Royston Choral SocietyRoyston Choral SocietyAs this term draws to a close, I thought I would do another newsletter with dates for next term and a financial summary of the Verdi concert, which I have to say, is a very satisfying read. Thanks again to everyone for their hard work in making the Verdi concert such a huge success. Let’s hope the concert on Sunday is just as successful.
May I take this opportunity to wish everyone a very relaxing summer – let’s hope the hot weather continues.
A quick reminder that if anyone fancies a drink after rehearsals on a Tuesdays, there is often a small group who retire to The Old Bull in Royston so please feel free to join them.
Dates for your diaries
29th June Social evening at The Bull in Royston 7.30pm
7th September Term starts again
14th September Open rehearsal
25th September All day workshop as part of Royston Arts Festival (Meridien School)
28th September AGM in the rehearsal interval (9pm)
20th November Concert – venue tbc
18th December Christmas concert – venue tbc
Verdi numbers
| Income | |||
| Ticket sales | 4,564 | ||
| Programme sales | 273 | ||
| Advertising income | 55 | ||
| Tuck Shop - receipts | 124 | ||
| Less costs | (63) | 61 | |
| Grassroots Grant | 4,450 | ||
| 9,403 | |||
| Costs | |||
| Orchestra | 3,500 | ||
| Soloists | 2,500 | ||
| Flowers & wine | 72 | ||
| Hire of church | 350 | ||
| Hire of halls & rooms for soloists | 225 | ||
| Hire of staging, lights, chairs, + transport | 736 | ||
| St John Ambulance | 62 | ||
| Coach transport to Thaxted | 940 | ||
| less contributions | (795) | ||
| 145 | |||
| Publicity | 343 | ||
| Tickets & Programmes | 447 | ||
| Workshops in Royston & Bishop's Stortford | 805 | ||
| Hire of scores from library | 195 | ||
| 9,380 | |||
| Surplus | 23 |
Something to mull over during the summer
As I have already reported we will sadly be loosing Elisabeth as our publicity officer and will be looking to recruit someone else into the role during the AGM (28 Sept). Elisabeth has put together a job spec so you can see what the role involves (see below) and Chris Lee (tenor) has kindly offered to support whoever takes on the role – please let me know if you are interested over the summer.
1. By the 4th of the month before the concert, produce and circulate a simple news item to be included in local village newsletters (list of contacts will be supplied), on the website (via Phil Maynard), and in The Listing (contact will be supplied)
2. By 2 Thursdays before the concert, produce a press release (Chris Lee often happy to help with these) for publication in the local press (contacts will be supplied). If possible (and/or inspired), supply with a photo or, arrange a photo opportunity in advance of needing to go to press (again, Chris happy to advise).
3. Approx. 2 weeks before the concert, take flyers , posters around the various shops and The Bull who are willing to take these - I can advise, and also you'll see which ones have local posters displayed in their windows. Also put on town notice boards after checking in the town hall office (they are usually very happy for us to do so) - you will need a clear plastic folder and may want to take your own drawing pins! [Sylvia takes care of putting poster and tickets in the library.]
3. Liaise with Heather to ensure a photographer is available for the concert
4. Immediately following the concert, send a write-up, with photo, to the local papers, and to Phil for the website
Examples of previous news items and press releases, and a full list of contacts will be supplied.
Important to liaise with David Boarder for the theme / content of the programme to be included in the news / press releases.
Caroline advises on ticket pricing.
Subscriptions
We have a number of new singers this term, so I thought it would be a good idea to set out how we collect subscriptions.
We will leave you alone for your first three rehearsals with us. We reckon by the end of the third week you will have worked out whether you’d like to give us a try, at least for a term and, we hope, longer, so we ask you to join us properly. Subs are payable three times a year, coinciding with the school terms. The rates are £30 per term full rate, £22 concession, or, if you pay for the year in advance, it’s a bargain at £85. There’s no discount, I’m afraid, for paying the year at once if you are on the concessionary rate.
The subscriptions cover our week to week expenses of running rehearsals and hiring music, and also contribute a bit to our concert costs, which, of course, are our biggest expenditure.
Cheques should be made payable to Royston Choral Society (or cash is fine). We have standing order forms, so if you don’t normally carry a cheque book and that would make it easier for you, please speak to Caroline.
Borrowing music
We always provide library copies of any music we sing, and we don’t charge you to borrow those copies. We do ask for a deposit cheque, undated, for £40, and then you can take your music home to practice between rehearsals. We don’t ever bank that cheque; we hold it just in case you move away and forget to bring back your copies. If we have to replace library copies, there’s an administration fee on top of the cost of the music, and £40 pretty much covers the cost of the music for any one term.
Buying music
Some of our members like to own their own copies, and we usually arrange to buy music in bulk at the beginning of the rehearsal period for those who would like them. Members pay the list price, and the bulk discount we negotiate goes into choir funds. We still have a couple of copies of the Verdi (at £13) and one West Side Story medley (at £4) available to buy.
Returning music
It’s important that you return music promptly. If you aren’t able to sing in a concert, please let us have it back before the concert. If you do sing, there are always boxes at the concert in which to put your music after you’ve sung it.
Much of what we sing comes from the Central Resources Library in Hatfield, and often it goes back on the Monday after a Saturday concert. Any copies coming in late necessitate a second journey (40 miles round trip and the best part of an hour for Caroline). For this reason, if you return your music late and we haven’t been able to delay going to the library, we may charge you a late return fee.
If you think you’re going to have a problem returning your music, please contact someone – there may be someone who lives near you and who can bring it back for you.
Hundred Club
As a fundraiser, we operate a hundred club – or, as it is at the moment, a 42 club! Anyone is welcome to join; you don’t need to be a choir member. Each member of the 100 club pays £20 for a year’s subscription and there’s a draw for two prizes, £25 and £10, each month except July and August. You can join at any time of year, and your subscription will run for 12 months from that date. If we ever did manage to get to 100 members, the club would generate more than £1,000 a year for RCS.
If you have a query, please contact your part rep:
Soprano: Jenny Leitch 01763 837073
Alto: Sue Pegram 01763 838185
Tenor: Nick Keep 01763 246073
Bass: Peter Murray 01763 245682
Point of contact: Heather Howard 01763 249058 heather@lemonyellow.org