VIVACE CHORUS
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held by
Zoom video conference on Monday 5 July 2021
Present
72 choir members, Jeremy Backhouse and Francis Pott.
1.
Apologies for Absence: Bob Cowell, Andrea Dombrowe, Sheena Ewen, Val Garrow, Christine
2.
Minutes of the last meeting: Minutes of the last meeting, held on 6 July 2020, were
3.
Matters arising: none
4,
Treasurer’s Report: Sel Adamu addressed the meeting.
Lavender, Jon Long, Sonja Nagle, Linda Ross, Marjory Stewart, Christine Wilks.
approved and signed by the Chairman.
With no concerts during the financial year, aside from some publicity costs of £619 already incurred
before the pandemic hit, there are no concert results to give.
From the outset of the pandemic, Vivace Chorus took the decision to continue paying our two
professionals throughout the time we were unable to have live rehearsals. We did not have any live
rehearsals during the year so did not incur any hall hire fees. Total rehearsal costs were £17,975
The Committee did offer a payment holiday to our members, which accounts for the £5,346 reduction
subscription income and the corresponding reduction in gift aid, but with subs, gift aid and the
support from our patrons and fundraising, (in total £24,200) we have been able to more than cover
the expenditure for the year and the surplus of £4,756 puts us in a good financial position for when
Autumn.)
the
in
(hopefully
resume
concerts
and
rehearsals
live
our
Advance Income of £38,455 and prepaid expenditure £23,000 relates to the postponed Spain tour.
The remaining £1,803 prepaid expenditure relates to venue deposits.
The adoption of these management accounts was proposed by Brian John, seconded by Mary Moon
and passed unanimously.
5.
Music Director’s Report: Jeremy Backhouse addressed the meeting.
My report this year will probably be the shortest in living memory! At the end of my last AGM Report,
I was cautiously optimistic that we might be able to get together again in the new season in some
small, socially-distanced form to sing live once again. As we all know, that was not to be.
This time last year we had recorded and Sel was working on the film of You'll never walk alone. It
turned out brilliantly and really put us on the online map ahead of other choirs who were making zoom
films.
So when we reconvened again in September last year, it was back to zoom singing and quizzes! We
welcomed Nina Bennet who gave us some much-needed vocal technique sessions, to help keep the
voice in trim. We were later also joined by Emily Owen and Greg Link. We worked at and sang through
the Brahms German Requiem and some sections of Alexander L'Estrange’s Freedom!. And we gave our
own online performance to ourselves of the Brahms on 2 November. From 9 November onwards we
worked on recording music for the Christmas film - carols by Will Todd, John Gardiner and THAT
arrangement by Goff Richards! And we also recorded ourselves singing three audience carols for the
film. Sel then took all this material, including two beautiful readings, and, with contributions from the
Rector of Holy Trinity and the Deputy Mayor, put together a wonderfully atmospheric Christmas concert
which we released and broadcast instead of our live concert on 13 December. A great achievement
and a perfect way to continue to raise money for the Mayor of Guildford’s charitable causes - on this
occasion COVID related, naturally.
The New Year was then upon us and we still had to stick to zooming, not live rehearsals. Now we
turned to the Mozart Requiem to work through and then again gave ourselves a private online
performance; we also sang through Handel's Messiah over a few weeks and then the Verdi Requiem.
We enjoyed a Burns Night and a St David’s Day Welsh-themed evening. I also introduced the Blind
Spot segment which I think went down well, a fascinating innovation. Since 11 January we have done
18 of them and the 2 Darwin Awards for Composers as well. We are indebted to Francis for sharing his
deep erudition and taking the time and trouble to put together such engaging talks, week by week.
THANK YOU, FRANCIS for all the support, knowledge and entertainment you have shared with us this
year.
;
And of course we have had our Spanish evenings, re-learning the repertoire for the film and then
recording it. Again, now Sel has all the material, has worked her magic on it. I hope we can see the
whole film at the end of this meeting. THANK YOU SEL, for all your time and creative energy in making
these terrific films for us.
