MINUTES
OF THE AGM HELD AT BAR OASIS
ON
WEDNESDAY 27TH JANUARY 2010
Chairman Lawrence Gee
Membership
Secretary Phyl Webb
Choir
Manager Mary Mitchell
Number of choir members attending 40.
Cathy
Hughes (Secretary)
Val and
Tom Jones
Pauline
Colgrave
Charles
Cooper
Pat
Yardley
Derek and
Doreen Bailey
Three
girls from Sue’s school
Gerry
Strunk
Each member had received a copy of
the Minutes previously. As there were no
queries, the Minutes were proposed by Adele Woolford and seconded by Gordon
Jennings. Everyone was in agreement that
they should be adopted.
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT for 2009
We have had another very successful year in 2009. Our membership has
stayed at a very good level. We have
sadly lost a few members but there seems to be a constant flow of new singers
joining us.
This year has seen new choirs starting up in the area. Some of our members have shown a desire to
give them a try. This is absolutely fine with Crescendo. We wish them all the best. We are all free to
sing wherever we want. The Crescendo
door will always be open to anyone who at any time wishes to return. We have always supported each other amongst
the varying choirs in the area. But we
refuse to get into a situation where we start calling one another and reporting
that we are better than anyone else. We
shall let our singing do the talking for us.
Your Committee has worked very hard over the past twelve months and a
big thank you goes to them all. I would also like to thank those members who
perform jobs within the choir but are not on the Committee.
Under the leadership of Chas our performances stay at a very high level
and a big thank you also goes to Sue who as usual has done a fantastic job as
our accompanist.
We have performed at many excellent new venues around the area and have
been asked to return again to many of these to give further concerts this
year. My favourite was singing Carmina
Burana with the Los Montesinos band which we shall repeat this year hopefully
singing songs from West Side Story. We
have raised a staggering amount for varying charities over the past twelve
months, and I think that we should congratulate ourselves. We have
not performed in Torrevieja for over a year so we will rectify this in the
Spring. Chas will give you more details
about the sums we have raised later in his report.
Over the next few months we will be learning a lot of new music so it
is very important that we all listen to our discs. That includes me as I have been rather lax
just lately. We will not be booking any
concerts until after Easter so we can concentrate on the new music.
We are looking splendid in our new outfits and a big thank you must go
to Margot for all the hard work she has put in organising and making them. If you know of any member who will not be
singing with us this year, can you please remind them that they must return
their jackets or bow ties as well as their music? Ladies, it has been noted that one or two of
you have been turning up to concerts with your jackets rolled up and not
hanging in the covers that we have provided for you. Please look after them. The new piano is up and running and we seem
to have got the early problems with the speakers sorted out now. We have had quite an expensive year with
costumes and the new piano but we did manage to sell our old piano to one of
our members.
We are still looking for a new rehearsal venue but we will not be
rushed into anything. Bar Oasis is soon
going to fill in the two archways leading to the bar. One side will be bricked in and in the other
archway there will be a new door. This
should cut down the noise from the bar.
Thank you for all the support that you have all given me over the past
year. A big thank you to Vivienne for
putting up with all the Crescendo problems and for all her support over the
year.
Please work on learning your new music so we do not have to note bash
in rehearsals, and please make sure all our new members are made to feel
welcome; and most of all, enjoy your singing with Crescendo.
Thank you.
Lawrence Gee, Chairman
MUSICAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT for 2009
Once again we are at that time of year when we look both backwards and
forwards, but first a great big thank you, one and all, for your support and
encouragement throughout this year. We have worked very well together towards
that goal of continually improving our singing.
Once again, the Committee have worked hard on your behalf throughout
the year and their commitment is to be recommended so a big thank to them. I
add also my special thanks to the two retiring Committee members. They have
done sterling work throughout their period of office.
Again I make special mention of the work Lawrence has done. He is such a hard worker, getting to grips
with whatever comes his way. I don’t
think many of you realise just the amount of time that is devoted to making
sure things run smoothly. Of course, I
must add that Vivienne has supported whatever Lawrence has had to do on behalf
of the choir and I can assure you that it has been a lot!
To our librarians – Tony did a fabulous job for most of the year. Always at the ready to provide copies for
us. Now we have an equally enthusiastic
librarian in Phil Sage who is doing a great job. So thank you to them both.
To the darling on the keyboard – how does one express the sheer
gratitude not only for the skill and the experience in her playing but for the
personable manner with which Sue comes across.
She is not just our accompanist – she is one of us, part of the family.
Sue is every musical director’s dream!
I have said it before and say it yet again, that we would not be able to
sing half the songs without such a superb accompanist. Sue - thank you may be only two small words
but they convey an enormous amount of love and gratitude. Thank you!
My final thanks go to Eunice.
