[csc_newsline] Next Concert and a request for help

[Larry Speakman]

Dear Singers,

I am writing to remind everyone that rehearsals for our next concert project with The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle resume this Monday night at 7:30 in Marcus Dry. It will be great to see everyone as we finish our year in what promises to be a unique and exciting concert opportunity. Since this is my final project as Artistic Director, I would be delighted if each and every one of you can participate in this exciting project. In order to insure that we use our funds efficiently and have materials for everyone, I ask that you fill out a 30 second survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5B2VSCV <https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5B2VSCV> to let us know if you can or cannot participate. Note that there are morning and afternoon rehearsals with orchestra on Saturday, May 6th that are required. The concert takes place on May 7th at 3:00. The project dates are on the survey, but for your convenience, we posted the excel file at http://concertsingers.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Rossini-Verdi-Stabat-Mater-Schedule.xlsx <http://concertsingers.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Rossini-Verdi-Stabat-Mater-Schedule.xlsx> Please note that the first rehearsal on Monday is at 7:30, not 7:45 as the calendar indicates.

The Chamber Orchestra program will be led by Lorenzo Muti and is entitled Italian Opera and the Sacred. Details on the orchestra’s site can be found at http://www.chamberorchestraofthetriangle.org/schedule/ <http://www.chamberorchestraofthetriangle.org/schedule/> Please know that these are not opera choruses, but some of the richest choral music in the lexicon. The Opera reference really refers to Verdi and Rossini, composers who are widely known for their composition of operas such as La Traviata, and The Barber of Seville. What is most unique about these works, especially the Rossini is the level skill required by the soloists. The orchestra will welcome a fabulous quartet of young professionals from the Juilliard School of music for the performance, giving us the opportunity to participate in a high profile and elite event. The Concert Singers are chorus for hire for this performance so we need to be at out best. The music requires a full symphonic choir sound, so it is my hope to have 90 of you participate.

O another front, I want to weigh in on a debate that is taking place at the state and federal level regarding arts funding. It is not my purpose to tell everyone what they should do or think, but to inform you of the facts as they exist regarding The Concert Singers of Cary, a 501c3 regional non profit with a budget of about $85,000. Our income sources come from grants, ticket sales, performance fees, ad sales, income from our investment account (made possible by the board’s fund raising efforts since 2000), and contributions from our patrons and singers through donations, dues and music purchases. Our grant income comes from local (Town of Cary, Lazy Daze), county (United Arts), and on occasion the state (NC Arts Council) sources. For the 2016-2017 season, we received about 30% of our revenue from grants, providing us with the stability necessary to withstand the year to year fluctuations of contributions. Funds from the National Endowment for the Arts are project based and can be applied for directly, typically by larger arts organizations. What is less known is that the NEA also funnels funding through the state arts councils. We received a $7,000 grant last season that was funneled from the NEA through the NC Arts Council, helping us fund Joseph Flummerfelt’s one week residency in NC. This enabled him to not only touch our members, but aspiring choral conductors at ECU and other academic centers all over NC. As the person who has been the primary writer for our grants over the last five years, I can tell you that being eligible for these funds requires an organizational level of financial and artistic accountability both before and after performances that is rigorous.

Arts NC is an advocacy organization that has been quite successful in collecting data showing the economic benefits to legislators in the NC House who were not knowledgeable about the positive impact NC Arts Council grass roots funding has on the economy and residents all over the state. The house has approved this funding, but despite the many converts in the House, there are greater problems in the Senate where the leadership still sees the issue along ideological lines. Arts NC is asking for support. Information can be found at https://artsnc.org/call-to-action-if-you-cant-be-at-arts-day/ <https://artsnc.org/call-to-action-if-you-cant-be-at-arts-day/> If this a position that you agree with, please help as outlined. They are asking for help today, if possible.

Since we are now residents of the Charleston, SC area, I want to share an arts funding story with you about The Spoleto Festival and its impact on the economic renaissance that has taken place in the Low Country since 1977. I was a member of The Westminster Choir at the first two festivals in Charleston in ’77 and ’78. The NEA made a $35,000 investment in helping launch an American version of the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy that had been in existence been in existence since 1958. The original festival in Italy was launched to help rebuild the Italian economy after the devastation of WWII. The $35,000 NEA investment in Spoleto USA launched a festival that has had an economic impact of over 1 billion dollars. Read the details in this article in the Charleston paper http://www.postandcourier.com/opinion/commentary/spoleto-festival-owes-its-existence-to-nea/article_4f6f8cce-0999-11e7-add1-97333449192c.html <http://www.postandcourier.com/opinion/commentary/spoleto-festival-owes-its-existence-to-nea/article_4f6f8cce-0999-11e7-add1-97333449192c.html>

Finally, I want to congratulate everyone for an outstanding concert this past Saturday, and to Nathan Leaf for his leadership in making it happen. As you now know, you are in great hands. It will be great to get back and I look forward to seeing everyone on Monday.

Sincerely,

Larry