As 2021 progressed, the vaccination programme rolled out and infection rates lowered, we had high
hopes that under the government’s Roadmap - which I prefer to call The Road to Damascus - we would
by
get back together for live rehearsals this side of the summer. That is what we were led to believethe
to
return
May,
17
on
evening
glorious
one
for
written government pronouncements. And we did,
Baptist Church for some live singing. It showed us what we had been missing and was the brightest,
and most uplifting of evenings. However, the DCMS, in its infinite wisdom, some might say otherwise
changed the rules the day after the Step change and declared even more draconian restrictions than
we had had during the previous autumn when infection levels were dramatically higher and we were
the
not vaccinated. Despite all the pressure that has been brought to bear on the relevant people, still
we
where
is
this
,
forefront
the
at
coordinated social media campaign of which Vivace Chorus was
and many
find ourselves today. Insult was added to injury when we saw football fans, darts events distancin
g,
social
no
indoors,
other sporting occasions where full-blooded singing was being enjoyed,
the
amongst
remains
still
no masks. I don’t begrudge them that at all, but a huge sense of injustice
choral community. Maybe everything will change on 19 July, but I am not holding my breath.
fully
On a more cheerful note, let’s look forward to September in the hopes that we really canonreturn
y
Saturda
to live singing, without any serious restrictions. We will then be preparing for our concert
three
g
welcomin
20 November of Elgar's Dream of Gerontius, delayed from last year. We will be
fabulous young singers as soloists that evening, one of whom was on the point of abandoning atocareer
e make
in professional singing because income had completely dried up and it had become impossiblsuch
is the
ends meet. Another soloist will be travelling from his home in Sweden just for our concert,
need for work amongst professional singers.
We expect too to be able to return to Holy Trinity for the Mayor of Guildford’s Carol Concert on
Sunday 12 December.
to
We have a ‘Come and Sing’ planned for Saturday 29 January 2022 and then we hope finally
should
perform our ‘Best of Broadway’ show in G Live on Saturday 26 March with the Friary Band be brilliant.
me
The final concert of our season will be on Saturday 28 May when we return to G Live for a programthe
entitled ‘Majesty’ to help the Borough start celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. OnParry,
lovely
programme will be Elgar’s Coronation Ode, which includes Land of Hope and Glory, lots oflast-nigh
t-ofng,
flag-wavi
a
not
is
This
besides.
more
loads
the choral section from Beethoven 9 and
nation’s
the
in
moment
special
very
a
tely
appropria
the-proms-style concert, but I hope it will mark
history.
Finally, some of us will travel to north Spain at the end of June for our twice delayed tour - at last!
So thank you to everyone who has come on the zoom calls this last year. And to those for whom
September. As I said
zooming is not their thing, we very much look forward to seeing you again live inbelong;
not a proper
still
we
feeling
of
last year about zoom, they have been an invaluable way
a way of
and
erie
camarad
of
sense
a
rehearsal and a big compromise but better than nothing
maintaining an important connection. I really hope you have found them useful and fun!
My personal, sincere thanks, as ever but this year particularly so, go to James and the committee for
their generous moral and financial support over the last year. It is very much appreciated.
Special thanks of course go this year to James as he hands over the reins after 13 extraordinary years
as Chairman. James, you have overseen some of the most magnificent, unforgettable triumphs in the
choir’s history and worked tirelessly on our behalf, always finding new and exciting ventures to stage,
always seeking to raise the profile and standing of the choir. Bold, adventurous, daring and seemingly
indefatigable! Never giving up and taking “no” for an answer. We are all in your debt, but I personally
also would like sincerely to thank you for some of the highlights of my own musical career: the two
RAH concerts and one in the RFH. Without your driving spirit I would never have had the opportunity
of conducting the RPO in Mahler 8 and the Verdi Requiem, or the Philharmonia in Pott and Brahms in
such prestigious venues. We have worked together pretty well I think over those years and I will very
much miss our collaboration, and especially our annual summer review and planning meetings at The
Flower Pot in Cheriton! I am very grateful, as are we all, for all your support and unswerving dedication
to the choir. THANK YOU, JAMES.
