GUILDFORD PHILHARMONIC CHOIR
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on Monday 11 May 1987
There were 76 members present, including all eignt members of
Members Present:
the commitiee.
Neville Creed and Kon Medlow.
In Attendance:
Avologies:
The Chairman presided.
iathy Atkins
Tne Chairman welcomed Members ana espisined thst the
Cnairman's Welcome:
President had only just returned from abroac and was tnereiore unable o
He also wished to record the Chair'e and the Committes's
attend,
gratitude to Ketny Atkins (at present on holiday in trete) for aii ner
hard work, help end advice during tne year.
Sir Charies Groves hac also
hac Kathy Alkins
peen adle to sttend che was
scked that hic very best wishes be conveyec to Memoers.
explainec tnat
‘Ine Chairmen
Foing to cpeak to Memoers acout
sgreed
this.
Tne
attend
to
Chairman
a
rehearsal
the votes
assictance in counting
and
Mediow,
kon
welcomed
sometime
in
season
new
tne
General
of
the last Annual
talk
aboul
5
nn
tor
air
tnanked
anc the new Chorus Master,
thiz evening,
Meeting
who was attending the Annual General
Neville Cresd,
guest but as of right s the new Choruc Master.
Minutes
to
na
bui
the music scheme in Guiicford,
not
as
8
The Minutes of the Annual
General Meeting:
Meeting held on 19 May 1986 having been circulate were taken as
The adoption of the Minutes was proposed by Geoff Forster,
read.
The Minutes
seconded by Roger benny, and approved by Members present.
Tnerc were no metters arising
were then signed by the Chairman.
Cnairmen's
somewnat
for
some
Kepors:
more traditional
was
explained
Chairman
The
unusual
in
commented
on
thai
than the previous one,
that
s
visit
to
conjunction with the University of Warwick Choir.
The Chairmen
the concerts given
season and the press reports on them
this
Paris
by
sesson
has
oeen
although tne highlight
was
orgenised
in
the choir during tne
He also conveyed a message from
Sir David Willcocks following the last concert expressing his gratituae
Sir David had wondered whetner
%o the choir jfor tneir splendid response;
HolST's hyme of Jesus mignt
and
Requiem
burufle
the combination of the
prove to be over-ambitious, but under Neville Creed's skillful
Sir David expressed
patient rehearsal the choir were able to excel.
best wishes to
his
sent
and
Chorus
Semi
the
thanks to members of
Neville's skill
under
flourish
to
continue
would
hoped
he
Choir which
guidance.
and
his
the
and
The Chairmen stressed the continuing need for recruitment of new members
The target remains at 170 paid-up singing members so that for concerts we
It wae
supported - et preseni we can only assemble 1007110,
con be well
to further this aim that during the year a working party ha¢ been formed
to explore and report to the main committee on ways in which publicity
John Britten, sssisted by Jeremy
ond recruitment could be expanded.
Turner, had got together a very enthusiastic set of pessie and their
report
The
would
be given later.
‘Chairman hoped tnat Nevilie Creed would be the Chorus Mester for many
and
come
yeare
to
about
the
that
aske¢
anyone
had
who
the
complaintc
@
commentc
any
them to
convey
should
procese
sciection
oy
eitner
Office,
to tne
telepnone or preferabiy in writing, so hat they may be Srougnt
atiention of the next committee and borne in mind by tne comsitise of the
any
wner
the
situation
arose
sgain
& Chairman enaed by saying that
he hac ceciced no:
to seek re-eiectior
to the Committes or tne Chair and tnankec all thcse wno ne¢ workes on
observations ac
His
four years.
Committees witr him during the previous
to look
out-going chairman were that now is the time
benind any difficulties so that we wouic
Voting
year
only
one
and tha:
then
commencing
1
candicate
tnerc
was
tock
place
June
1987.
tor
for
Committee
Tac
Memvers
Chairman
thc
position
of
i
no neec
for
ar.eiesiion
nairman
Report
The ‘ireasurer's
and
expiained
tnererore
Keport:
iressurgs’z
to
and
sgresc at £240,
&
for
-
leaving present
Adoption
of
the
by
audited
Rosalind
tae Memoerc
accounts
Piowright.
ifor
tnere
jeai
or
was
Young,
Viee Lnairmen.
having been circuiatec was
tnat the
nad been
£61.50 had been raised ior Chric
(b) that a total of
Mabley's
oy
being
Lnairmar
tmat
The Treasurer commented on two pointe ta
token az reac.
Choir's contribution to the Guildford Philnarmonic Society
proposac
leaving
forwards,
return
happy choir.
unified anc
ne
shortly
tne
seconded
by
year
enged
31
Walter Cnattaus:
was
y
1986
¢
approvec
presen:
on Publicity and Recrultment:
keport by Chairman of the Working Perty
John Britten explained now he and Jeremy Turner had got together
and
outlined their ideas prior to asking for volunteers from tne choir to
help uhen needed and, more importantly five remarkabie people wno offerec
tojoin the working party.
snc had had six meetings
also good
They had put in an amazing amount of harc work
- all of which were brisk, business-like ang
fun!
The main achievements had been to find out what sort of peopie are in tne
choir,
their
interests and
assetes.
They had organised and printed car
stickers and most people had these, and printed and distributed widely a
They had also written to about 50 prospective members
leaflet/poster.
