Guild News

GUILD NOTES

JANUARY 2021

Important Report from the Guild Nominating Committee

In December, Teresa Osam, President, submitted her resignation to the Board of Directors. Per the bylaws, the Nominating Committee is to fill vacancies as they occur throughout the Guild year. The Nominating Committee chose Susan Marsh to complete Teresa Osam’s term (Jan-May 2021). As President, Susan will also continue her responsibilities as 3^rd Vice President for 2020-2021.

A Message from your New President

Susan Marsh

Dear Guild members and friends,

Happy New Year! We are all happy to see 2021 arrive and say good-bye to 2020. This year promises to be exciting and also challenging.

I am honored to be your President. Although Teresa Osam stepped down as President in December, she will continue to be involved and committed to the Guild. We thank Teresa for her leadership, energy and creativity. She managed the Guild through this challenging time of virtual meetings, reduced programming and limited personal contact. I will attempt to pick up where Teresa left off and keep the Guild focused on our mission of supporting the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and providing music educational opportunities for students in Arkansas.

Toward that end, a dedicated committee is working on the “Symphony of Flavors,” the Guild’s newest fundraiser. Facing constraints imposed by the pandemic, this group donned their creative hats and devised an exciting and innovative fundraising opportunity. Look for more information in the article by Tandy Cobb, Chair.

Preparations are being made to host the Stella Boyle Smith Young Artist Competition. Under the able direction of Jeanne and Bob Fitzgerald plans are going forward and options for a virtual competition are being explored.

The Guild faces considerable challenges. We are a resilient, committed and creative organization. To be successful, we need your help and involvement. During a time of major constraints it is tempting to retreat and wait for better times, but we must move forward. I ask you to consider how you can contribute to the success of these programs while maintaining safety. Together we will continue to support music and music education in Arkansas.

We will continue to meet via Zoom for now. Please note the Revised Meeting Schedule. The schedule needed to be revised to meet the responsibility of accepting the Proposed Slate of Officers for 2021-2022 as presented by the Nomination Committee in March as stated in our Bylaws.

Revised Meeting Schedule 2021

January 21 9:30 ASOG Board Meeting NEW

11:00 General Membership Meeting NEW

February`18 9:30 ASOG Board Meeting No Change

Cancel General Membership Meeting

March 11 9:30 ASOG Board Meeting NEW

11:00 General Membership Meeting to hear slate of officers NEW

April 15 9:30 ASOG Board Meeting No Change

Cancel General Membership Meeting NEW

May 20 9:30 ASOG Board Meeting Time Change

11:00 Spring Luncheon

STELLA BOYLE SMITH COMPETITION

The Stella Boyle Smith Competition for Young Artists is being planned for late April or early May, 2021. Considering the situation with COVID-19, we are working on making this a virtual competition this year and are gathering ideas about using You Tube or similar platforms. If you are interested in funding prizes, please get in touch with Bob or Jeanne Fitzgerald, pictured to the right, at bjfitz1995@gmail.com.

ASOG 2021 FUNDRAISER

Tandy Cobb, Chair

The Guild is excited to offer our virtual fundraiser Symphony of Flavors in April 2021. For four weeks in April, we will be airing a series of cooking demonstrations hosted by noted local chefs. Each chef will create a dinner menu with wine pairings and will prepare the entrée for the audience. In addition to the cooking demonstration, each segment will feature music by ASO musicians. Before each event, guests will receive a bottle of the recommended wine, the menu and recipe for the entrée, and other goodies. Gift bags will vary each week, based on the chef’s menu. Those who purchase the series will receive four customized gift bags, one before each airing on April 8, 15, 22, and 29.

The exciting chefs who have agreed to share their cooking talents are Alex Guzman, sushi chef at Jerry Barakat’s Oceans at Arthur’s; Eric Issac, chef/owner of Ristorante Capeo; Capi Peck, executive chef/owner of Trio’s Restaurant; and Henrik Thostrup and Clark Trim, owners of Colonial Wine and Spirits. Without a doubt, the menus that these chefs compose will create a Symphony of Flavors.

Tickets will be available online beginning in March. The cost of a ticket for a single episode will be $75.00; a ticket for the series will be $200.00.

This year, even more than ever, it is important for us to support our Orchestra, even if we have to do so virtually. Symphony of Flavors is the Guild’s major fundraiser for 2021. If you are able to become an Essential Ingredient of Symphony of Flavors with a sponsorship of $500.00, $750.00, or $1,000.00, you will help to underwrite our costs and increase the contribution that the Guild will make to the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. By becoming a sponsor of this signature event, you will receive publicity in print media and in each of the 4 Symphony of Flavors programs, on the ASOG website through which tickets will be sold, in social media posts, in 4 of our Guild Notes newsletters, and during the cooking demonstrations. You will also receive two tickets for the four-program series and, of course, a goodie bag for each of the four episodes. Please click here to access the Sponsorship Information and Invoice Form.

‌

Designer House 2020 Wins National Award!

The ASO Guild’s Designer House 2020 has been given a prestigious Spotlight Award by the League of American Orchestras, one of only 6 such awards given nationwide this year. The Guild received the Award based on the combination of staging a beautifully decorated house and grounds, our ability to be flexible in our dates and activities (eg. small wine tours in place of large parties) and our raising over $50,000 despite the limitations imposed by the pandemic. Designer House 2020 is very deserving of the national attention it has received and Guild members have every right to be proud of this accomplishment. Many thanks to Larry West, chair, his hardworking team, and the Guild members who volunteered their time and talents to make this a reality.

‌

SYMPHONY DESIGNER HOUSE CHAIR LARRY WEST HOLDING THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS AWARD CERTIFICATE

Webinar Showcasing Orchestra Volunteer Projects and How They Adapted and Thrived during the Pandemic

On January 26^th at 2pm CST the Volunteer Council of the League of American Orchestras will host a webinar entitled Traditions Reimagined: Resiliency Unveiled, featuring volunteer projects from across the country, including our own Designer House 2020. This webinar will cover orchestra volunteer projects submitted to the Volunteer Council for possible inclusion in Conference 2021, with special emphasis on those submitted under the newly created Flexibility/Adaptability category and those winning Gold and Spotlight Awards.

This webinar is one of three that the Volunteer Council will present in lieu of having a volunteer track at Conference, which will again be entirely virtual this year. Check out the many ways orchestra volunteers are finding to continue their traditions in support of their orchestras and members during these disruptive times.

Our own Camille Williams (pictured above) is co-author and co-presenter of this webinar. Attendance is free, but registration is required. Registration details will be available soon and will be sent in a separate email. Feel free to contact Camille with questions or input: camillewilliams@icloud.com