeting) from Nathaniel Gee, Jo Curry and Carol Hammond.

3. Committee resignations

It was noted that in addition to the resignation of Jo at the AGM, Jenny Hyams (Minutes & Publicity Secretary) and Carol Hammond (Friends Co-ordinator) will also be resigning.  The roles and terms of office of Joanna Barfield (Membership Secretary), John Awty (Staging Manager), Julia Awty (Music Librarian), Malcolm Butcher (Treasurer) and Caroline Rodbourne (Vice Chair) were also noted.

4.Nominations for the four current vacancies on the Committee

Caroline explained that it is hoped to fill these vacancies with immediate effect, with a possible view to replacing the Chair from within the Committee, and the Minutes & Publicity Secretary from the Committee or from the choir, at the AGM.  This would give any possible candidates six months to see how the Committee functions, although it was pointed out that this may change after the AGM, with new Committee members and new ideas.

Two nominations have already been received:  

John Layton, proposed by Jo Curry, seconded by Jenny Hyams

Stella Brownsea, proposed by Jenny Hyams, seconded by Jo Curry

A third nomination was received at the meeting:

Kate Peacher, proposed by Lynda Austin, seconded by Joanna Barfield

Caroline thanked the three new Committee members for agreeing to be nominated.  The fourth Committee place is still vacant and Caroline urged choir members to consider putting themselves forward over the next few months.

5. Job descriptions for main Committee posts

Stella Brownsea and John Formston both felt that the Chair’s job description is much too onerous and that many of the Chair’s tasks should be delegated.  They were reassured that the job descriptions, and the Chair’s in particular, will be on the agenda for the next Committee meeting on 7 March.  The role of the Minutes & Publicity Secretary could be split into three jobs, ie Minutes, Publicity, and Programme. Malcolm Butcher indicated that he and Heather will be away for the best part of a year after the June concert. The day-to-day financial matters will be dealt with in his absence by Caroline, but Malcolm will maintain his role of Treasurer.  However, how future programmes, tickets and posters are designed and printed will have to be discussed before the end of June.

6. Other points raised

(i) Setting up and dismantling before/after choir practices:  Caroline asked the choir to help on a regular basis with setting up and dismantling before/after choir practices, and this was reinforced by Janette.  Sue Foster, and some others, said that they would help if they could, but other commitments prevent this. 

(ii) Arrangement of chairs:  on a suggestion from James Warren, it was agreed that next Monday 4 March, the chairs will be left with a gap down the middle, to see how this works, and to help reduce the amount of pre-practice setting up.

The EGM closed at 9.00 pm and choir practice resumed.