Help!!! MUSIC COUNCIL

[umar]

Hey everyone! My school doesn't have a Music Council, but I m starting one this year with the help of Annie (crazy Annie - OELC alumni). I have big plans, but not sure where to begin . I need to know what kind of things Music Council does, how many members should it have, how should we pick the members, whats its structure like etc etc. And I would really like to know how the budget is dealt with, and what kind of events does your school Music Council organize. Please, please, help me; make suggestions, tell me about your school Music Council. I would really appreciate all your comments and suggestions.

Thx
Umar

[Cam]

I would also like some suggestions, as I'm beginning a music council this year, along with Kaitlyn French.
As far as I know, we will be responsible for music events / fundraisers throughout the year, trying to get more people to join the music program, and we might have a hand in choosing some of the music that is ordered. There are a few more things that are slipping my mind right now, but anymore ideas / advice would be appreciated.

[zippyzack]

As a new Chairman of my Music Council, I too am learning, but I do have some suggestions:

You'll need people to hold many other positions!
1. Secretary
2. Public Relations (essential for getting the word out about events)
3. Events Coordinators (getting acts up the stage/wherever you are performing on the big event)
4. Tech reps for the lighting/sound
5. Anything else....

At our school, we have biannual Music Nights, one in November, one in May. Each act gets to perform three pieces. Who performs:
Junior Concert Band
Senior Concert Band
Junior Stageband
Senior Stageband
Festival Choir
Man Choir
Jazz Choir
(ensembles if we have any)

This year, we're also have a Musicathon, where from 7pm until 7am, the music program students stay overnight in the school, playing music, playing dodgeball/super cool games in the gym/tag in the corridors/etc.

[jenn12]

Alohaaa,

We don't have a specific "Music" Council at my school, we have an Arts Council that handles everything. What we do at my school is that we handle all the Arts events (fundraisers, shows, Arts activities, etc.)

In the council, we don't hold any positions other than the Arts prefect, and we all contribute ideas. Each year, we have some events that need to be planned (a film festival, photography competition, cabaret [equivalent of Zack's music nights], Living Arts Centre Arts day, Arts Week and a weekly Arts trivia), and the council helps us out by deciding the venues, number of people, exclusivity, programme etc, just general logistics for each event and try to improve it from the last year. For example, right now we're dealing with our November Cabaret and first we're trying to solve any problems that happened last year (one of them being that there weren't enough seats for the student body and the parents). after that, you'll get into details such as which ensembles will perform and whether or not you want an MC or a reception after, who's going to take care of the programme, set up and take down, advertising and anything else you'll need to make it the best show possible. =P we generally depend on the classes to choose fun, interesting pieces that the audience will enjoy (doesn't always happen), so what actually happens in the show isn't always up to us.

wow, hope my novel helps lmaooo byeee*xoxo!

[orchid]

Indeed you will need a team of executives, who are usually elected the previous year (but in your case, just appoint them for the first year.
In our music council, we have:
1. President
2. Vice-President
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer

We get our funding from the Music Department, which is basically pretty good lol.

We allow anyone and everyone who wants to help out in the Music Department to join the Music Council, and hold weekly meetings discussing upcoming music events.

All of the members are grouped into groups of 10 (and they come up with a name), and two individuals are elected the "leaders" of their groups. These two people will be responsible for telling their group what tasks they will be doing and when to come to help out.
E.g. for music events we hand out these tasks:

1. Selling tickets at lunch
2. Cutting tickets at lunch
3. Selling refreshments during the show
4. Guarding doors
5. Ticket selling/taking at the door
6. Creating Posters
7. Decorating & set-up

Hope that helps!

[Joshua]

Well at PHS we have PAC, Preston Arts Council, this involves Music,Drama and Art (Photogrophy). we've got a group of 25 (including the five teachers) we have Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Public relations, three engineers (look after each of the arts rooms) and the respective reps. the role of our council is well primarily the job we applied for, as a group we: come up with ideas for the concerts + setup and take down, trips, promoting the arts and concerts, etc. basically what the student council does except its for the arts(and WAy kooler cuz of that). also when tasks need to be done we can sign up for sub commities and basicaly do what we have to do. I'll use my self as an example: I was charged with Senior band and Jazz/Stage Band, as well as in charge of the overall setup for various performences, do stuff fro the musoc room etc.

in a basic meeting we will all sit down have like a small game ie "the tempreture game" go through ideas for the up coming concerts, ideas for the up coming trips, music spirit wear, etc. decide who will be responsible for what, break up into smaller groups, do what we have to do and then report back to the chair of how things will be done.

