Arcadia Players End of Season 2018-2019 Report
The Board of Directors of Arcadia Players have experienced the highs and the lows of shepherding our organization through this past season.
The high points for this season have again been in the outstanding early music that has been offered to our audiences in the Pioneer Valley and beyond. My personal favorite was the Mozart concert, with Ian performing at his best at the keyboard, and the superb orchestra behind him. The yearly Messiah concert has always been a draw as it was this past season, and for the first time we offered in the spring of 2019 a Celebrity Concert for two lutes, with Paul O'Dette and Ronn McFarlane, which was simply amazing. To end up the season, an all-Bach concert with Illuminati Vocal Ensemble, especially the a capella chorus parts, was memorable. Our heartfelt thanks go to Ian for organizing this and 14 other years of spectacular concerts for Arcadia Players!
Another high point of this past season was having two youth groups perform prior to two of our concerts – Kids 4 Harmony performed Mozart works to open the Mozart concert, and the Longmeadow High School Lyrics sang before the Bach concert. Both were well received. We hope to do the same, perhaps for the Messiah and Thiele concerts, for our 30th season.
The “lows” of this season were twofold:
First were the concert-related cash-flow problems, the first I’ve experienced in 5 years as President of the Board of Directors. Twice this year we had to ask for ‘loans’ from Board members in order to pay the musicians for an upcoming concert. Though we’ve ended the season in the black by about $3000 (see attached financial statement), it was nerve-wracking for me as President nonetheless. Here is a breakdown of our ticket sales numbers, which were lower than the previous year.
Mozart: 150 total tickets sold (18 subscriptions, 67 advance, 65 door)
Messiah: 410 total tickets sold (18 subscriptions, 213 advance, 58 group, 121 door)
Lutes: 150 total tickets sold (18 subscriptions, 96 advance, 36 door)
Bach: 125 total (18 subscriptions, 54 advance, 53 at door)
Second of our “lows” was the sudden resignation of our Artistic Director, Ian Watson. in April of this year. In looking back, some on the Board saw signs of this might be in prospect 2-3 years prior; we wish that his resignation might have given us more time to acknowledge and celebrate his accomplishments with Arcadia Players, as well as his retirement, and to find a replacement in a more timely manner.
The 30th Season concerts, determined by our capable Program Committee, will each be the responsibility of an individual Board member, and are now in the process of being finalized. A Board committee is already working on the search for a new Artistic Director. So here we are, facing our 30th anniversary season on our own. We’re going to do it! The Program Committee came up with a wonderful 30th anniversary season. It is:
Thirtieth Anniversary concert with Arcadia Players founder Margaret Irwin Brandon on the historic Fisk organ, Sunday, October 13, 2019, 3 pm, Abbey Chapel, Mt Holyoke College, joined by Arcadia Players co-founders Alice Robbins, viol, and Dana Maiben, violin
Friday, Dec 13, 2019, 7:30 pm, Our Lady of the Valley Church, Easthampton
Handel's Messiah with a chorus of soloists
Guest conductor - Woodrow Bynum
Feb 22, 2020 Sunday, 3 pm.
Arcadia Viols with vocal soloists and keyboard
Wesley Methodist Church, Hadley
Sunday, March 29, 2020, 7:30 pm, Our Lady of the Valley Church, Easthampton
Johann Theile's St Matthew Passion, with Illuminate Vocal Arts Ensemble
Guest conductor - Tony Thornton.
We continue to admire the outstanding pro bono service, even as she copes with significant illness, of our professional graphic designer, Diane Russell. Diane has been our graphic artist for many years and her choice of artwork and color for all of our posters, postcards, and program brochures is unsurpassed. She says that she loves working with us, and will continue. We highly value her loyalty, and under Arthur Kinney and Walter Denny’s direction, have created a Board Citation of Commendation with the signatures of all Board members on it. It will be a small token to humbly acknowledge all that Diane has given to us. Thank you again & again Diane!
Another volunteer we thank very much is Priscilla Drucker, who writes copy for us for advertising. Her accomplished and elegant writing, and her vast knowledge of all music, not just early music, is simply the best, and we are eternally grateful for her patience with us, as well as her generosity.
We give our thanks to our office manager Linda Babcock, who keeps the numerous loose ends tied up as best she can, keeps our financial house in order, and supplies us with needed information at our Board meetings. Thank you Linda from all of us!
Finally, the Board would like to thank all the volunteers who perform front-of-house work at the concerts, and to recognize among ourselves the significant contributions in all areas from concert management and public communications to grant applications and financial support, that all of us, as a hard-working Board, perform to keep Arcadia Players the vibrant and creative organization that it has been for the past thirty years.
May our 30th anniversary season be as outstanding as all the years in the past!
