🎼 MENTOR ORCHESTRA
  • Home
  • Programs
    • Curriculum
    • Instructors
    • Beyond the Classroom
  • Social
    • Performances
    • Schedule
    • News
  • MOA
  • Support Us

News

Meeting Minutes - Sept 3, 2019

10/1/2019

0 Comments

 

MOA Meeting Minutes from Sept 3, 2019

Mentor Orchestra Association Meeting - September 3rd, 2019
Call to Order: 8:10 pm

Attendees: Amy Freeman, Nancy McMillin, Linda Dakwar, Aaron & Jen Roberts, Melissa Schneider, Tom & Alain Wollack, Michelle & Skip Gray, Bonnie Smith-Stafford, Jim Stafford, Patty Yoke, Matt Yoke, Kim Driscoll, Bitzy Murry

Reviewing Process:
  • There will be a new format for meetings to make them working meetings instead of process-driven
  • Minutes will be posted as content on the mentororchestra.com website. Financial reports will be on the website for review. We will no longer review this during the meetings.
Motion to approve the minutes from April. Second received.

Review of Committees for the year:
Nominating Committee - Head - Amy Freeman
Camp - Head - Bitzy Murray
Scholarship - Head - Amy Freeman
  • Committee member: Michelle Wllick
Publicity - Head - Jennifer Roberts
  • Committee member: Alain - Window Signs
Jen - Social Media
Need Membership Chair
Need Service Chair
  • Duties include setting up chairs, bringing bottled water, meet & greets, arranging chaperones & vans when needed
Need Corporate Sponsorship - Need program & coordinator
Fundraising Committee VPs are co-chairs - Jen & Aaron
  • Dinner Subcommittee Chair - Linda Dakwar

Upcoming Events
Sunday September 15th - 12:00-2:00 PM, Walsh Park 
  • Amy will run the picnic
  • MOA to provide hotdogs & buns
  • Jen to create RSVP/Sign Up Genius to have the directors & Amy send out
Yankee Candle coming out in October
Fundraising Dinner Update - Linda Dakwar
  • Date is Saturday March 28, 2020 from 5-9:00 PM at Paradigm. 
  • Will be catered. 
  • Students will play as entertainment
  • Ticket Cost - around $25.00
  • Scrolling Video of camp & events
  • If interested in helping, here are the needs
    • Donations - sending letters to businesses locally & nationally and follow up.
      • Pick up donations
      •  Organize Baskets & wrap
    • Decorations
      • Caterer should provide most everything, but maybe centerpieces
      • Cardinals Catering - special needs group could possibly do the desserts on plate as centerpieces. Waiting to hear from Mr. Crowe
    • Fundraising ideas
      • Baskets, raffle, etc.
    • Set Up & Clean Up Day of Event
  • Sign Up to help with Linda with email address and she will contact you - lindakwar@yahoo.com 440-227-8285
  • Amy to get Linda the budget / actual costs from last event
Director’s Report - Matt
  • Mannheim camp was great once again.  For those of you that were not aware, the camp did move back to YSU this year and for the foreseeable future. The added staff members (Adam Landry and Kim Driscoll) added a ton to the camp, especially within our S&E breakout sessions.  I have already had 2 groups contact me asking for available times to rehearse in order to prepare for the January event. 
  • Debonne was also a nice event once again.  However, I would like to poll the Mannheim parents (and the MOA board members) regarding the desire to continue this event. Joel Sandrey set this up for us years ago, and I am not sure that the money we are bringing in warrants taking the group out there. If the gig were to be cancelled, I would want one to fill its place instead of taking the summer off. 
  • CityFest continues to be better each year. I can’t say enough about the new amphitheater. Great sound engineers, great stage, great crowd, etc. 
  • I need help ASAP with dress/tux fittings. I know that this is not something people love to do, but I do need a few people that have done it before to help. I can work the daily rehearsal schedule to be flexible. Band has already completed theirs, so the sooner the better.
  • Need to start planning for hosting state contest on February 21st.  Band has done it plenty of times and I have several of those parents that are willing to meet with us, but it needs to be extremely well run in order to keep the very tight schedule.  MOA can consider ways to make money from this event… concessions, etc.
  • Mannheim Camp - July 12-17th  
Director’s Report - Kim
  • Record breaking 6th grade orchestra - 52 at Memorial, 35 at Shore
  • Kelly Lo is co-teaching Memorial, which is great
  • If you know a 5th grader who hasn’t signed up yet, lessons start next week. Sign up on Mentor Schools website
  • Recruitment night went well last week
  • Chamber & Rock Orchestra auditions for 7-8th graders are due at the end of September. First rehearsals will be in October
Communications Update
  • Programs - board to speak with directors
  • Outreach & engagement with parents
    • MOA messages should come from MOA, not teachers
  • Next Steps:
    • Get organized. Establish Committees. Get Sign Ups from volunteers
  • Sign Up for emails on MentorOrchestra.com
Meeting Adjourned at 9:02PM
0 Comments

October 01st, 2019

10/1/2019

0 Comments

 

September Financial Report

The September financials report for MOA has been posted online and is available here.  

