Hi, Suzanne...thank you for "speaking up" and saying what needed to be said (And, PLEASE keep it up!) I always value your thoughtful, pertinent questions and insights...

Alice

-------Original Message-------

From: Suzanne Mitchell
Date: 07/27/07 11:51:38
To: jennifer.young@exxonmobil.com; Houston Symphony Chorus
Cc: roseprincess@embarqmail.com
Subject: RE: [HSChorus] Information on the Endowment Concert

Hi Jennifer. Hope you are well.

As the person who initially raised this issue (not realizing - - although perhaps I should have - - that it would stir up what appears to be some pent-up unhappiness about this issue), I really appreciate your taking the time to write such a thoughtful and lengthy response. You are an excellent leader and I certainly appreciate the seriousness with which you take your job as council president. I also appreciate the efforts that you are making, and will continue to make, to flesh this issue out and improve the communication/process, which was really the main issue I was trying to raise

I do have to say, though, that I was surprised and saddened to read this sentence in your email: “While I cannot say much on the process used to decide on the spring concert of St. Paul as an endowment fund project…”. I think that highlights the fairly fundamental issue that I was initially trying to raise. If the HSC President wasn’t involved in the process/isn’t aware of the process, then it suggests that the chorus and the council aren’t meaningfully involved in anything having to do with the way the endowment funds are used. I DO understand that the Symphony gets to make the final decision, and don’t have a problem with that - - I was just asking some questions about what steps take place BEFORE the Symphony makes its decision.

I just think that many people will react/are reacting as I initially did - - in other words, chorus members are asked to contribute to the fund that was set up for choral enrichment, but then (apparently) don’t have any way to have any input (through the council) into what the $$ is used for. Please understand that my comments are about PROCESS, not about substance ( in other words I am not suggesting that the ST Paul concert won’t provide enrichment for, and additional opportunities for, the chorus - - I am sure that it will, as recording the CD did as well).

Does this make sense? I just think that people who give money to something like this ought to have an ability to have some input (through the council, of course) into what the $$ is used for. AND, as a corollary to that, if it really is the case that the donors DON”T , WON”T and CAN”T have that opportunity, then fairness would decree that this be made clear to chorus members as they decide whether or not to donate to the endowment. I would just hate to see a situation where the endowment can’t raise the $$ it needs because of singers’ reluctance to give $$ under such circumstances - - that seems really unnecessary and easily fixable (ie by a process that will allow singers to voice their suggestions/have input, and that will then give the council a “seat at the table” with Charles and others regarding the recommendations that will be made to the Symphony for their ultimate decision).

Sorry to babble. I just am really a “due process”:/”fundamental fairness” kind of person, and wanted to raise the issues from that perspective.

Thanks. Suzanne

-----Original Message----- From: HSChorus@yahoogroups.com [mailto:HSChorus@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf
Of cutvelvet_jung Sent: Friday, July 27, 2007 11:09 AM
To: HSChorus@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [HSChorus] Information on the Endowment Concert

Members of the HSC Yahoo group:

There have been many comments on this group recently about the

endowment fund and its' use for a concert this spring. I'd like to

address those concerns and hopefully give you a little more

information. While I cannot say much on the process used to decide

on the spring concert of St. Paul as an endowment fund project, I

can comment on why I think it is a good use of those funds.

First let me say that I am looking forward to the St. Paul concert

in April. I've never done the work before but from people who

performed it in London several years ago, I hear that it is a

wonderful choral piece. This is an opportunity for us to perform a

piece that might never be performed at Jones Hall. We will be

performing St. Paul at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church with

Charles conducting and with members of the Houston Symphony

Orchestra. This church was selected because of its location, size

of facility and staging to accommodate such a concert, their

successful ongoing concert series, their invitation to the symphony

and chorus to be on the series, and willingness to contribute to the

costs of producing this concert.

To my knowledge, this is the first time we will have the

opportunity to have Charles conduct both us and the orchestra in a

major concert. This a joint venture between the Houston Symphony,

HSC, and Memorial Drive. I understand that funds will come from all

three organizations. Our portion will be the draw from the

endowment fund for three seasons. (2005-2008) This year the symphony

also had extra "services" available which allows the musicians to

perform two "split" extra concerts. Our concert will be one of

those and include half of the orchestra (about 50 players).

The symphony and church will be doing advertising for the concert.