For all her support, especially during the many hours spent alone whilst
I have been doing the music at the computer.
She is a rock and a star!
2009 has been a busy year, not quite as busy as 2008 (which is
reflected in the money raised during the year) but still busy enough for it not
to be too much of a chore.
I am very pleased with our performances during the year and more
importantly, our audiences have been pleased.
When we see spontaneous standing ovations or hear spontaneous bravos
then there is that warm feeling of a job well done and I can assure you that,
as a choir, you are worthy of that.
I still believe that the format we have is successful and do not feel
the need to change it. We have a depth
of variety of songs that is interesting, not only to the public but for
ourselves as well, and I believe this is one of our strengths.
What of the future!
I hope you are looking forward to learning the new songs which we will
mix in with some of the older songs, and that even if you do not like all of
them that there is something there for you.
Due to a number of folk leaving the choir we have been able to accept
new members and it is great to see those for whom this is their first AGM:
especially to the three young ladies -
their presence here makes us feel younger. So thanks to all new members for making
Crescendo your choice.
There is a fabulous atmosphere of camaraderie. So let us continue with the enjoyment of our hobby and the friendship of those around us and go forward into 2010 with that desire to do our very best in everything we do and be happy doing it!
TREASURER’S REPORT 2009 (as attached)
Note from the Treasurer to the AGM:
I am sorry I cannot be here today but the Committee wouldn’t fund my
flights!
2009 has been yet another great year for the choir: we sung our hearts
out to raise another fantastic amount for charity, and we have enjoyed doing
it.
The finances are in good shape, even though we have had massive
outgoings, all of which were planned of course - our fund raising for ourselves
has helped offset this.
Some of you might ask why we changed the piano: this was our main expense of 2009.
Well there is no simple one reason. Firstly we are a non-profit making organisation, and we have to ensure that we don’t have too much wealth; the government could inspect and relieve us of funds if they thought we had an excessive amount. We looked at where our wealth had come from, and we decided that in the main it had come from you, the membership, and therefore it was only right to use some cash for the benefit of the choir membership. Next we looked at the piano itself, and while in good working order, it was not a ‘portable’ piano. I myself had made modifications to the supports years ago to help with this, but outside venues were never easy. Also the volume from the piano was not sufficient on its own, and had to be boosted when used in concert by borrowing equipment. So the new piano with its ancillary equipment was purchased.
After the ladies had their costumes last year, it was the men’s turn,
and shirts and bow ties were purchased to compliment the overall appearance of
the choir.
As Treasurer
I must again thank the members of the choir who have devoted time and effort
for the fund raising events. In the main
Margot, Phyl and Vivienne have been tremendous assets and worked hard for our
benefit.
Finally it is with regret that I cannot ask for re-election as
Treasurer. I say thank you, to all of
you, for the support and friendship you have always given me. I look forward to seeing you all again soon.
With love and fondness
Steve Horsfall
The accounts were proposed by Len
Peadon and seconded by Richard Gay.
Everyone was in agreement that the accounts should be adopted.
The Chairman thanked Steve for all
his help in co-ordinating the accounts from the UK. and thanked Chas and Eunice
for taking over the Treasurer’s job whilst Steve had been away.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR 2010
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
CHAIRMAN Lawrence Gee
SECRETARY Cathy Hughes
CHOIR MANAGER Mary Mitchell
All had agreed to stand for another
year. It was proposed by Mary Priddle, seconded by Barry
Marshall and carried by the floor that each person be re-elected for 2010.
TREASURER Steve Horsfall
MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Phyl Webb.
Both had decided not to stand for
re-election. The Chairman thanked them
both on behalf of the choir for all the hard work that they had put in over the
years.
There was one nomination for
Treasurer - Sam Martin. It was proposed
by Adele Woolford, seconded by Lesley Rolls and carried by the floor that he be
elected. Sam was duly welcomed onto the
Committee by the Chairman.
There was one nomination for
Membership Secretary - Lesley Rolls. It
was proposed by Mary Mitchell, seconded by Margot Gay and carried by the floor
that she be elected. Lesley was duly
welcomed onto the Committee by the Chairman.
Margot Gay said that she was happy
to stand as PR for another year.
Lawrence explained that this was a non-committee position and she would
be co-opted onto the Committee at the first meeting.
APPOINTMENT OF MUSICAL DIRECTOR FOR 2010
Chas agreed to continue as Musical
Director for another year, which was warmly welcomed by all the members. It was decided not to appoint an Assistant MD
for the time being.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
As nothing had been received by the
members to discuss at the AGM, Lawrence thanked everybody before presenting
Chas with a card and gift from the entire choir. This was a thank you for all the hard work
that he puts in.
THE MEETING CLOSED AT 18.27 HOURS