Respectfully submitted,
Carolyn Holstein, Arcadia Players Board President
The Board of Directors of Arcadia Players have experienced the highs and the lows of shepherding our organization through this past season.
The high points for this season have again been in the outstanding early music that has been offered to our audiences in the Pioneer Valley and beyond. My personal favorite was the Mozart concert, with Ian performing at his best at the keyboard, and the superb orchestra behind him. The yearly Messiah concert has always been a draw as it was this past season, and for the first time we offered in the spring of 2019 a Celebrity Concert for two lutes, with Paul O'Dette and Ronn McFarlane, which was simply amazing. To end up the season, an all-Bach concert with Illuminati Vocal Ensemble, especially the a capella chorus parts, was memorable. Our heartfelt thanks go to Ian for organizing this and 14 other years of spectacular concerts for Arcadia Players!
Another high point of this past season was having two youth groups perform prior to two of our concerts – Kids 4 Harmony performed Mozart works to open the Mozart concert, and the Longmeadow High School Lyrics sang before the Bach concert. Both were well received. We hope to do the same, perhaps for the Messiah and Thiele concerts, for our 30th season.
The “lows” of this season were twofold:
First were the concert-related cash-flow problems, the first I’ve experienced in 5 years as President of the Board of Directors. Twice this year we had to ask for ‘loans’ from Board members in order to pay the musicians for an upcoming concert. Though we’ve ended the season in the black by about $3000 (see attached financial statement), it was nerve-wracking for me as President nonetheless. Here is a breakdown of our ticket sales numbers, which were lower than the previous year.
Mozart: 150 total tickets sold (18 subscriptions, 67 advance, 65 door)
Messiah: 410 total tickets sold (18 subscriptions, 213 advance, 58 group, 121 door)
Lutes: 150 total tickets sold (18 subscriptions, 96 advance, 36 door)
Bach: 125 total (18 subscriptions, 54 advance, 53 at door)
Second of our “lows” was the sudden resignation of our Artistic Director, Ian Watson. in April of this year. In looking back, some on the Board saw signs of this might be in prospect 2-3 years prior; we wish that his resignation might have given us more time to acknowledge and celebrate his accomplishments with Arcadia Players, as well as his retirement, and to find a replacement in a more timely manner.
The 30th Season concerts, determined by our capable Program Committee, will each be the responsibility of an individual Board member, and are now in the process of being finalized. A Board committee is already working on the search for a new Artistic Director. So here we are, facing our 30th anniversary season on our own. We’re going to do it! The Program Committee came up with a wonderful 30th anniversary season. It is:
Thirtieth Anniversary concert with Arcadia Players founder Margaret Irwin Brandon on the historic Fisk organ, Sunday, October 13, 2019, 3 pm, Abbey Chapel, Mt Holyoke College, joined by Arcadia Players co-founders Alice Robbins, viol, and Dana Maiben, violin
Friday, Dec 13, 2019, 7:30 pm, Our Lady of the Valley Church, Easthampton
Handel's Messiah with a chorus of soloists
Guest conductor - Woodrow Bynum
Feb 22, 2020 Sunday, 3 pm.
Arcadia Viols with vocal soloists and keyboard
Wesley Methodist Church, Hadley
Sunday, March 29, 2020, 7:30 pm, Our Lady of the Valley Church, Easthampton
Johann Theile's St Matthew Passion, with Illuminate Vocal Arts Ensemble
Guest conductor - Tony Thornton.
We continue to admire the outstanding pro bono service, even as she copes with significant illness, of our professional graphic designer, Diane Russell. Diane has been our graphic artist for many years and her choice of artwork and color for all of our posters, postcards, and program brochures is unsurpassed. She says that she loves working with us, and will continue. We highly value her loyalty, and under Arthur Kinney and Walter Denny’s direction, have created a Board Citation of Commendation with the signatures of all Board members on it. It will be a small token to humbly acknowledge all that Diane has given to us. Thank you again & again Diane!
Another volunteer we thank very much is Priscilla Drucker, who writes copy for us for advertising. Her accomplished and elegant writing, and her vast knowledge of all music, not just early music, is simply the best, and we are eternally grateful for her patience with us, as well as her generosity.
We give our thanks to our office manager Linda Babcock, who keeps the numerous loose ends tied up as best she can, keeps our financial house in order, and supplies us with needed information at our Board meetings. Thank you Linda from all of us!
Finally, the Board would like to thank all the volunteers who perform front-of-house work at the concerts, and to recognize among ourselves the significant contributions in all areas from concert management and public communications to grant applications and financial support, that all of us, as a hard-working Board, perform to keep Arcadia Players the vibrant and creative organization that it has been for the past thirty years.
May our 30th anniversary season be as outstanding as all the years in the past!
Respectfully submitted,
Carolyn Holstein, Arcadia Players Board President