If you have any questions, please contact the MOA president at pres@mentororchestra.com.
0 Comments

2019-2020 Annual Budget

9/3/2019

0 Comments

 

2019-2020 Budget Available Online

The 2019-2020 Budget has been created for MOA and is available online. 

Note: Revisions to this document will take place throughout the year and updates will be announced on the website.
0 Comments

Meeting Agenda - Sept. 3rd, 2019

9/3/2019

0 Comments

 

Proposed Agenda for Kickoff Meeting

The Board will be hosting it's first 2019-2020 MOA meeting tonight at Memorial Junior High at 8:00PM.  The Board has prepared the following agenda for the meeting:

Welcome & Introductions (10-15)
  • New board members
  • Brief background
  • Process for meetings
  • Schedule for the Year
  • Communication 
Upcoming event(s) (10-15)
  • Picnic Sept 14th
  • Fundraising Dinner
            - Update to MOA
            - Outstanding items / issues 
Committees (10-15)
  • Roles and responsibilities
  •       - Committees support the events for the year
  • Core committees (supporting other committees)
  • Committee heads
  • Discuss process for sign up / registration / commitment / communication
  • Open Discussion
Our Next Meeting (10)
  • Yankee Candle
         - Brief review / status
         - Prep, Organization, Process
Other Questions /  Concerns (remaining time)
0 Comments

Meeting Minutes - April 2, 2019

9/3/2019

1 Comment

 

MOA Meeting Minutes from April 2, 2019

Call to order: 
Members in attendance:
Ann Nykiel, Randy Davis, Tim Stafford, Sara Eskins, Aaron and Jennifer Roberts, Matt Yoke, Amy Freeman, Bitzy Murray, Nancy McMillin, Melissa Schnieder

MEETING HANDOUTS
Treasurer report - See Amy’s handouts

February Minutes - Reviewed - Motion to accept by Matt


OLD BUSINESS 

Slate of
Board Positions for 2019-20 - President:  Amy Freeman, Vice President: Aaron and Jennifer Roberts, Treasurer:  Bitzy Murray, Secretary: Patty Yoke 


Scholarship Updates
- Amy Freeman.  Bitsy, Sara and Michelle will grade scored portions, outside readers will grade the essay portions.  Senior solos will need to be added to applications ( Mrs. Coleman had suggestions about the rubric, particularly the essay portion of the application.  Amy and she will edit in the next few months.  

Mannheim Camp - Registration updates.  Ann and Bitsy are chaperoning.  Their theme decided but will be a secret.  Matt has completed list. About 41 students attending.    Matt will verify confirmation with YSU.
Fundraiser - Mixed Bags Fundraiser has closed, any additional orders received need to be returned and parents have option to order online.    Only 40 students participated. Sales were about $2500 (2-3 students were responsible for about 50% of sales). $50 gift card will be given to Mikinzie (the top seller).  
In Years to Come: 
- Typical sales hit around $4500-5000
- Consider alternating sale options in years to come
- What are other groups doing at the same time?
 

NEW BUSINESS
Anyone having reciepts for reimbursement or monies to turn in, please submit receipts to Amy ASAP so that payments clear by June 30th.  


Melissa Schnieder and Linda Dakwar are interested in assisting with  the March, 2020, banquet.  


Summer Activities to look into - Need to decide which to do and need chairpersons to set up


Arrowhead Make Music Day, Kia Car Wash, Picnic Reservations for September, other?  The past fall, the picnic was not well-attended due to weather and schedule conflicts.    Looking in to Veteran’s Park as an option as down payment may be returned if no damages.


Volunteers Needed
- Volunteers for final concerts - Link will be sent out via Sign Up Genius. 

Uniforms - Volunteers needed to collect dresses and tuxes immediately following final concert , as well to assist band and choir boosters with restocking inventory (a few days in summer) and distributing dresses and tuxes to orchestra students in the fall (A few mornings one week).  Once everything is in, American Commodore washes all the uniforms.  