We have been through a year of unprecedented difficulty and uncertainty, but we have kept going
against all the odds and stuck together - therein lies the strength of the choir. We are now ready to
return to some sense of normality. Let’s hope we are allowed finally to do that. Thanks for sticking
with it and I look forward very much to seeing you all in September. THANK YOU!
. Chairman’s Report: James Garrow addressed the meeting.
Thank you so much for coming. I don’t need to tell you what a weird time it's been; such a worrying
year for us all, and an existential time for Vivace. I know someone who wished they’'d retired a year
ago! It's a reflection on the strength of Vivace - particularly your contributions and support - that we
have survived everything that Covid has thrown at us and come out on what I hope and pray is the
other side, relatively unscathed.
To run a highly successful choir like ours, you need three vital ingredients which we have in bucket
loads:
Firstly top-flight professionals - and in Jeremy and Francis we have a combo that any choir in the
world would give their right hand for.
It has been a real privilege and joy to work alongside Jeremy over the years as we have planned
each stage of our journey. As you know, Jeremy’s concert programmes are second to none; always
highly original, attractive and well-balanced, his rehearsals relaxed and enjoyable. Variety is the
spice of life and it is our willingness to perform a wide repertoire with Jeremy’s eclectic choice of
music, not set in a classical rut, that makes Vivace stand out from the crowd, interweaving
performances of Brahms, Mozart, Beethoven, Prokofiev with ‘Nights at the Opera’, ‘Mass in Blue’,
and so on, each designed to appeal to as wide a public
‘African Sanctus’ and ‘The Best of Broadway’
as possible.
I can’t thank him enough, not just for the endless enthusiasm he has shown in keeping the Zoom
sessions going, but also his friendship over so many years. He is the power that drives the Vivace
machine forward and has created a choir with a high reputation way beyond the Surrey borders.
Francis is a huge talent; self-effacing and sensitive and a great rehearsal accompanist who offers us
so much more in terms of friendship and skill as an accompanist. A pianist and composer of renown,
Francis is in a league of his own. Those of you who attended his fascinating and erudite Monday 'Blind
Spot’ lectures will attest to his musical skill and knowledge. I feel certain that a good number of
Vivace members will be signing up for his university courses next term to learn more from him. In
2017, it was a privilege to sing our commission of his ‘Cantus Maris’ composition at the Festival Hall.
I am so pleased that his hip operation seems to have been a success; I hope you all saw and
responded to his organ video.
These talented musicians epitomise all that Vivace stands for: friendliness, approachable and setting
very high standards in all that they do. We are the luckiest choir in the world. Thank you both so
much for your friendship and everything you do for Vivace.
Secondly you need a good team to run the show. You can be very proud of your management
committee, a team that have been a wonderful support to me, ceaselessly hard-working in the pursuit
of excellence in all we do. June, Sel, Becky, Hilary, Suzanne, Mary, Sonja, Maggie, Peter, Phil and
Simon, thank you all so much your support and work over so many years in running the choir in such
a business-like way. There are so many individuals with so many talents that have been brought to
the table that it would take too long to list them all here. Suffice to say team, you are amazing.
Maggie and Sonja are both stepping down after years of helpful and professional contributions to our
meetings and events and I thank you both most sincerely for all that you have done. A very small
token of thanks from the choir was delivered to their doors earlier on.
As I'm sure you're aware we took our responsibilities towards the pandemic extremely seriously,
making sure that if we were able to return to rehearsals you would be kept as safe as it was possible
to be. We have two to thank for this highly professional, thorough approach to the complex Covid
conundrum. Jo Glover who left the committee halfway through the year having established her
credentials as a quite incredibly knowledgeable scientist, led our research and sub-committee
responsible for our coping with Covid with tremendous skill and professionalism and we were so lucky
to have her input, intellect and expertise.
