Wrablers 8th AGM 25th February 2020 Minutes
Venue – Good Agency
Chair – CS
Attendees – AM , CS , JB , JL , LS , MJM , MR , MXM , RM , PS , WT
Apologies – None
Agenda Item 1 ) review and agree previous AGM minutes from 29.1.19 .
Minutes approved , after discussion about the year long gap since first written , and memories fading as to content .
• Action CS to e mail out these minutes , for approval by next rehearsal .
Agenda Item 2 ) Rehearsals – does the current structure work ? Is there anything we should do differently ?
Members asked round table for contributions .
CS – the issue of time being wasted through chatting and talking in our singing sections .
We are doing this for understandable reasons , checking things with fellow singers , but it wastes time . The strategy from last year hasn’t worked .
We all need to be more disciplined , but this is something that the chair in particular needs to drive .
Suggestion of having chair standing with Rob , opposite singers , and through being more visible , able to better direct questions , respond to requests , and communicate more closely with Rob on timing etc .
Suggestion also for members to signal to chair if they want to check something quickly with their fellow singers .
Suggestion for chair to repeat at each rehearsal “ please direct queries through me “ – we know what is going to be said , but maybe having it repeated will help .
( Discussion of possibility of singing in separate sections , and how this has been useful previously , points raised about how we need to be aware of those sitting out )
• Action try out chair “ co-hosting “ from next rehearsal
• JB to liaise with Rob re separate singing sections
• Members to do their homework and have parts learned before rehearsal
PS – can we set deadlines for being off book ?
( discussion about how we go about this – should we do this by the number of times a song has been sung ? some songs are easier than others , and JL pointed out the strain this could put on the scheduling . Also we need to be aware that some songs can change as we rehearse .
Generally on this we have been tardy in responding to requests to do it , but we should be prepared to be brave and go for it , we can learn from mistakes .)
• Action song sponsor , with input from MD , to make decision on when to announce off-book , and to add to agenda beforehand
• each member to be responsible for sponsoring at least one song
LS – can we start doing quartets again ?
(discussion on how this focusses people on learning if they know its coming up , and useful for others to hear )
• Action song sponsor to liaise with chair for scheduling this
AM – warmups . could the warm up singing exercises extend to preparing for singing at top of range ?
( discussion on this , some feeling that the current warm ups are not useful , different warm up exercises could be needed for different songs , although was pointed out that some notes are still not hittable whatever we do )
• Action WT has some exercises that she will propose to Rob
• Other members who have alternative warm up exercises send to WT
MJM Rob often overruns on time .
The bigger question of how much we are trying to put into rehearsals , which is one of the reasons for him overrunning
• Action chair to give Rob time updates on time remaining
• Members to be in room at 6.45 and ready to start at 7
• ( also see AOB at end )
RM – in the “ rehearsal elegance “ section in the constitution , states that song leaders are responsible for giving start notes , this needs to be changed to MD .
Also phrase song leader needs amended to “ sponsor “
• Action CS to amend
Agenda Item 3 ) musical director review
Report form JB .
Positives :- we are lucky to have Rob ; he fits in with us as individuals but at same time he isn’t “ one of us “; he enjoys it ; he has the musical knowledge to alter and amend as he goes .
Negatives :- communication , JB has to really hassle him ; he does stuff at the last minute ; he possibly needs to be more attuned to those of us who have less musical ability , ie when he changes a song and we need time to process .
He himself says that he thinks things are going well
Comments / suggestions from round the table :-
Can he be more specific in giving us the starting point , ie the bar number , or “ from the top “
However , also was pointed out that we have a responsibility , eg stopping when he requests us to , which doesn’t always happen , and generally a responsibility to be more attentive
Repertoire and preparation – WT frustrated that he has not become more involved in this .
The rep gang have forwarded info to him , and not got a response until we are actually rehearsing , by which time songs that might be unsuitable /too difficult are already in production .
Was pointed out that he does actually watch us to see if we are listening
( discussion as to how we make notes of instructions that he gives us , felt that its too much for the chair to do in detail , and pointed out that in some choirs , bringing pen and paper is mandatory )
• Action JB to feedback to MD
Choir to be responsible for their own note taking , and for watching and listening to MD
Ensure that chair is able to participate fully in the singing
Chair to control the talking …….
Agenda Item 4 ) repertoire
WT went through the timeline diagram .
• Action theme for the Xmas gig needed .
Agenda Item 5 ) small group songs
LS – benefits of small group songs , and of extending this in the repertoire :- fun to do ; encourages learning ; the audiences have said that they like the variety ; and it addresses some of the problems of capacity .
Three questions for the choir – do we want to do it , who decides which songs , and how they are performed
( discussion , general agreement with the principle , but concerns re the practicalities, especially for the newer and less experienced members of the choir . It shouldn’t just be men v women , but mixing of each .
How do we choose which songs are appropriate for small group , and which suit the bigger sound ?
How do we ensure that those who want to participate are included ?
The proposer of a small group song may not be a suitable person to sing it ?
We need to be aware of scheduling and how this will affect it
We need to be aware that Rob would have to allocate himself across groups – the last gig he was so busy with the mens song that he couldn’t give time to the women’s songs , it wasn’t a problem in this case because they performed them very well , but in the future all the small groups could need input
It seems that in the past about half of them were led by Daniel , and all were led during his time , so there isn’t a current process
Was pointed out that this particular gig , summer 20 , is different , in that we were asked to choose a favourite , and a back up , and it’s a different format
LS proposed a way of deciding it , could be through rep gang , others felt this to be the wrong way to go , that we should all have the power and responsibility , and really the process already exists , and is a job for the song sponsor .
• Action
Song sponsors to link with MD as to suitability of songs for small group
Record to be kept of who is involved , and members to indicate if they want to be included , or not
Agenda Item 6 ) finances
CS read out report .
( discussion of the separation of the gig hire and the MD subs .
Discussion of the song sheet music situation , WT saying that we are not asking for payment for all the songs that have been bought , and others asking what would be a maximum amount for a purchase . Agreement on having a budget for this as a better solution )
n.B .we don’t paying actual royalties (the fees you’re supposed to pay to the artist for using their song). This is normal for a small un-famous choir. We are buying the sheet music. We get a lot for free, but some arrangements are sold
• Action CS to upload the account summary onto the website
CS and RM to liaise on the dates for gig hire / sub requests
CS to ask for £70 at next request date , 50 as normal , and extra 20 to ringfence a sheet
music budget ( of £220 ) .
AOB
There wasn’t any AOB , but I need to record some of the discussions that came up when talking about other issues , around the numbers of songs that we take on . There seems to be a lot of confusion around this , and how we are deciding
There are songs that are easy to do which need less time , and harder ones that need more , songs that some members know and others don’t , which affects it , and I suppose we need to get a balance between not putting ourselves under undue pressure , and on the other hand not just doing the greatest hits .
This seems to be a show that runs and runs , and we weren’t going to get it sorted last night .
Thoughts going forward ?
Further meeting / discussion needed on repertoire and workload , as follow up to all day discussion