Jennifer, Melissa Ruminski,  Nancy McMillin and Randy will help with uniforms at the last concert on May 1st.  


Amy and Jen will handle this in the fall. (Linda Dakwar, Alain and Teresa Eichler assisted last fall - may contact them again for this fall to see if interested in helping again)


These do not necessarily need to be the SAME person, but it would be nice to have one person knowledgeable in all aspects to help direct others


Window signs
- Alain has volunteered to take this on over summer / early fall.  Drug Mart has the cheapest poster board. See Aaron to order from Amazon (he found it for less).  Ann will send Alain the ordering info she has used in past.


Director Matt Yoke -
Mannheim and Symphony received superior ratings in AA at this years State Orchestra Competition.  This is the first time in school history that either group has achieved this rating in the AA classification.  Thanks to everyone who helped transport instruments and aided in this event. 

  1. Symphony and Mannheim auditions have concluded, and lists have been posted to each classes schoology page.  This was easily the hardest year to complete the lists, and many of the students that did not make the group that they wanted would have in years past.  The orchestra numbers have almost tripled in the past 6 years and this has made these ensembles extremely hard to construct. This is a GREAT problem to have, but there needs to be more made of what a group like Sinfonia is able to perform.  They are so close to being able to successfully perform OMEA Class A material, which when I started was exclusively used for Mannheim. 
  2. ​Last Tuesday, Mannheim combined with MHS Concert Mixed for an amazing concert downtown at The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.  This performing space, and accompanying concert series, is mostly reserved for professional groups and groups that pool auditions from several of the top high schools in the area.  I personally know that the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus was denied a spot this year in order to accommodate our high school program. This is a great example of how our high school programs are very intertwined, and how the high school music teaching staff is a well organized team.  If it weren’t for a choir parent who used her contacts within the diocese of Cleveland, I am not sure we would have been able to book the concert. We hope to book this event again in the future since the promotion staff from the church was very thrilled with the performance level of the students as well as the high amount of audience members. 
  3. Middle school solo and ensemble is next weekend and I have many groups attending.  There was something going on with IC when I sent out the payment email, and I have received more than a few emails about collections.  I will send out another email tonight with updated payments.  
  4. Matt’s contacted 2 different festivals with great locations that are a possibility for next year.  Only the best groups attend these. The Mentor Orchestras are outstanding and should be represented at some of these events.  The expense of these trips, if scheduled through a tour company, is very expensive.  


​​Director Kim Driscoll - Kim not present this evening.
Adjourn - 8:30 pm

This is last general meeting of school year.  Updates will be sent your via email list.  Board will meet to review / set budget in late June.

Thank you to everyone for supporting our orchestra program this year!  From volunteering at concerts, assisting with uniforms, helping with special events, supporting fundraisers, attending meetings, etc., your help is very much appreciated! 

1 Comment

Mannheim Camp 2019

7/17/2019

0 Comments

 
Mannheim welcomed the newest members to the group during their week long study at Youngstown State University.  It looks to be an exciting year to come!   Check out some of the excitement on social media.  #mentororchestra
0 Comments

MOA December Meeting Cancelled

11/30/2018

0 Comments

 
The meeting scheduled for December 4th has been cancelled.  The next MOA meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 8th at 7:30PM in the Memorial Band room.  Hope to see you there!
0 Comments

COYO Performance November 13

11/1/2018

0 Comments

 
The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra will be performing a free concert at the Mentor Fine Arts Center Tuesday, November 13th at 7:00PM.  The Concert is free and open to the public and will feature selections by Brahms, Barber, and Adams.  
0 Comments

Fall Concert Announcement

11/1/2018

0 Comments

 
Join the 7th Grade, 8th Grade, and Chamber Orchestras Thursday, November 15th at 7:00PM at the Mentor Fine Arts Center for their 2018 Fall Concert!
0 Comments

Yankee Candle Fundraising Closed

10/31/2018

0 Comments

 
Thank you to everyone who helped make out Yankee Candle fundraiser a success.  Results from the sale were tremendous.  What a great way to start off our 2018-2019 year! 
0 Comments
Forward>>

    MOA Blog

    Orchestra new and announcements

    Archives

    March 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018

    Categories

    All
    Agenda
    Budget
    Fundraising
    Minutes
    MOA Meetings
    Performances

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Programs
    • Curriculum
    • Instructors
    • Beyond the Classroom
  • Social
    • Performances
    • Schedule
    • News
  • MOA
  • Support Us