In Phil, we are lucky enough to have somebody with a scientific mind and analytical brain prepared
to read reems of documents to dig out the relevant information. He has been a magnificent back-up
to Jo. I was 100% confident that Vivace would be as well prepared for anything that the pandemic
would throw at us as any organisation in the land. Thank you both.
To have had the support and hard work of the committee behind me with their confidence in what I
was planning - whether tours or London concerts, their tireless organisation and in taking on some
of the things we have done over the past few years has been incredible. We are lucky indeed to have
such a terrific committee running the show. It’s been a great team effort. I was incredibly honoured
to have been made a Life Patron at my final committee meeting and thank each of you most sincerely.
And last, but by no means least, there are you, the members. So many here this evening, and at
times more than 70 coming along to our Zoom sessions, showing the important part that Vivace
plays in our lives.
Your friendship, sense of fun, standard of singing and energy have brought this choir to where we
are today. It is mighty impressive what a large pool of talent we have amongst our members. There
are so many of you helping to run the show behind the scenes. I counted no fewer than 31 of you
prepared to give of your time and to help in so many different, vital ways to keep the show on the
road: promoting concerts, issuing music, running the box office, baking cakes for rehearsal,
administering the website, paying in money, acting as voice reps and the million-and-one other vital
little jobs. Without you we wouldn’t be able to function. Thank you all so much.
While I’'m on the subject of our membership, I can't tell you how grateful we are that so many of you
have continued to support the choir financially, both with your subscriptions and as patrons while we
have been unable to run rehearsals or promote concerts. As you know, we continued to pay our two
professionals their rehearsal fees throughout and maintaining your financial support has enabled us
to keep our strong financial base to fund future concerts. Hopefully the rehearsals can start again in
September and the subscription holiday facility will come to an end.
As I approach the final stages of my 13 years as chairman, I have been really touched by so many
of you who have written such nice letters and emails. It has helped me to realise that all the hard
work has been worth it! As to my successor, I am seriously happy that, given that he has your vote
later this evening, Peter will be a highly effective Chairman and lead us all on to the next exciting
chapter in the Vivace saga.
At this stage of a Monday night, we usually have a quiz, and I have just two quick questions for you:
1
Have you any idea how many rehearsal venues we have used in the past 13 years?
2
Give or take 1 or 2, how many different venues do you think we have sung in since I
became Chairman?
Al:
5
A2:
I have counted 28 including 15 abroad - 5 in Guildford alone, and everywhere from Vienna
Cathedral, Tewkesbury Abbey, RFH, Gloucester Cathedral to Riga and 19 others. Amazing!
The last 13 years has been an incredible journey for me and I really hope you have enjoyed the ride.
If I can ask you to indulge me for just a few moments, I'd like to look back on just one or two of our
adventures:
The most worrying moment: After a huge amount of organisation and something of a financial
gamble putting on the Verdi Requiem in the Royal Albert Hall, employing the LPO and singing
alongside Twickenham and Wimbledon Choral Societies, we discovered that Sir Antonio Pappano was
conducting exactly the same work on exactly the same day just down the road at the Festival Hall.
Needless to say, being Vivace, we decided to take on the challenge; our confidence was rewarded
when the Albert Hall was packed to the rafters!
Scariest Moment: When on tour in Venice, I was responsible for guiding 92 choir members and
their partners from the Basilica del Frari back to the landing stage to catch the ferry back to the
coach park. To add to the sense of urgency (panic?), the boat’s captain had threatened to leave
earlier than arranged. I had no idea where I was going - no Google map or anything. A serious
nightmare up and over canals, down the narrowest alleyways. Anyway somehow we made it by the
skin of our teeth just as the captain was drawing up the gangplank.
