[csc_newsline] Message to the membership

[joe ferguson]

Dear Singers,

I am writing to review our year from the organizational point of view
and to let you know about an information session for singers that is
scheduled for May 14.

We scheduled the information session in our regular time slot on Monday,
May 14, at 7:30PM in the Marcus Dry Room, our regular rehearsal space.
We'll cover organizational matters, finances, and the 2012-2013 season
plans.

We are having a great artistic season. Larry has been very appreciative
of the improved concentration and effort at rehearsals, especially as we
have adjusted to our new and closer quarters and has been extremely
pleased with the quality of performances from all groups through Italian
Vespers, Christmas Pops and the Beethoven Mass. Rehearsals for
Earthsongs are progressing well. As referenced in the Chorus Notes, we
have received outstanding outside reviews for every concert.

We are at a special time in the life of the Concert Singers and are
remarkably well-placed to continue to thrive and grow. Increasing
regional recognition, the construction of the Arts Center (a clear
demonstration of Cary's attention to the arts, including CSC), our
collaborations with the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle and other
regional musicians, refinement of ensembles, and the flourishing local
interest in the arts and their ability to enrich lives) are all very
positive. And we keep proving that we have the commitment and the talent
to provide wonderful and enriching musical performances as the area's
premiere musical organization.

Our Board is committed to building on our great assets and has scheduled
an all day retreat to review where we have been, improve our functions
and learn from each other and from leaders of other successful regional
musical organizations. A free-standing development committee has been
working hard to plan marketing and fund raising activities for next
season and to expand our base of supporters.

You may have heard that this year has been a bit difficult financially
for our organization. There are numerous factors that have resulted in a
projected deficit for this fiscal year ending June 30th, 2012. Hurricane
Irene last summer resulted in Lazy Daze being cancelled. With its
cancellation, we lost the $2500 grant. We were over-optimistic in
forecasting admissions this season. Finally, we had an aggressive dollar
amount in our budget for corporate and foundation donations that did not
materialize. In addition, a pair of major complications surfaced in that
Rich Hobson, our executive director, resigned midway through the fiscal
year as did our former president, Shannon Giles.

You should be reassured that the projected deficit is modest, at a level
of less than 10% of the annual budget. It is also less than the amount
of surplus operating account funds that were transferred to our
endowment last year and is much less than the recent returns on our
endowment investments. In other words, our finances are very secure and
this year's balance sheet has minimum impact on our overall financial
well being.

We have identified expenses that can be cut for the remainder of the
season. These cuts will not impact us musically or our Earthsongs
concert. In addition, we are committed to applying what we have learned
from events this year to subsequent budgets.

In the meantime, *this Spring is an especially */*great*/* time for some
**actions you can take**, including:*

    *

      The upcoming /_*EarthSongs*_/ concert is an *especially good time
      for us all to make a special effort to fill the auditorium.*
      Consider buying 2 tickets to EarthSongs and getting people in
      those seats by gifting or reselling. Every seat filled puts $15 on
      our bottom line. Get the word out to all your friends.

    *

      Think about attending or recommending the dinner gala at the home
      of Jackie Salmon on April 28 at 6:00 pm. $30 gets dinner and great
      singing from Larry Speakman and Jen Myers, accompanied by Allen
      Bailey. See the website under "Members."

    *

      The Annual Pledge Campaign runs until June 30, if you meant to
      donate, but forgot or have a tax refund burning a hole in your
      pocket. You can donate online at http://concertsingers.org
      <http://concertsingers.org/>

      If you have any questions about what you can do to help, feel free
      to me by email at _jferguson at nc.rr.com
      <mailto:jferguson at nc.rr.com>_ or by phone _919.468.8223
      <tel:919.468.8223>_. The other board members are

      David Atwater
      David Lee
      Don Cariss
      Jill Ruvidich
      Jim Rigsbee
      Jackie Salmon
      Ken Fortier
      Larry Speakman, Ex Officio


      Thank you for all that you do to make this a unique, enjoyable and
      successful organization. The Board appreciates your extra effort
      to guarantee our successful journey through these challenging times.

      Best Regards,
      Joe Ferguson

      Board President
      Concert Singers of Cary

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