Present: Judy, Noel, Margaret, Kent, Catherine, Rob, Loretto, Marion  (Thankyou Judy for hosting)

1. Finances – as per statements prepared by Catherine. Note – 10th Anniversary function cost neutral and 2011 overall fees covered expenditure without a fundraising event. Balance remains positive.

2. Fees – to be maintained as per 2011.  $200 up front fee includes music OR $50 per term. Direct deposits are encouraged.  New members are welcome to have 2 nights with no fees. Catherine – Treasurer / Rob – spokesperson for reminders.

3. Membership – new members are welcome and information needs to be available to hand out.

4. Communication -

a. Leaflet with background about Choirbolical, membership details, rehearsals, events to be prepared for new members and to promote.  Marion to prepare info and ask Judy B to create.

b. Flyer to put up in public spaces with information. “

c. Email – continue membership email. Will trial having email with hidden addresses and add a section at the bottom of emails – Apologies and queries can be directed to Margaret mj_muller@hotmail.com   Rob to look at creating a template for emails. Loretto & Kent to maintain email list.

d. Website – website great for having parts.  Marion & Margaret to update as required.

5. Repertoire – Margaret presented possible new repertoire. Discussion included requests that repertoire is across a range of genres. Limit the number of new pieces with parts we are working on so they are learnt well. Include some pieces that are partly familiar – e.g. medley of Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Cold Play. Consider lyrics when choosing pieces. Continue short canon type pieces, e.g. Faye White songs. Start encouraging learning of new pieces without music at rehearsals. Music and parts on the website available to practice at home.

6. Possible Events – include Drumming Workshop Term 1 (Margaret to organise)/ Anzac Day service/ Spring Sing 15th Sept? / Big Sing Brisbane 28th Oct? / Christmas carols / Meet with other community choirs.

7. Social Events – Kent, Loretto & Judy to encourage some regular social events during the year e.g. beginnning of the year get together at Loretto’s home / picnic in the park Term 2? Re-establish munchies night – see nights below*

8. Rehearsal dates:  Men(M) Ladies (L) practices to trial as an early start  7pm on rehearsal nights.

• See Rehearsals – Term One 2009 for dates of rehearsals.

• We will be working on music ready to sing at Dan (Pam’s son) & Tammy’s wedding on the 16th May at St Pauls Lutheran Church Phillips St.   11am start.
• Need to re-establish a Choir list of members with a  phone tree for changes.
• Are we going to Gundy as a choir or individuals? Could we hire a bus? Need to decide in Feb. to let Paddy know. Those who went in ’08 had a great time.
• Spring Sing date needs to be brought forward to 29th August to accommodate our men who might go bike riding on the first weekend in Sept.

 Present:  Loretto, Andrew, Marion, Kent, Brian

Apologies:  Ritamay

1     Men’s Workshop.  On Sunday 15^th May Jason Goopy will conduct a men’s singing workshop at Brian and Di’s place (19 Prince Henry Drive), commencing at 10 am and concluding with an afternoon tea to which the non-male members of Choirbolical are invited to come along and hear the results of the workshop.  All members of Choirboloical are invited to tell any males friends/relatives/colleagues to feel free to come along – cost $20 and bring something for a shared lunch.

2   Spring Sing.  Saturday 13^th September.  Check with Choral Society.  If this is not available try Middle Ridge Hall.  To invite G/windi people at weekend of 31^st May ($30 for waged participants and $15 unwaged).  If there is anybody who would like to do the flyer/program for this year’s Spring Sing let Marion know and she will provide you last year’s as a template.

3   Anzac Day Medley.  We would be happy for Margaret to organise a date and time on a weekend for us to perform our Anzac Day medley (and maybe some other songs thrown in) at Salem or somewhere like that.

4   Anzac Day.  Further discussion with the whole choir about what we do next year.  At the end of the year to review all of our performance commitments for 2009, including Anzac Day.

5   Gundy Workshop. Choirbolical not singing as a choir, but members are looking forward to attending a day of singing and hospitality at Goondiwindi.

Next Meeting:  Early August.