The bumpiest moment: Being a part of the Singing Cyclists team pedalling from Paris to London
to raise money for a charity and to highlight our Verdi Albert Hall concert in 2017, we were riding
out of Paris in the Friday evening rush hour, in the rain, over wet, slippery cobblestones was a journey
I will never forget.
Emotional highs: There are so many to choose from ..... each concert we promote leaves one on
an emotional high. However singing in Notre Dame Cathedral on our first foreign tour to France and
looking up to see the beautiful West Window brought a real tear to my eye and I actually had to stop
singing!
Almost the same feeling came when the lights went up at our first concert at the Royal Albert Hall
for our Mahler ‘Symphony of 1,000, and was blown away by seeing a totally full house.
The moment I most appreciated: On the 3TM day of the Singing Cyclists’ ride, we arrived at
Tunsgate in the middle of Guildford to the most wonderful welcome home by so many choir members,
the Mayor, the local MP and bemused shoppers plus to top it all, an amazing brass band provided, I
think, by Becky. It was the most wonderful pick-me-up!
A memory of a little piece of magic: On our Italian tour, going to the opera in the open-air arena
in Verona, and watching thousands of the audience light candles - a Verona tradition - before Carmen
started.
There are many many other highlights I'll never forget: Singing in front of the Titian altarpiece
in Venice, our concert in the cathedral where Mozart got married, performing Francis’ choral work in
RFH, the exciting African Sanctus concert with the amazing African dancers
...... and above all your friendship.
It's been the most wonderful journey and you have been so supportive and appreciative of all the
things we have done.
I will, of course, carry on singing in the choir and have been asked, for now at least, to continue
organising the choir tours. Next year’s 3-concert tour to northern Spain is going to be a huge lot of
fun. We are showing a taster of what to expect in a short video that Sel put together combining our
singing with some of the highlights will see. If you haven't yet signed up, do think about it seriously
over the summer months. You won't regret it.
As you know, it’s our 75% birthday next year and plans are afoot for some super events to
commemorate this anniversary. Apart from these throughout the year, you will be able to buy our
very own Choir history due out this autumn. Started by Michael Jeffery and taken on by Mary Clayton
(with some help from Chris Wilks), it's headed for the best seller list. The answer to all your Christmas
present problems!
As you will have seen in the last edition of Notice board, we have been working on plans for a
recruitment drive to begin in September. We need your help to bring the membership back up to
150 from the current just under 140; it would be so helpful if you could respond to Becky as to how
you felt when you first joined the choir; tell us the good things as well as the bad. This will all help
make our welcoming of new members even better. If, during the summer months you can think of
anybody you could introduce to the choir next term, please bear this in mind and bring them along.
We will make them welcome.
As to the future, there’s so much to look forward to: the end of lockdown, a long and happy summer,
a great set of concerts - as varied as ever, featuring Elgar, Bernstein, Walton, Rodgers and
Hammerstein and Vaughan-Williams, plus our much-delayed tour to Northern Spain next year.
Peter Norman has, as you know, put himself forward to take over from me and deserves your fullest
support. He will be a great leader: highly efficient and full of good ideas for the future.
There’s one important member of the choir who has supported me for so long in this role and been
a huge source of strength and inspiration over the years, my wife Val (who can’t be here tonight as
she’s visiting her dad in Manchester after a fall). She has been such a tremendous sounding board
and source of encouragement; I can’t thank her enough.
It’s time for a new chapter in the Vivace Story, and with the jokes in ‘Jokers Corner’ getting feebler
by the minute, it’s time for me to go.
Thank you all.
&
Election of Officers: under the Constitution all Committee members are obliged to resign at
each AGM and, if they so wish, offer themselves for re-election. Jon Scott, who has proposed Peter
Norman as Chairman, introduced him and gave some background in support. The following were
unanimously appointed:
Proposed by
Seconded by
Peter Norman, Chairman
Becky Kerby, Hon. Membership Secretary
Jon Scott
Michelle Mumford
Peter Butterworth
Mary Broughton
Sel Adamu, Hon. Treasurer
June Windle, Hon. Secretary
Michelle Mumford
Jo Glover
Marjory Stewart
Val Garrow
8.
