 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: wjk
Date: 2003-04-14 02:32
After reading about the orchestra at the University of Minnesota (comprised of health care professionals)--- I am tempted/inspired to try an organize one in my area. I would welcome opinions as to whether I should limit the members to health care professionals (of which I am one) or open it up to a broader population. In addition, the orchestra in Minnesota has a professional conductor who is paid. Should I seek to do the same, and if so, what are funding options? Any advice/opinions would be greatly appreciated!
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Author: Jim E.
Date: 2003-04-14 04:52
I am a member of a community band, and a member and officer of a community chorus and a member of another chorus as well.
There are of course a number of ways to aproach founding a community musical group, and will likely depend on your exact situation. Whether or not you should limit membership to health care workers is dependent on whether there are enough qualified and interested people in that group.
Two of the three groups I mentioned above were started by individuals who then served as director at no salary. The third was started by a church which while being very separate from the chorus, contributes at no cost the services of its choir director (who is paid by the church to do this) and its facilities for rehearsals and performances.
The band is still conducted by its founder, a retired high school band director, who 7 years later does it as a labor of love.
The chorus I serve as an officer was directed by its founder for 25 years until he "retired" 4 years ago. He served all of that time with no pay. This group is now on a good financial footing and pays a director as well as an accompianist, but has yet to find a permanent replacement for the founder.
None of the regular musician members in any of these groups is paid for performing, though all have occasionally paid guest artists or accompianists.
All 3 of these groups have at some point in their existance become New Jersey non-profit corporations, and all have received IRS 401(c)3 tax status allowing deductable contributions. Both of these things are necessary to do any high powered fundraising. All 3 groups do fundraise beyond ticket sales. 2 receive matching grants from the NJ Council on the Arts, but this is doubtful in the future as our governor has cut these funds from his budget. (Mark, no politics here, just stating facts.) All 3 do ad books (I produce books (for free) for 2 of the groups) one has a bi-annual "Junque" sale, one has "Cabaret Nights" of food and entertainment, 2 have variously sold logo shirts/ mugs etc. 2 have had dinners or desert night affairs.
None of this is easy, and requires a person/ core group of people to keep things moving along. Incorporation and IRS status takes a long time (better than a year) and really needs the services of an attorney.
Good luck!
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Author: msloss
Date: 2003-04-14 14:42
WJK,
It all depends on what the objectives of the orchestra are. For instance, at the community music school where I teach, HAT and I have organized a small chamber orchestra made up of top freelance professionals from NYC (some of whom serve as faculty at the school). The objective is to bring absolute top-drawer music performance to Central New Jersey and stimulate the growth of the school. Those musicians, entrepreneurial in spirit, were willing to do the first couple performances for a fraction of what they usually get in order to kick things off. Professional musicians and directors expect professional pay for what they do and that is where we are now.
Under the school we also have a community band and will be starting a community orchestra. Whole other kettle of fish. Players are mostly "real world" professionals (health care, engineering, finance, etc.) looking for a creative outlet. Faculty from the school will sit in as ringers as a courtesy.
In both instances, the problem is money. We have been blessed with access to a tremendous library belonging to the school as well as the New York Pub Library and Juilliard's library. Absent that, or when we have to rent, music requires money. Capable conductors require money. Having somewhere to rehearse requires money. Often having somewhere to perform requires money. Publicity may require money.
If you are looking to do the community orchestra deal with casual players, prepare to do a lot of begging for resources like music and a room to play. If you want to actually fundraise, (a) prepare to be disappointed in this economy and (b) get incorporated as a 501(c)3 so that you legitimize your finances and your patrons get a tax benefit. You can also apply for community arts grants to support your efforts if you are incorporated. We have also identified a number of organizations and municipalities willing to pay for live music, not at union rates, but at a level that keeps the ensemble liquid.
On your membership point, unless you think you have enough players and a big enough audience limiting it to just health care pros, keep your roster open -- you'll generate a lot more good will and a better ensemble.
Good luck. I've done this multiple times and sit on a number of boards, and lemme tell ya, it ain't easy. Be sure you've got some comrades willing to march the path with you and see if you can find an angel to get you started.
Feel free to email if you have any questions. Best of luck with it!
Mark
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-04-14 17:15
Very well done, Mark, you have "covered more bases" than I can think of. About 45 years ago we "converted" a dying community-company band into an orch, experiencing personnel, conducting and money problems continuously! We were [and still are] blessed by finding a well-qualified music graduate with organizational skills. So some 25 years later we have a high quality "local" symp orch playing some 8-10 full concerts per year [in a fine community center], and providing musicians for church programs, musical-theater and many smaller groups. We have strong support from our school system, providing skilled teachers and rapidly advancing students, as well from the community and one large and a number of small companies, providing funding and attendance, even in these days of the money-pinch being experienced by the schools and city. It is necessary to "import" musicians skilled in the "more-difficult" instruments, but most of the orch is volunteer, as carried over from our exceedingly difficult early days, nearly all of our founders, myself included, having retired. Its been a "labor of love" for many of us, its still not easy, but highly worthwhile in the building of an artistic community. DO IT! Best wishes, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Eileen
Date: 2003-04-14 19:31
I'd open the membership to anyone. It's not that easy to find players to fill all parts.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-04-14 22:28
As per the subject of money, my community band (not orchestra) recently (January of 2003) was sponsored by the mayor of the neighboring town. Since that happened, we moved our practice area to that town and now are serving primarily that town instead of being more "regional". They mayor also granted us money to work with so we can buy music, any supplies necessary, just as long as we support the town with our playing at festivites (which as brought us more concerts! yea!) and only use our money towards the orchestra.
So while at first you may not have money to work with, or may need to charge admission to concerts or have fundraisers or even (God forbid!) pay out of your own pocket, the publicity may work out in the end and then all you have to worry about is making pretty music!
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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