Thev
about 15 of whom had replied andsome of whom would probably join.
were about
to
follow up those whe had not
replied.
They had written editorial copy for the Surrey Advertiser describing the
choir and its new chorus master.
The Committee had agreed a programme of paid advertising for nmext season
which would be aimed at lste July and lste August.
Mr Britten ended by hoping that all tme Working Party's hard work would
be rewarded by lots of new memoers and stressed the need for the Choir to
weicome them to cement the work come by the Working Party,
or publicity was weicome to put them jorwarc
hac any ideas on recrujtment
ruc
ey
Master
ne
Chorus Mester
began
the
tremendous
smount
which ne said
willing
thaniing ali
by
GORE
Which
work
of
of
tne memoers
& very
intc
tne
tne
of
tiee
tne
rumning Of
Tor
croir
nesltny choir when peopie were
sbsence he had
in a position to conduct the choir in Simon's
weaknesses and
ctrongthc and
thc
Lomm
in so much eftort.
tc put
Having besn
seen
the Working barty
the members of
of
tc any
and anyone who
felt
tnat
the choir needed to
oe
Sc often wnen a
tuilt up again, as it had when Simon first took over.
wal
entnusissk
of
injection
chcir nac a new chorus master it hac e new
waned after a couple of
Me
Stressed that
larger.
He
methcd
of
1ntrodustion
bu:
years,
it was importan
ouilc on thic enthusiask and gel numbers up to the targe: of 7, wit
or maie voices since it was very apparent that tne lacie
the emphaziz
considerably
were
sectione
besi
the
anc
importan
relt
thet
recruitmen:
wac
tnrougn
was
al
1rien
hiternativaly, it sny teacher feit it would pe helpful ii ne were to come
anc talk to their 6th formers, ‘e woulc be happy to do this.
that generally attendance at rehesrsals was good,
The Chorus Master said
and he intenaec to continue Simon's policy on this, with o minimum number
of renearsais required for each concert, with any rehesrsal taker oy the
conductor
He
and
felt
and
tnet
finisn
it
ac
the
might
soon
on
renesrsa.
the
be more convenient
as
possible
after
concert
the
day
all
ic start renesrsais a:
9.30
pm
up
to
G.45
being
pm,
necessary.
Auditions would be Startec straight away and would entail (1) s piece of
the perscn's own choice,
anc ear
(2)
sight
reading
(3)
tests tc determine range
Re-auditions would continue on the lines
each memoer being auditioned at
Simon had
started,
least every three years.
he Chorus master then outlined the concerts for the next season March 1
Elgar'e Nusic Makers under Charles Groves;
jovember 14:
Grande Messe des Morts under
Berlioz,
Beethoven's 9th under Richard Armstrong.
Aprii 23
Erian Wright;
He wouid very much like tc
as he felt it was
in June preferably,
o a concert in the summor,
September which was
until
again
begin
not
an¢
ridiculous to finish in May
sad for
the continuity of
the choir.
Finslly, he siressed that he.was very much looking forwsrd to working
with the choir and hoped to build it up from a good choir to a very good
strong choir.
Appointment
2
Auditor
of
The Rt Hon John Wakeham FCA JP MP had again indicatec hic willingness to
His appointment was proposed by Michael
act as auditor to the choir.
Teffery and seconded by Mary Ann
B
oy
Ctner
Puciness
kosalind
Piowright
Freiourg
and
of
coula
tour
of
sari
said ne would pursue tnis.
he had any jaeas on
Katnarine Wedgbury wondered whether
o-
tnere
soms
on
embark
tc
very keen
Neville Lrecd was
with
twinmes
uee
cncir:
A
Lo/irom
visii
@
waether
Guildiora
that
point
the
raised
wondered
arranged.
anc
Edgar
Atkins aboui thiz,
more
of
memberz
io
nave
the apporntment
Kainy
tc
spess
he did nave three ideas airead:
but
Jonn Britten saic thst
inst
would
ne
that
repiied
He
accompanis
an
tne Parie trip nac been ratner expensive anc
be
would
cnoir
tne
1
interested
UK.
in
answer
Lo
various
arics,
Nevilic
orta
o
make
ali
new
oer
ar
the
siart
particutar
#0
confirmed
aisc
Memoers
a:
her
tnat
house
g
Rita
o
Hortor
early
in
Crecc
new
ine
sesson
Woula
the
new
anc
no:
i
on
the
season,
7
most
war
that
agreec
weicome,
teei
wac
Sapiember.
usua:
Weicome
there
8nc
e
wouic
thir
to
wouid
new
e
&
Various otner social
Christmas Party and an end of sesson party.
1t
support
activities had been suggested but failed through lack of
was unfortunate that the Methodist Hali was not conducive to many memoers
oeing adie to move around during the interval and talk
Chairmen
x5 year
iviieges
for the
Chairman
then ennounced tnat Rita Horton had oveen
he congratuisted ner on he- eppoinimeni snc Said tnai ne hac omen
to serve
the
choir over tne last
Nax New then paic tribute to Robert Beers,
the wnole cnoir owed him & great
debt
of
few years.
the outgoing Chairman, and saic tnat
gratitude for all
he had done in the
past four yearc sc Chairmen and the tremendous smount Of WOrk ne hac dome.
aad done & fan:astic job during a difficult time for the choir.
Signed
Chairman
He