YVMEA Meeting minutes - Sept 14, 2011
at El Porton, Yakima

 

YVMEA Fall meeting Sept. 14 2011
Introductions
Treasurer's report: Maegan Ley, YVMEA Treasurer, shared report. She passed out her cards to all directors participating in contests with hopes that directors will give these cards to Secretaries who process Contest fees through districts. Please have them contact Maegan with any delays in payment or questions.

Treasurer's Report 5/4/11 - 9/14/11
BEGINNING BALANCE 5/4/11 $20,427.06

EXPENSES
Adjudicator hotel expense (HS choir adjudication) $92.57
J.W. Pepper (music for 2010 Small Schools Festival) $143.27
CWU (custodial fee for 2011 Solo/Ensemble Festival) $289.73
YME fund $500.00
Treasurer stipend $500.00
TOTAL EXPENSES $1,525.57

INCOME
2011 Small Schools Festival $285.00
2011 Solo/Ensemble Festival $450.00
MS Band Adjudication $120.00
MS Choir Adjudication $240.00
TOTAL INCOME $1,095.00
ENDING BALANCE 9/14/11 $19,996.49

Pres. Brant outlined elements of the packet provided to members present :
we need information about new YVMEA members; this information is provided to WMEA. You can sign up on the MENC site. New this year: Family and Associate Membership options.


3. Y M E (Young Musicians Excelling) donations: YVMEA has typically given $500 annually to this fund. Don May recommended upping that donation. Jeff Chapman Moved to increase to $1000. Motion seconded . Discussion about making sure we have enough in our account.
Moved and seconded that we will contribute $500 now and $500 later after contest season.

Discussion:
1) "Music Matters" license plates. Proceeds will go to music programs. Be cool and get one.
2) Contribute an article to WMEA Voice magazine. Provide information about what is happening in your program to Michael Brant by Nov. 10, Jan. 10, March 10, May 10.
3) Reminder to nominate folks to Outstanding Music Educator and Friend of Music award. Nominations need to be in by Sept. 26. Also Administrator of the Year and Hall of Fame nominations due by Oct. 1.
4) WMEA convention upcoming. Do we want to have a breakfast, combined with Mid- Columbia region. About 8 people were interested. Sunday 7 AM is the proposed date. Final decision tabled.
5) Glee "Give a Note competition". Submit video. Deadline Oct. 10.
6) Sara Gross, who is running the regional YVMEA Solo/Ensemble Contest this year, discussed Solo/Ensemble rule changes ( Rules 2.10 and 3.12 have been added
These new rules are strictly adjudicator hiring rules for regional and state managers and do not impact student- driven decisions. However, if any students discover that their school or private teacher is adjudicating their performance category at the REGIONAL event, they must immediately notify their school music teacher so that the regional event manager can be informed to make adjustments. ) and requested folks send suggestions for judges, especially vocal and clarinet. Contact info: "Gross, Sara" <SaraGross@selah.k12.wa.us>

We split up; elementary folks went elsewhere, secondary folks stayed and argued . . . I mean discussed:

1) Scott Goranson: discussion re. breaking off orchestra from MS instrumental festival so that orchestra can have it's own festival? What date? Dave Walter moved Wed. March 7 at AC Davis HS. Motion passed.

20 New proposed changes to WMEA solo/Ensemble Rules: get online and express your opinion! View changes at http://www.wmea.org/ProposedRuleChangesfor2012Contests.pdf. Voice your opinion bruceg@wmea.org

3) State contest: registration is online, on the WMEA site. Don May says the site is a little glitchy, so get on early. Remember to re-up your MENC membership early. Jeremy discussed small school state wind symphony and Junior All-State ensembles. Ed recommends that you encourage students who are not necessarily exceptional.

4) Nicolas Blink asked about starting a small school Allstate choral ensemble. Suggested that we talk to Ed Cunnington. No resolution.

5) Dave Walter happy about the Ike orchestra Harry Potter night. Kind of a non-sequitur there.

6) Barrage is coming to the Capitol Theater. Not even sure how to spell that. I think our group is kind of random sometimes.

7) Major Solo/Ensemble discussion: Ed Cunnington suggested that directors should not be using Solo/Ensemble Contest for CBPA activities. Don May suggested that too many ensembles and performers are not prepared or at the level where they should participate in this event. Another director suggested that younger students (5th, 6th graders) should not be participating. Dave Walter reminded the group that some ensembles are doing their best with inexperience, poverty, etc. having an impact on their ability. They should still be able to participate. Suggestion: How about an "Intro to Solo Ensemble" night after the regional solo/ensemble contest for 5 the 6th graders, kids who are not ready? Suggestion that we sponsor an event at the Seasons or another venue, maybe hire adjudicators, perhaps have students who won particular categories perform for the event. No final decision was made – Bart Roderick will "look into it". He'll probably forget all about it, though. What a space cadet that guy is.

8) Ron Gerhardstein suggested we provide $30 for Regional winners of Solo/Ensemble to pay for entry fees to the State contest. His rationale: total cost to YVMEA to cover state entries in each category selected would not really cost that much for us to cover. We make a surplus on the regional event and we have over a $19,000 balance at the end of the year and it seems to be growing each year. We could easily cover this new fee if we chose to do so ......or, we could cover it as a scholarship for anyone selected who had a financial need. No resolution to this issue.

9) It was recommended by the board that YVMEA provide regional teachers who are making presentations at the State convention this year funds for copies and other materials that they will need for the presentation. Moved and seconded that presenters at State convention have $200 total to make copies, etc. Presenters should petition the Board for funds. Motion passed.

10) Date for next meeting Jan. 4. At El Porton in Yakima. Bring your Solo/Ensemble money at that date.

11) Scott Goranson led a discussion reminding us that all secondary strings (middle/high) will be doing a string adjudication separate from the band folks on Wednesday March 7 instead of the Thursday the 8th. Will be held at Davis. Forms are already to Don May. There was discussion on whether Tuesday or Wednesday was better, Tuesday was the proposed small schools festival so we went ahead with Wednesday.

Then we all went away.

Respectfully submitted,
Bart Roderick