Election of Additional Committee Members: the following were unanimously appointed:
Suzanne Cahalane
Simon Dillon
Mary Moon
Gill Perkins
Kate Peters
Phil Stanford
Hilary Trigg
Proposed by
Seconded by
Alison Palmer
Stephen Linton
Marjory Stewart
Jon Scott
Peter Norman
David Ross
Gill Perkins
Paula Sutton
Sarah Smithies
Maggie Woolcock
Michelle Mumford
June Windle
Malcolm Munt
Bob Cowell
9.
Appointment of Music Director: the meeting expressed warm appreciation for the work
done by Jeremy Backhouse and he was duly appointed as Musical Director for the coming year.
10.
Appointment of Accompanist: the meeting expressed warm appreciation for the work done
by Francis Pott and he was duly appointed as Accompanist for the coming year.
11.
Appointment of Independent Examiner: the meeting expressed warm appreciation for
the work done Jeremy Johnson and he was unanimously appointed to continue in this role.
12.
Any Other Business: Peter Norman thanked James for his 13 years as Chairman and noted
we would all have some standout memories of the experiences we’'ve had under his stewardship.
The committee has unanimously agreed to make him an Honorary Life Patron, and presented him
with an engraved plaque. As he will continue to organise the choir tours, he was also presented with
a Tour Captain cap.
Peter also introduced a possible concert opportunity at Holy Trinity on 4 September.
The meeting closed at 20.15
Jeremy then played the Spanish Tour video.
IW
Vivace Chorus Balance Sheet
Stock of Goods
As at 30 April 2021
As at 30 April 2020
£
£
1,442
1,442
-
-
Debtors
Accrued Income
3,238
11,177
Prepaid expenses
24,803
32,745
Shawbrook Deposit Account
60,000
60,000
CAF Gold Account
48,884
41,167
CAF Current Account
1,388
2,316
Metro General Account
230
930
Metro Subscriptions Account
300
786
31
202
140,317
150,763
45
-
Petty Cash and floats
Current Assets
Accrued Expenses
Advance Income
38,455
53,703
Current Liabiities
38,500
53,703
Net Current Assets
101,817
97,060
59,968
58,789
Represented by:
Opening Other Reserves
Result for the Year
4,731
1,179
Closing Other Reserves
64,699
59,968
Opening Legacy balance
37,092
37,273
Interest income
F
294
Legacies
-
8
Legacy Expenditure
-
(475)
37,117
37,092
101,817
97,060
Closing Legacy balance
CLOSING RESERVES
Vivace Chorus Income and Expenditure accounts
2020/21
Income
£
2019/20
£
£
£
Unrestricted fund
Concert deficits:
May
(337)
July
.
(57)
(282)
(1,591)
November
March
Sub-total, concert deficits
Rehearsal costs
(6,723)
.
359
(619)
(8,012)
(17,975)
Net concert deficit (per Concert Income and Expenditure report)
(22,600)
(18,594)
(30,612)
Income from charitable activities:
Subscriptions
17,706
23,052
Patrons
2,804
3,303
Gift Aid
3,060
3,981
Come and Sing surplus
Fundraising
Other
Total income from charitable activities
Interest received
Total income
-
1,676
630
1,507
-
3,142
24,200
36,660
73
440
5,678
6,488
Expenditure
Insurance
g
368
Other
947
4,940
Total expenditure
947
5,308
4,731
1,179
Net surplus/(deficit) for the year, unrestricted fund
Legacy fund
Income
Legacies
Interest received
25
294
Total income
25
294
300
Expenditure
Deborah Miles Johnson
-
Choir photographer
s
175
Total expenditure
<
475
25
(181)
4,756
998
Net surplus/(deficit) for the year, Legacy fund
Total net surplus/(deficit) for the year