News & Notes - February 2013
MEMBERSHIP
Wonderful Winter Heat
Tasty morsels and libations, camaraderie, and a wonderful surprise were all special elements of Winter Heat held on January 3 at Powell Hall. The staff at Powell Hall honored over 100 members in attendance for the 10,000+ service hours given to support the STL Symphony in 2011-2012.
Powell Hall was still festively adorned and the grand foyer was the place to catch up with SVA friends. Members enjoyed a special discount in the Boutique for purchased items. Associate Concertmaster Heidi Harris sampled lip balms from her beauty line fylo. In addition, STL Symphony President & CEO Fred Bronstein thanked members for their dedication and achievements and Amee Colvin expressed her appreciation for the work conducted and continued growth in membership. To conclude the evening, Amee introduced Brian Owens, STL Symphony Community Programs Coordinator and national recording artist, who serenaded the volunteers with his rendition of “You Are So Beautiful.”
Help Us Grow!
The New and Prospective Membership Committee has planned another event for new and potential SVA members on Thursday, February 21. Anne and Jack Bader will host a wine and cheese reception at their Frontenac home to inform attendees about SVA projects and the benefits of membership. Do you have a friend that would be interested in supporting the STL Symphony? Plan to attend this event! RSVP by February 18 to Penny Bari.
Volunteer Hours Recorded
For the first quarter of the Symphony’s fiscal year, the SVA has recorded more than 1,000 hours of volunteer service from 61 members. Be sure you are part of the 2012-2013 M-O-R-E Volunteer program. M-O-R-E Volunteers (contributing 50 or more volunteer hours) receive a bright red tag to add to their volunteer name badge as a special acknowledgement of service. Report your hours when convenient to the appropriate committee chair or vice chair—monthly, quarterly, annually—or whenever it makes sense for you.
Winter Membership Meeting
Join us for brunch and the winter membership meeting on March 2 at the Forest Park Highlands Golf & Tennis Center. Our featured speakers will be Jim Connett, General Manager, and Tom Sudholt, Program Manager, Radio Arts Foundation. Jim will present an update on the state of St. Louis’ new classical music station and Tom will lead us in “Name That Tune”. The business meeting will be brief and will include the announcement of the new SVA President-Elect. Please be sure to RSVP no later than February 22.
Attention All SVA Members
Your printed copy of the SVA Membership Directory is now available. If you weren’t able to pick yours up at Winter Heat on January 3, please choose from one of these options to pick up your copy soon:
- Make an appointment with Amee to stop by the SVA office at Centene.
- Contact the committee chair of your choice to bring your directory to an upcoming committee meeting.
- Planning to attend a concert at Powell Hall? Contact Amee by Thursday of that week and your directory will be waiting for you at the Boutique on the weekend.
Each member may now access this informative resource online. Contact a member of the SVA Board or Amee Colvin for the password to access this file. The directory will be updated with new members and corrections each month so you will always have the latest contact information for each member. Please be sure to notify Amee of any changes to your listing.
BOARD NEWS
We’re on a Mission!
The mission of the STL Symphony is to enrich people’s lives through the power of music. The SVA will support this mission by focusing on three key goals through 2013:
- Increase membership to 500 with 50% participation rate (FY13 result through January = 379 members with 20.3% participation)
- Increase fundraising profits to exceed $250,000 (FY13 result through December = $36,385)
- Increase direct contacts of education projects and tours to 25,500 community members (FY13 result through December = 18,289 direct contacts)
FUNDRAISING
April Showers Bring…Pick A Party!
Mark your calendar now for one of the community’s most fun parties! As we start the fifth year, Parties of Note (PON) is now the second largest SVA fundraiser supporting the STL Symphony. Over $62,000 was raised in the 2011-2012 season. Once again, the PON committee will be offering many fabulous parties for you to choose from at Pick a Party on April 21 at Plaza Frontenac.
Can you help defray the cost of a party? Please consider an underwriting gift and your contribution will be acknowledged in the PON catalog. (Checks may be mailed to Amee Colvin at the SVA office.)
Questions? Contact Linda Lee or Anne von der Heydt.
Join the Caravan!
Do you know a business that would be a supportive sponsor for the SVA’s largest fundraiser, Gypsy Caravan? This beloved Memorial Day tradition is now in its 41st consecutive year and will once again return to the UMSL campus. The Gypsy Caravan committee is looking for sponsors great and small to make this event a continued success. Please forward your suggestions to Chair Janice Seele.
EDUCATION
Last Call for Readers
What are you doing this Saturday morning, February 16? The Express the Music Committee is holding its SVA judging day for all submitted entries and could still use some volunteers. In addition to fulfilling work with children at schools, you’ll be amazed at the creative writing talent exhibited by middle and senior high school students. Take part in reading and evaluating the many interesting essays and poetry by contacting Vice Chair Kathryn Snodgrass. No experience required!
If you are unable to help this Saturday, there is still time to help with other committee tasks prior to the Awards Ceremony at Powell Hall on April 11. Contact Chair Phyllis Traub to learn more.
Picture Perfect
The Picture the Music Committee has been very busy since the beginning of the year. Artwork from area schools began pouring in January and the SVA Judging Day was held at the Centene Center on February 5. The children’s artwork is always amazing and the talent exhibited by the students once again impressed committee members.
The Awards Ceremony takes place at Powell Hall on Thursday, February 28. Artwork will be displayed in the foyer and you will not want to miss a memorable program that honors all the top artists.
New Year Brings New Members for IP
After actively working with more than 550 children in Instrument Playground (IP) programs this fall, this SVA committee has welcomed five new volunteers since January. In addition to fulfilling work with children at schools, concerts at Powell Hall, or special events, the committee has worked recently to compile an updated instrument inventory list as well as a new procedure for instrument checkout. New IP members are always welcomed. Contact Marilyn Holmes to get involved.
Fountain of Youth
What a wonderful treasure we have in the STL Symphony Youth Orchestra (YO)! SVA members who help with YO auditions twice a year can attest to the incredible talent of this group. When you hear the young musicians practice, you can imagine the difficulty the judges have in determining the final members.
Auditions take place in late August/early September and again in late May. Volunteers help with check-in and escort musicians to the practice room. Volunteer time involves approximately two to three hours over a period of two days. Would you like to be part of the Powell Hall Opportunities YO team? Please contact Chair Terri Ciccolella for more details.
Cream or Sugar?
With a record number of volunteers providing service and a smile, Project Leader Marge Jurgenson reports a successful year so far for this group of Powell Hall Opportunities Committee team members. Concertgoers appreciate the hospitality and SVA members convey their enthusiasm for the Symphony. Want to participate in this group? Contact Marge Jurgenson.
SVA OFFICE LOCATION & DIRECTIONS
Centene Center for Arts and Education
3547 Olive St., Suite 370
St. Louis, MO 63103
Office Hours: 9:00am–5:00pm
SVA committee meetings can be scheduled at the SVA office with Director of Volunteer Activities, Amee Colvin. For these pre-arranged committee meetings, parking is available in the SLU lot just east of the Centene Center. Please obtain a parking sign from your committee chair prior to the meeting and place it on your car’s dashboard. This will indicate that you are with the SVA and you will not be charged. All of the parking spots have numbers, but none of the spaces are reserved.
A member of your SVA committee should be available in the Centene Center lobby to let you into the building. If you arrive late and no one is there, use the call box at the street entrance. Scroll down to “Symphony Volunteer Association,” hit the call button, and Amee will respond. You may also call the office directly at 314-289-4168 for building entrance.
