CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY

A Committee Meeting was held on 2 November 2005 at 1pm. in the Latimer Room, Clare College.

Executive Officers: Stephen Cleobury (SC), George Corbett (GC) Shona Fenion (ShF) Mary Flook (MF) Daniel Grace (DG) Maggie Heywood (MH) Fiona Jacques (FJ) Dora Kemp (DK), Gordon Lawrence (GL), Max Pappenheim (MP) Claire Pike (CP), Graham Ross (GR), James Sherlock (JS), Christine Schmalz (CS),

Co-opted members: Richard Andrewes (RA) John Barber (JB), Simon Fairclough (SF) Jo Whitehead (JW)

Mark Austin (MA) Caroline Goulder (CG), Sam Hudson (SH),Courtney Lewis (CL), Jamie McVinnie (JM) Alex Selby (AS) Beth Thompson (ET), Daniel Trambaiolo (DT)

The minutes of the last meeting were agreed and signed.

(2) Co-options. At the first meeting of the year Caroline Goulder was omitted, in error, from the group of co-options. The Chairman proposed that she be co-opted, it was seconded by CP and carried.

(5) JW is meeting with the Zephyr and Chorus committees. SF has met the CUMS I committee who are a very good group, and is waiting to meet with CUMS II.

(6) The e-mail to the whole society from the joint chairmen has not yet been sent, but is imminent.

The administrative group has met and Tour Guidelines have been discussed. JW will send these guidelines to the committee for feedback.

(7) We will be joining the Yale Alumni Chorus for a joint concert in Ely Cathedral on Feb 15^th. The whole society will be invited to participate as singers.

(13) The insurance of our instruments is an on-going saga for the Treasurer.

4. Programme Planning framework document (attached for reference)

(1) SC would prefer `in general' to be added to the sentence concerning CUMS I with the chorus:

`CUMS I should in general perform with the chorus no more than twice a year'

SC: The Programmes are not made up by the conductors. The members have in-put via the `suggestions' list. Consultation is good but it can slow the process down. A long-term plan might include some programming ahead of the appointment of conductors.

(2) JW: Fri & Sat are preferable to mid-week concerts. If this is agreed can we negotiate changes to the dates for 06/07?

(8) GL: Add the librarian to the section on budgets for finding out music hire / purchase costs.

(9) Tours should be planned at least 18 months ahead, with a small committee to agree the destination and book the venues perhaps.

(10) An annual orchestra tour is a goal, alternately based on CUMS I and CUMS II. Zephyrs? Chorus & orchestra together? CS also suggested that we might invite musicians from abroad to come here.

Concerto & Conducting auditions were discussed briefly, but no agreement was reached on the best time to do them. Some people felt that the end of the Michaelmas term would be too early. This year they will be completed by Feb 7^th.

5. Long-term planning document. (attached for reference)

SF introduced the document. There are now fewer people with time to spare, there's far more focus on academic success, and less amateur music-making. The University enjoys a more diverse musical life with mixed choirs, more music societies than ever before etc. We rely on MH & SC to do what they do for so little, but they can't go on for ever and their successors are unlikely to be willing to do the same. Where do we want to be in 10 or 20 years time?

We should start a long-term planning process. Where is Cambridge music-making and where is CUMS within it? It may take two years. It is suggested that a small sub-committee starts the process of consultation with members, University, Faculty, College socs, music students who are not in CUMS etc. It would be interesting to find out how everyone else is managing. What can we learn? The small group will bring vies to this committee in about four months (end of Lent Term).

GR: it would be good to tie in with the University's 800^th anniversary.

GC thinks we have an excellent group of musicians at the moment.

JW proposed that we accept this idea for a small group. RA seconded and it was carried.

SF (chair) and a good student link, JW good at bringing information together, RA would prefer an advisory role, an undergraduate? Yes! We need someone who has links to college societies and other University groups such as CUMC and CUSO and CUOS. The committee was asked to e-mail their suggestions to SF & JW.

JB asked for the original document to be circulated again with the minutes.

SF summarised our position on the proposed War Requiem and offered the free use of our instruments if it went ahead.

MP asked if all charity concerts would therefore be offered free use of instruments as well. SF responded that each case would be considered separately.

It was agreed that the AGM would be fixed for a Tuesday evening in the Lent Term, in the break at the orchestra rehearsals, since last year's was held on a Thursday at a chorus rehearsal. It will be in West Road Concert Hall at 8.50pm on Tuesday 7^th February.

8. AOB CS reported that the Chorus tour to Switzerland made a profit of £177.35

9. Date of the next meeting has now been agreed for Tuesday 31^st January, 6.30pm - 7.25pm in a lecture room at West Road. Proposed dates for the remaining meetings for this year will be circulated.