We will probably start rehearsing the work this fall in the long gap

we have between September concerts and the Christmas concerts in a

year that is fairly light for the chorus. I firmly believe that

this concert could lead to other opportunities for the chorus.

I called David Nussman a few nights ago and talked to him about the

concert to see what he thought. He said that this sort of concert

was at the top of his list of an appropriate use of the endowment

fund. The endowment was set up for "choral enrichment" activities.

This was left very broad so it would not rule things out in the

future. One thing it was not meant to cover is tours. A tour group

is usually a subset of the chorus. The endowment was also set up so

the Symphony management has final say on what activities the

endowment will be used for. We fall into the family of the Houston

Symphony and so our activities need to contribute to those artistic

goals. Symphony management also approves anything we do outside

normal symphony concerts, like tours. Several ideas were pitched to

symphony management this year and this concert was the one they

picked as an appropriate use of funds and as an activity that met

the overall musical goals of the Houston Symphony.

Right now the yearly draw from the endowment is not enough to fund

many things. However, taking the draw from several years does total

a large sum that can be used for bigger projects. As the endowment

continues to grow, so does the draw and at some point in the future

I can see us using the endowment yearly. But right now, a multi-

year draw project is the best way to use the funds. The last use

of endowment funds was a several year contribution to the CD.

Before that there were workshops. It's my understanding that the

workshops were well attended by the women but not the men of the

chorus.

David Nussman has expressed a willingness to meet with the chorus and

council to review the guidelines for the endowment. Many of the

questions people had about the amount of money in the endowment and

the draw amount were in the yellow pamphlet handed out last year as

we started the campaign. I will talk with Charles and Susan and see

when an appropriate time for such a meeting would be. My guess is

that it would at least need to be done after the Stravinsky concert

since we will be very busy the first six weeks of rehearsal. I also

hope to discuss, as a council, the process of submitting ideas and

see how that might be improved. I'll give Dave the questions that

have been raised in e-mail's recently. If you have any other

questions or concerns, please e-mail them to me and I'll see what

I can do to get them addressed. You can reply to me from this

posting or e-mail me at my home e-mail (roseprincess@Xembarqmail.com )

or work (jennifer.young@Xexxonmobil.com ).

I look forward to seeing everyone on August 14.

