August 2009 Newsletter
Bearsden and Milngavie Youth Orchestra
Session 2009-2010
Welcome to the new look BMYO. We are delighted to announce that rehearsals will be in the new
A completed and signed copy of the registration form must be handed in to the committee before leaving your child at BMYO.
We have tried to provide as much information about BMYO as possible in this introduction, including concert dates, so please make a provisional note of them.
Rehearsals
BMYO meets during the first two terms of the school year. There are weekly rehearsals which lead up to a concert at the end of each term. Please arrive in good time so that instruments can be tuned and we can start promptly at 7.00pm The Wind Ensemble, Concert and Symphony Orchestras have a break during rehearsals when they are given a drink and biscuit. The String members are offered the same on finishing their rehearsal. Please note that whilst BMYO strives to maintain a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, there is always a need to adhere to health and safety guidelines; all members are required to respect the school and its property and to heed instructions from the conductors and parents on duty. In particular, children should refrain from climbing on wall bars and other gym equipment and must stay indoors at all times. Please remind your children of this.
Orchestras and Conductors
| String Orchestra |
Conductor - Marj Partridge | 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. |
| (for those who have completed their first year of lessons). | ||
| Wind Ensemble | Conductor - Michelle McCabe | 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. |
| (for Beginners up to Grade 2) | ||
| Concert Orchestra | Conductor - Mary Lou Graham | 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. |
| (for those at Grade 3 to 5) | ||
| Symphony Orchestra | Conductor - Alan Pash | 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. |
| (for those Grade 5 and above) |
Organising Committee and Duty System
BMYO is
run by a committee of parents appointed at the Annual General
Meeting each year:
| Chairman | Ramsay Shields | Vice Chair | Careen Hendry |
| Treasurer | Kate Crooks | Making Music | Lynn Tang |
| Membership | Ian Allan | Secretary | Evelyn Lennon |
| Minute Secretary | Julia Ann McDonagh | Refreshments | Carol Gibson |
| Parent rota | Lorna Laming | Concert/ School Lets | Lynn Tang |
| General | Vanessa Fletcher Susan McEwan Kate O'Donnell Catherine McKerron |
We shall need new committee members this year as some are standing down, so please consider joining. The duties are not arduous and you do not have to be musical. The more people there are on the committee the less we each have to do. Typically, we meet once just before school starts in August and about twice a term during rehearsals.
At present, four parents are required to do a duty each week; one per orchestra group. This is likely to result in one duty per parent per year. A duty rota list will be distributed shortly. Please arrive by 6:40pm to help set up music stands, put out chairs, ensure all orchestra members are signed in and then stay and help supervise for the duration of the rehearsal. If you find you are unable to do the day assigned to you, please make sure you arrange a swap with another parent. If you cannot do duty at all, please inform the parent rota secretary. Parents on duty must remain in the building until all children are collected, or they are advised otherwise.
Subscriptions and Gift Aid Declaration
Annual Subscription: £50 for the first child and £30 for subsequent children in a family. You can either pay the full amount at the beginning, or half now and half in January. Please make cheque payable to Bearsden and Milngavie Youth Orchestra with your child’s name on the back of the cheque and leave it with the committee member on duty at rehearsal. We prefer cheques, but if you wish to pay by cash, please seal it in an envelope with your and your child’s name clearly marked. Note: new members are welcome to try out the orchestra for a few weeks before paying.
Please sign the Gift Aid declaration on the application form if you are a taxpayer. We are a charity and this enables us to recover basic rate income tax on subscriptions, which gives our finances a big boost! If you have difficulty paying the subscription, please contact the Chairperson. The committee will consider applications for assistance in confidence, and will require supporting evidence such as entitlement to free school meals. We do not wish anyone to be put off attending BMYO for cost reasons, but we have no special funds and any assistance must therefore come from the general budget.
Dates
Please check for our up and coming Concert Dates etc for 2009-2010 by selecting Dates from the Menu Column on the right of this website page.
A Little History
BMYO can trace its history back to 1969, when the Milngavie Symphony Orchestra was founded for adults. A junior section was started in 1975 by Anna Moffat, a local violin teacher. The adult orchestra was disbanded in 1979 but the Youth Orchestra went from strength to strength. Initially there were two ensembles, which expanded to three in 1992. Miss Moffat still takes a keen interest in BMYO and usually attends the concerts.
The orchestra has functioned in much the same way since it was founded: rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings during the Autumn and Spring school terms with a concert at the end of each term. For many years the rehearsals were held in Milngavie Primary School but we moved to Craigdhu Primary School in 1999, and then on to Douglas Academy. BMYO became a charity in 2004 and joined Making Music, the national federation of music societies. Several members of BMYO have gone on to pursue professional careers in music as teachers or performers.
Website
You will find lots more information, including Frequently Asked Questions and our Child Protection Policy, on this website. Have a look !