Oxford and Cambridge Musical Club

Annual General Meeting

held on Saturday 23^rd April 2005
in the Housman Room, University College, London

Chairman: Lyn Parkyns

Minutes

The meeting opened at 5.30pm and was attended by approximately 40 members

1. Apologies for absence

Deborah and Robert Behrman, Oenone Cox, Chris Crocker, Gordon Cumming, Nick Murray, Gillian Robinson, Adrian and Joanna Rushton, Pamela and Irvine Simpson

2. Minutes of previous meeting

The minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting (on March 27th 2004) were read and adopted

3. Matters Arising

Cupboard Lyn Parkyns reported that the problem of the cupboard at UCL remains unsolved. Requests made to various individuals at UCL have not so far led to any result.

Celebratory concert Arising from the Memorial Concert for Percy Timberlake, Hugh Rosenbaum had suggested the idea of a celebratory concert for the longest-serving Club member. Preparations are in hand for the first such concert in honour of Leonard Whitehouse.

Music Secretary Nick Murray has agreed to take over as Music Secretary when Alan Reddish retires from this next year. Lyn Parkyns expressed the thanks and appreciation of the Club for Alan’s organisation of the Club’s music and concert programmes extending over 15 years. Keith Daley moved a vote of thanks to Alan for his outstanding contribution to the Club’s music.

4. Membership Secretary’s Report

Evelyn Bercott reported that membership now stands at 205. During the year there had been 13 resignations, 2 deaths, and 14 new members. The apparent inconsistency with last year’s membership figure (210) is believed to be due to inaccuracy in last year’s figures. Most of the applications for membership arise from personal recommendations, contacts made at music camp, and the Club website. Evelyn intends to revise and improve the current recruitment leaflet, which is placed in Music Libraries and music colleges.

5. Music Secretary’s Report

Alan Reddish gave a review the musical events of the previous 12 months. A varied programme has included a succession of novelties in addition to concerts commemorating the anniversaries of major composers (Dvorak, Tallis).

Alan’s full report can be read here.

Alan welcomed the appointment of Nick Murray as his successor - this will be a transition year during which he will be progressively handing over to Nick. He also referred to the need for a volunteer to act as Co-ordinator for string chamber music players. This is a new post which is intended to help would-be chamber music players to form groups and to find places with existing groups.

6. Treasurer’s Report

Libby Summers presented the accounts together with an accompanying report. These show that the accounts are roughly in balance if account is taken of room hire for the Housman room which UCL has failed to invoice for 2 successive years. There has been a welcome increase in income from the increase in subscriptions and Sue Estermann has effected significant economies in the mailing/photocopying costs of concert programmes.

 Jo Parton spoke about the expenses involved in the annual Club Opera. Cost is an important constraint in the choice of opera (eg hire of music, performing rights) however the majority of the costs involved are inherent in the nature of the production. The general feeling was that the Club Opera is a once-a-year event whose costs have to be budgeted for.

The accounts were adopted.

7. Motions and Proposals

Two motions were discussed and voted on

1. To create a new category of Family Membership to include parents and children, with a subscription of £35 for a single parent with children and £50 for a couple with children

There was general agreement with the principle of family membership, however it was thought this would need to be defined, particularly in terms of what would constitute an upper limit to childhood (age, dependency, full-time education ?)

A vote was taken for agreement in principle with the question of definition to be referred to the Committee. The vote was carried nem con.

2. That O&CMC should establish a relationship with the National School for Young Chamber Music Players (Procorda) under which Procorda alumni would enjoy free membership of O&CMC for the 4 academic years after last attending their senior course.

Keith Daley spoke for the motion, explaining that as an alumnus and past Chairman of Procorda he saw the potential benefits of the proposed link in overcoming the Club’s problems in attracting young string players. There was general agreement with the concept and with the need to attract young players. However a number of members felt that what is needed is a general scheme to cover all student players rather than discriminating in favour of one particular institution. There was also a danger of creating an anomaly if the Student subscription were to remain at £15. Andrew Westlake suggested that the Procorda scheme should be approved while remitting the development of a general scheme to the Committee. Peter Wall proposed that free membership should be offered to all members under 26.

In conclusion Alan Reddish proposed a vote on two proposals

1. Free membership for members under 26.
2. A relationship to be established with Procorda as proposed by Keith Daley

A vote was taken and both proposals were carried nem con.

8. Elections

There was one vacancy although 2 members of the Committee were willing to stand down if applicants offered themselves for election. In the event one new member - Pat Stewart - was elected to the vacancy, Nick Murray was co-opted, and the existing 11 members of the Committee were re-elected en bloc.

Lyn Parkyns said that the method of co-option is available to make further room on the Committee for any other Club member who wishes to join the Committee.

The resultant Committee members for the coming year are

Evelyn Bercott, Michael Crowe, Sue Estermann, Lynne Maya, Lyn Parkyns, Nick Murray, Alan Reddish, Hugh Rosenbaum, Adrian Rushton, Peter Sowerby, Libby Summers, Richard Shaw, Pat Stewart

9. Any other business

Library
The Chairman reported on the current position regarding the Library of former Club music now held by Robert and Deborah Berhman and Gordon Cumming. Although the cataloguing of this library is now largely complete, the problem of access to it by Club members has still not been brought to a conclusion. Andrew Westlake, who has been attempting to progress this matter with Deborah Berhman, proposed that the best way to progress this matter will be to set up a formal meeting of all parties concerned. This was agreed.

The question was raised whether Gordon Cumming and the Behrmans hold the library as owners or possessors. The Agreement approved by the 1999 AGM states clearly that the purchasers are owners, but that the Club has the right to re-purchase the library if it is not satisfied with the service provided.

Club name
The question was raised (by letter from Chris Crocker) whether the Club should consider a change of name. The traditional Club name can be off-putting to people who do not know that Club membership is no longer restricted to graduates of Oxford and Cambridge, or indeed any university or other ‘institution of higher learning’. The retention of the present name could therefore be inhibiting recruitment of new members by suggesting an exclusivity which no longer applies. In discussion there was widespread support for this but it was also argued that the traditional name gives the Club a certain ‘cachet’, as well as enabling the Club to act as host for the annual Gala Concert.

A majority were in favour of exploring a possible change of name, ideally a name with wider appeal while retaining an aura of the Club’s traditional origins.

A vote was taken and it was decided to remit this matter to the Committee.

The meeting closed at 6.30pm and was followed by the AGM Concert and Party.