TMEA REGION XIX SPRING ORCHESTRA DIVISION MEETING MINUTES

NORTH SHORE HS

MAY 10, 2003

I.         Meeting called to order by George Tate, Orchestra Division Chairman.

II.        Directors present: Deborah Kidwell, Kevin Black, James Kidwell, Joshua Cowan, Rob Brownfield, Janette Hess, Lisa Black, Tom Dinardis, Frank Woodruff, John Matusek, Victoria Campion, Ken Buck, Jose Rocha, Michael Astwood, Jeanette Shackelford, Tanner Ledford, Matthew McCoy, George Tate, Elizabeth Ledford, James Winslow, Leigh Ledford, Alice Vo, Stuart Eisen, Mark Varian, Stanley Oakes, Joe Medina, Michael Schöen.

III.       Minutes from fall meeting presented and approved.

IV.      Handouts distributed by George Tate, including meeting agenda, Region XIX orchestra balance sheet as of 5/9/03, and Region XIX orchestra cash flow chart 7/12/02 through 5/9/03.

V.        New Business/Announcements:

            A.        TODA Convention Dates announced: July 29 – August 1, 2003.

            B.        Dates/locations for 2003 – 2004 school year set:

                        1.         MS Wind Auditions                     Oct. 11

                        2.         MS String Auditions                    Oct. 18      Victory Lakes

                        3.         HS String Auditions                     Oct. 25      Humble HS

                        4.         HS State Taping                           Nov. 1       Clear Lake 9^th – 1 PM

                        5.         HS Wind and Perc. Aud.              Dec. 13

                        6.         HS Region Chair Aud.                 Jan. 13      Deer Park – 5:30 pm

                        7.         MS Region Chair Aud.                 Jan. 15      Thompson Int.

                        8.         Region Orch. Clinic and Concert Jan. 30-31 Deer Park HS South

            C.        Band Audition Fee Review Committee

                        1.         Selected: Debbie Kidwell, Leigh Ledford, and James Winslow

                        2.         Motion by B. Woodruff to form committee and to turn the issue over to TMEA for arbitration if band division does not form a similar committee. Motion seconded by T. Ledford.

            D.        Recommendations for possible clinicians were collected.

            E.        UIL Activities

                        1.         HS Solo and Ensemble Contest    Feb. 21                  Clear Creek HS

                        2.         HS C and SR                                Mar. 24 – 25         Dobie HS

                        3.         MS C and SR                                Mar. 29 – 30         Clear Creek or Deer Park

                        4.         MS Solo and Ensemble                April 24                TBA

            F.        UIL Advisory Board Updates – S. Eisen

                        1.         There is a proposal to change Concert and Sightreading Contest rules to allow a school to enter a full orchestra as its varsity group and a string orchestra as its non-varsity, provided that the orchestras are comprised of different personnel. Directors agree to support this rule change.

                        2.         There is a proposal to expand UIL Solo and Ensemble rules to allow students to perform any published instrumentation of an ensemble that is listed in the PML. Directors approve this proposal with the understanding that the arrangement may not be a simplified version of that which is listed in the PML.

            G.        Member Announcements

                        1.         Debbie Kidwell, TODA secretary, spoke about the TODA convention in San Antonio July 29 – August 1.

                        2.         Tanner Ledford distributed information about the Galveston Isle Orchestra Festival and speaks about the Rondo Music Management computer program.

                        3.         Bud Woodruff announces plans to host a pre-UIL festival in Deep Park

                        4.         Tanner Ledford thanks orchestra division chairmen for their hard work in 2002 – 03.

                        5.         Meeting divides for HS and MS meetings.

VI.      HS Orchestra Minutes

            A.        Plans for 9 – 10 Region Orchestra

                        1.         Proposal that 9^th and 10^th graders who audition for the top orchestra and are not selected may be selected to the 9^th and 10^th grade group rejected by directors.

                        2.         Suggestion that music should be comparable to that programmed for the MS symphony orchestra accepted by directors.

                        3.         It is agreed that ideally teachers should program suitable music, not clinicians.

                        4.         Recording Region Orchestra Performances

                        5.         Directors agree that they are satisfied with the quality of D. Tidwell’s recordings and he will continue to be hired to record concerts, provided that checks will be cashed promptly and delivery problems will be solved (mail CDs to students’ homes?)

                        6.         Harp Chair Test

                        7.         Directors agree that there will be no chair auditions for harps in Region Orchestra. The seating order will be the same as the order of audition results.

                        8.         Violin Audition Format – two panels, each listens to one etude.

Respectfully Submitted,

E. Ledford