Jennifer Young

HSC Council President

Hi, Suzanne...thank you for "speaking up" and saying what needed to be said.  (And, PLEASE keep it up!)  I always value your thoughtful, pertinent questions and insights...   Alice   -------Original Message-------   From: Suzanne Mitchell Date: 07/27/07 11:51:38 To: jennifer.young@exxonmobil.com; Houston Symphony Chorus Cc: roseprincess@embarqmail.com Subject: RE: [HSChorus] Information on the Endowment Concert   Hi Jennifer. Hope you are well.   As the person who initially raised this issue (not realizing - - although perhaps I should have - - that it would stir up what appears to be some pent-up unhappiness about this issue), I really appreciate your taking the time to write such a thoughtful and lengthy response.  You are an excellent leader and I certainly appreciate the seriousness with which you take your job as council president. I also appreciate the efforts that you are making, and will continue to make, to flesh this issue out and improve the communication/process, which was really the main issue I was trying to raise.   I do have to say, though, that I was surprised and saddened to read this sentence in your email:  “While I cannot say much on the process used to decide on the spring concert of St. Paul as an endowment fund project…”. I think that highlights the  fairly fundamental issue that I was initially trying to raise. If the HSC President wasn’t involved in the process/isn’t aware of the process, then it suggests that the chorus and the council aren’t meaningfully involved in anything having to do with the way the endowment funds are used.  I DO understand that the Symphony gets to make the final decision, and don’t have a problem with that - - I was just asking some questions about what steps take place BEFORE the Symphony makes its decision.   I just think that many people will react/are reacting as I initially did - - in other words, chorus members are asked to contribute to the fund that was set up for choral enrichment, but then (apparently) don’t have any way to have any input (through the council) into what the $$ is  used for. Please understand that my comments are about PROCESS, not about substance ( in other words I am not suggesting that the ST Paul concert won’t provide enrichment for, and additional opportunities for,  the chorus - - I am sure that it will, as  recording the CD did as well).   Does this make sense? I just think that people who give money to something like this ought to have an ability to have some input (through the council, of course) into what the $$ is used for. AND, as a corollary to that, if it really is the case that the donors DON”T , WON”T and CAN”T have that opportunity, then fairness would decree that this be made clear to chorus members as they decide whether or not to donate to the endowment. I would just hate to see a situation where the endowment can’t raise the $$ it needs because of singers’ reluctance to give $$ under such circumstances - - that seems really unnecessary and easily fixable (ie by a process that will allow singers to voice their suggestions/have input, and that will then give the council a “seat at the table” with Charles and others regarding the recommendations that will be made to the Symphony for their ultimate decision).   Sorry to babble. I just am really a “due process”:/”fundamental fairness” kind of person, and wanted to raise the issues from that perspective.   Thanks. Suzanne   -----Original Message----- From: HSChorus@yahoogroups.com [mailto:HSChorus@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of cutvelvet_jung Sent: Friday, July 27, 2007 11:09 AM To: HSChorus@yahoogroups.com Subject: [HSChorus] Information on the Endowment Concert   Members of the HSC Yahoo group: There have been many comments on this group recently about the endowment fund and its' use for a concert this spring. I'd like to address those concerns and hopefully give you a little more information. While I cannot say much on the process used to decide on the spring concert of St. Paul as an endowment fund project, I can comment on why I think it is a good use of those funds. First let me say that I am looking forward to the St. Paul concert in April. I've never done the work before but from people who performed it in London several years ago, I hear that it is a wonderful choral piece. This is an opportunity for us to perform a piece that might never be performed at Jones Hall. We will be performing St. Paul at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church with Charles conducting and with members of the Houston Symphony Orchestra. This church was selected because of its location, size of facility and staging to accommodate such a concert, their successful ongoing concert series, their invitation to the symphony and chorus to be on the series, and willingness to contribute to the costs of producing this concert. To my knowledge, this is the first time we will have the opportunity to have Charles conduct both us and the orchestra in a major concert. This a joint venture between the Houston Symphony, HSC, and Memorial Drive. I understand that funds will come from all three organizations. Our portion will be the draw from the endowment fund for three seasons. (2005-2008) This year the symphony also had extra "services" available which allows the musicians to perform two "split" extra concerts. Our concert will be one of those and include half of the orchestra (about 50 players). The symphony and church will be doing advertising for the concert. We will probably start rehearsing the work this fall in the long gap we have between September concerts and the Christmas concerts in a year that is fairly light for the chorus. I firmly believe that this concert could lead to other opportunities for the chorus. I called David Nussman a few nights ago and talked to him about the concert to see what he thought. He said that this sort of concert was at the top of his list of an appropriate use of the endowment fund. The endowment was set up for "choral enrichment" activities. This was left very broad so it would not rule things out in the future. One thing it was not meant to cover is tours. A tour group is usually a subset of the chorus. The endowment was also set up so the Symphony management has final say on what activities the endowment will be used for. We fall into the family of the Houston Symphony and so our activities need to contribute to those artistic goals. Symphony management also approves anything we do outside normal symphony concerts, like tours. Several ideas were pitched to symphony management this year and this concert was the one they picked as an appropriate use of funds and as an activity that met the overall musical goals of the Houston Symphony. Right now the yearly draw from the endowment is not enough to fund many things. However, taking the draw from several years does total a large sum that can be used for bigger projects. As the endowment continues to grow, so does the draw and at some point in the future I can see us using the endowment yearly. But right now, a multi- year draw project is the best way to use the funds. The last use of endowment funds was a several year contribution to the CD. Before that there were workshops. It's my understanding that the workshops were well attended by the women but not the men of the chorus. David Nussman has expressed a willingness to meet with the chorus and council to review the guidelines for the endowment. Many of the questions people had about the amount of money in the endowment and the draw amount were in the yellow pamphlet handed out last year as we started the campaign. I will talk with Charles and Susan and see when an appropriate time for such a meeting would be. My guess is that it would at least need to be done after the Stravinsky concert since we will be very busy the first six weeks of rehearsal. I also hope to discuss, as a council, the process of submitting ideas and see how that might be improved. I'll give Dave the questions that have been raised in e-mail's recently. If you have any other questions or concerns, please e-mail them to me and I'll see what I can do to get them addressed. You can reply to me from this posting or e-mail me at my home e-mail (roseprincess@embarqmail.com) or work (jennifer.young@exxonmobil.com). I look forward to seeing everyone on August 14. Jennifer Young HSC Council President

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