Statement from the WCB Chairman

Dear all,

 As you know, the band will be holding its AGM on the 27th February 2008 and you will have the chance to choose who you would like to serve on the Committee for the coming year.  I plan once again to stand as Chairman and I thought that I would give you an idea of how I would like to work with the Committee and over the next few years.

Back in late 2006 I circulated a questionnaire to the band.  Most of the work that the Committee has done throughout 2007 has been in response to comments and suggestions that were in your responses.  For 2008 and beyond I’ve come up with a more formal strategy for the band that is based on what came out of the questionnaire but which we’ve not yet been able to address.

At our Committee meeting this evening we discussed the plan and the Committee broadly agrees with its aims and objectives.  Our challenge over the next couple of years is to put it all into action.

The reason why I am outlining all of this in a letter to you before the AGM is:

1.       It gives you a chance to see where I’d like the Committee to focus our efforts in the future

2.       It should help you decide whether you’d like to see me as Chairman again or, if you think that this plan would be taking the band in the wrong direction, it gives you the opportunity to vote for someone else (or even put yourself forward for Chairman!)

3.       It might prompt some discussion topics for the AGM.
 

Short term aims (in 2008):

Musical

·         Help the band appoint a musical director that is able to lead effectively and get the very best out of the band and its players

·         Work with the musical director to ensure that we play a mix of music that is both challenging but achievable and a mix of the new and the old

·         Ask the musical director to help band members focus on and improve band musicality (such as learning to tune ourselves throughout a rehearsal, paying more attention to dynamics, phrasing, playing style and features in the music etc.)

·         Ask the musical director to publish a rehearsal plan so that all band members know what music we’ll be practicing at each rehearsal so that we can be properly prepared

·         Ensure that we get as much out of the rehearsal time as possible

·         Get the band to work harder on rehearsal discipline (attendance, punctuality, preparation)

·         Try to find players to fill some of the instrumentation holes in the band (Tuba/Euph/Percussion etc.)

Organisational

·         Continue to operate as a community wind band, with opportunities and enjoyment for players of all ages and abilities

·         Continue to work on improving our relationship with Bearwood Theatre to make the whole experience more pleasant (for organisers, band members and audience)

·         Identify ways to share the burden of running the band – especially stage management and concert preparation/clear-up

·         Work harder on concert publicity: develop an effective publicity plan that bursts into action before each concert.  Appoint at least one or two publicity co-ordinators from within the band

·         Look at how we can build our local reputation and profile – we want to be the first wind band of choice for new players and we want to be able to attract new audience members regularly

·         Continue working to achieve a solid financial basis for the band and to ensure that our organisation meets all reasonable Charity Commission requirements

·         Identify the best use of band funds (new jackets/stands/music/percussion/new ventures etc.)

·         Build the band social scene – annual/bi-annual meal or drinks for band and partners

·         Have a band questionnaire each year.

Medium term (2009-2010):

·         Try new innovations, such as:

o   try playing different styles of music – Swing/Jazz/Contemporary music

o   themed concerts – ‘British composers/film music/swing music with crooners!’

o   try a different concert venue or host an additional major concert in a new venue

o   form a couple of small ensembles from current band members who want to try different styles of music (jazz/woodwind quartet etc)

o   hold a band workshop weekend with a guest conductor and/or instrumental tutors.

·         Invite a guest conductor to take a rehearsal periodically: often a fresh pair of ears can identify areas that we can work on

·         Continue to build our Friends scheme

 
Long term (From 2009 - ):

·         Continue to build upon our short and medium term aims

·         Identify partnerships that could prove fruitful: either with local schools, music groups, colleges, town councils, local businesses etc.

·         Evaluate the success of the Eastbourne weekend and investigate other possible band trips.  Perhaps a weekend on foreign soil? 

·         Investigate the feasibility of recording a CD to use as a fundraising/publicity tool.

I hope you think that this is something that we can all work towards.  It may not be possible to do everything in the time available – 2008 in particular looks very busy - but I think aiming to do as much as we can is a good target to aim for.  Please take a look at the list and see if you can identify things that you think you may be able to help with – the Committee are ambitious but cannot do all of this on their own so I hope that many of you will volunteer your services to help move the band forward.

If you have any comments and/or criticisms or if you want to be a part of the Committee as we hopefully work together to implement these steps then please do let me know.

 Regards,

Gregor