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Executive Officers: Mark Austin (MA), John Barber (JB), Stephen Cleobury (SC),Rachel Croft (RC), Chris Ford (CF), Joseph Fort (JF), Brandon Green (BG), Dan Hill (DH), Jennifer Howells (JH), Maggie Heywood (MH), Theodore Hong (TH), Emily Taylor (ET)

Co-opted members: Richard Andrewes (RA), Simon Fairclough (SF), Caroline Goulder (CG), Christopher Lawrence (CL), Claire Pike (CP), Michael Sharp (MS)

2.Voting: SF welcomed CL to the meeting. MH took the Chair for voting on the following co-options to take place: RA, JB, SF, CL, CP, MS, JW while those concerned left the room. All were voted in unanimously and they returned, SF resuming the Chair. CL nominated SF as Chairman, with JW Vice Chairman, CG seconded, passed unanimously.

4.Matters arising: Item 5 - matters were ongoing from the July meeting of the Development Committee. Robert Sansom had left and David Charters joined.

RC said the Zephyrs were to play in Oxford in Feb. 2008. They had a maximum budget of £1,750. The hire of the hall would be £150+. A further expenditure of around £400 was envisaged, the ensemble paying some themselves. The fund did include music: previously CUMS has provided £500 - would this still be available? In reply SF said that certainly the income from March's schools concert should go to Zephyr as CUMS had budgeted for that - CL said the question seemed to be one of re-allocation of funds and SF suggested RC discuss it with CL after the meeting. It could be included in 'Matters arising' at the next general committee meeting.

Recruitment: CP said there was a good response. The improved online and professionally printed information proved helpful. Societies Fair lasted 2 days and posters were in all colleges and around town.

CUMS I and II: DH said orchestral auditions went well, the process being hastened by details given online. Every slot was filled and drop-in sessions had to be held on Saturday afternoons. CUMS I was an added process. CL said he had heard only 4 trombones audition, asked about tuba feedback and whether there was a policy to weed out early. He wondered whether some instruments were overloaded. DH said the problem lay in the horns, more importantly, first horn, with only 4 reliable. At the first rehearsal one was very late. A solution was needed and SF asked SC to speak to DH Action: SC, DH

DH said there were many but mediocre viola auditions, and of the cellos only one wished to join CUMS I. TH asked whether the provision of audition slots was adequate and DH replied that in practice only Tuesdays and Wednesdays were available. MA mentioned a broken clarinet and was referred to the instrument manager, Sam Kemp. Action: MA

SC said the poor balance of woodwind against strings made them play behind the beat and suggested that raising them on the staging in rehearsal as well as concert would effect an improvement. Action: DH to recruit help with staging from each ensemble.

Chorus: Chorus auditions went particularly well. SC said he had taken a more active role and found sopranos better, a problem lying in the basses - maybe we could access 25-35 year-old professionals moving to the city. SF wondered how this would be achieved; CP suggested publicity at the station. SC said the professional singer available for Chorus members' coaching was completely booked. CG replied that most bookings were from older members and we should prioritise for students with perhaps an offer of £13 for 20 minutes for them. SC said a subsidy would not be possible at present as the only reason CUMS was offering this was due to a private donation. He wondered whether a second teacher should be considered. £40 per hour was the going rate. Points to be borne in mind were that the orchestra gets free tuition, the Chorus has to pay for its music. SF said this is something to work on. Action: SC, CF, CG

Individuals: MS explained the recent legacy made by David and Brenda Charters. CUMS' gratitude will be shown by giving them lunch in King's College Action: SC,SF

7.Proposed concerts: SF said Cambridge Water is sponsoring a concert in King's Chapel in March. Exceptionally CUMS has 4 concerts there this year. CG asked about the policy on complimentary tickets; the availability to organisations as well as individuals. MS said the Elgar Society will have two. SF said the Cambridge Water concert will attract considerable money - CL said the Cambridge Philharmonic had used Cambridge Water and found this to be the case.- so they should be eligible. JH said next Michaelmas Term concerts were being considered for 8 and 15 November in King's Chapel and SC added that the outcome of the upcoming Wednesday versus Saturday concerts will help determine this. SF suggested doing concentrated rehearsals perhaps in the week before the concert.

SC said the ideal model would be to have a pool of players good enough to play in CUMS I, suggest concert dates, go round the pool and ask for commitments. SF replied that the Verdi rehearsals would be tried on this model and decisions could be made on the basis of that. Provisional concert date commitments were needed now. Action: SF, DH, JH

Other concerts: SC said a major conductor would appear with CUMS I in Lent Term. Prime Brass concert was due to be held in Easter Term. DH said some CUMS I players like to play once a week; the concert programme should be discussed in a smaller group another time. Action: DH

8.Publicity and marketing: SF referred to his attached paper and the importance of selling our concerts. He suggested arranging teams from each ensemble to organise the runs for distribution of publicity. Action: CG, DH

ET said the timing was important, e.g. placing posters 1 week beforehand. CL pointed out that non-students tend to plan further ahead. Town areas could be given greater notice, the university less.

DH said he would try to get a publicity team together in 2 weeks. SF said that CUMS would buy volunteer students tickets and give them brochures. Volunteers should email SF about the concerts they volunteered to flyer. Action: DH

9.Long-term strategy: SF handed out a confidential draft vision document to be studied by Committee members in advance of discussion on 20 October.