• Workshop comments Participants enjoyed the contemporary repetoire whilst finding it quite challenging musically.

It was relaxing not having a public performance at the end of the day and we enjoyed having some pieces to add to our repertoire which we can continue to develop.

It was particularly delightful seeing people we have sung with previously now coming back to present workshops for us – and doing such a fine job too.

A delightful day all around – and as usual the food was magnificent!!!

Loretto to forward these comments to Rachel Dwyer for Qld Kodaly newsletter.

• Goondiwindi workshop dates are May 31 – June1. Kent to confirm these dates with Rebecca. Workshop to be discussed at next choir to determine whether we go as a whole choir or as individual participants.

• Future venue for rehearsal – Uniting church hall, our current venue have notified us of imminent charges to include $20 per hour plus $10 per additional hour or part thereof plus $5 for heating if heaters turned on. St Marys school is a possibility. Kent to contact Jason and find information regarding security codes, whether Jason would need to be there etc. Lourdes hall is also available. Catherine to check similar details with the parish. It was noted that St Marys may be a useful venue for the Spring Sing especially if we have male and female choirs rehearsing.

1. Workshop. Jen Bergstrom and Jason Goopy (new voice teacher at St Mary’s and recent UQ graduate) will facilitate a workshop on Saturday 1 March. Jen will be facilitator for whole day while Jason will do 2 hour session

Action: a) Ritamay and Catherine will contact Choral Society and Lourdes etc. about halls.

Action: b) Kent will contact Paddy/Goondiwindi to invite them to attend

Action: c) Margaret will contact Jen about content and ask Jen to talk to Jason

Action: d) Media – Marion to put information about workshop on web site and negotiate/delegate contacting Chronicle

2. Presentation to Catherine for her hard work last year as Treasurer and as a bribe to continue it this year – Catherine graciously agreed to continue this year

3. Performances:
a) Anzac Day – Friday April 25^th – performance at RSL Westhaven Village and lunch at Picnic Point following

b) Spring Sing – Saturday 13^th September

c) Big Sing – probably 26^th October

d) Christmas Tree Festival – Wednesday 10^th December – ½hr

e) Jazz Club – middle of the year

4. Repertoire:
Margaret looking at new songs and revisiting some old songs (eg. Cloud’s Veil, Keep Your Lamps, Ni Yet Neni – Hebrew Song), some songs for men etc

5. Kent will send email about first rehearsal, new terms, workshop and nibblies to all members on old list and remind them to subscribe to web site.

6. Kent to send old email list to Marion to check who is subscribed and who isn’t and then to subscribe those who haven’t

7. Next meeting: Wednesday 23^rd April – @ Brian’s

Present:  Marion, Andrew, Rebeka, Margaret,Ritamay, Kent

1.Spring Sing:

·         Goondiwindi Choir has confirmed they are coming – Action: 

2. Combined Concert With Toowoomba Concert Band

Margaret has been contacted by Dennis MacDonnell, Conductor of Toowoomba Concert Band, to participate in a combined concert with the band.  Action:  Margaret will contact him. 

3. Website

4. Men’s Songs

5. Our Repertoire for Spring Sing 

• African songs – Siyahamba, Freedom is Coming

• Pastyme
• Your Shining Eyes
• Three Blind Mice (maybe)
• Women:  My Johnny’s Gone for a Soldier
• Men:  To be decided

Present: Marion, Andrew, Brian, Rebeka, Ritamay, Catherine, Di, Kent

Apologies: Margaret

1. Web Site. We had a guided tour through the new web site (which this is now posted on)

2. Finances. We currently have a healthy balance. All accounts have been paid except for the construction of this web site. Once an invoice is received we can pay this. Kent will pay for hire of venue for Spring Sing and be reimbursed for that on the day.

3. Spring Sing. Choral Hall has been booked for Spring Sing for whole day. James Cuskelly will conduct workshop – Kent will double-check his availability. Marion will prepare flyer.

4. Christmas Lights Carols. Check with Choirbolical members and Margaret next rehearsal whether we have enough people available – it could be a really good chance to get up and sing some Christmas songs/carols together in public.