Chair
- meet teacher advisor(s) to set agenda for each meeting
- lead weekly meetings (have overhead of agenda for meeting)
- help plan concerts, events, performences, etc.
- work with secritary/treasurer to set programs for shows
- Liaison to adminstration and Student council
- deligate nessisary responsibilities to members of council
- create correspondance for thank yous and invitations
- responsible for after school set-up and post-show strike for all arts events
- sit on sub comitties

Secretary
- create and post minutes for all meetings
- responsible for setting deadlines and gathering group write-ups for show programs
- in conselation with the chair, create programs for all shows
- keep council board up to date with needed messages and announcements
- create post sign-up lists for events, lunch duties, etc.
- responsible for after school set-up and post-show strike for all arts events
- sit on sub comitties

Treasurer
- work closely with secretary in setting up group lists and collecting group fees
- collect all monies and permission forms for trips/excursions
- set up ticket collection (tracking sheets, cash box and float) for all concerts/performences
- work closely with staff advisor to count and prepare money for deposit to Student Council
- assist with fund raising ventures
- responsible for after school set-up and post-show strike for all arts events
- sit on sub comitties

Public Relations & Special Events
- make daily announcements as needed (cheak with staff advisors every morning)
- responsible for design and creating the council board outside the music room (pics of council members/ description of each of the different extra curricular activities)
- Create posters and advertisements for events in drama, music and art
- create tickets for all the events
- distribute/hang posters for the performances
- work with secretary and chair to coordinate themes for special events (Concerts, Harmony, Arts Awards, Coffee House)
- responsible for after school set-up and post-show strike for all arts events
- sit on sub comitties

Group Reps: Choirs, Bands, Open Stage, Drama, Art
- attendance/ collection of absent slips
- file collect, distribute various supplies
- create fan out lists
- create wright ups for the secretery(by due dates)
- comunicate council infomation to groups
- represent group at various events (open house, etc.)
- responsible for after school set-up and post-show strike for all arts events
- sit on sub comitties

Room Engineers: Music, Drama, Art
- in charge of general clean up and organization, to their set room
- matinence and repairs
- inventory
- rehersal sheets
- General services based on designated room
- responsible for after school set-up and post-show strike for all arts events
- sit on sub comitties

Extra Mile - Member(s) (given this position on top of that of their regular council position)
- works with each and every member to accomplish various set tasks
- picks up the slack
- performes various services which go beyond that of a normal member
- does the bulk of the set-up
- odd jobs
- charged with various extra responsibilities and tasks
- etc.
(to sum it up nearly that of the chair, and then some, ment for a more experienced/senior member who knows the know how)

Hope all this infomation is useful to you guys who are starting up a music council at your school, for any further info or explenations just ask, cuz I've got plenty more info etc.

[grayhambannerman]

As a grade rep this year at my school, all I have to say is get things done, it doesn't matter how you do it because as you go along your internal structure, along with goals and plans will probably have to change a bit, but just remember you are there to make your schools music program more efficient, better organized, and hopefully higher quality.

[kevinj]

Hey guys, I'm exec at Newtonbrook for the MOB (Music Of Brook) and we just got back from a music retreat we had up in Caledon. As you might or might not know, I was up at OELC with 3 other colleagues of mine, Erica Kowal, Maia Foster and Dana Yoon and at this retreat we each did LD's for the entire council (19 people). I think this is a great idea for all of you fledgling councils out there because it's really relaxing out in the middle of no where and you get to teach your LD's again. Also, you're pretty much stacking your team with leaders after that because they now know about Vodss and Solar and stuff like that. We also talked about the structure of our council and how it's going to work. Right now we're in an executive structure, with 5 execs selected by the council who oversee activities and get things done. Those 5 execs are the heads of 5 different sections of the council, like repertoire, communications and stuff like that. Individual sections are required to get together independently if there is a small issue at hand that only affects the given section. If a larger problem comes around, like our trip to New York in April, for instance, all the sections come together at the meeting. It's sort of like tribes gathering at a ceremony:P We're also painting our music office and decking it out with computer, tv, fridge, couch and this really helps the bonding aspect, as it's something we all work on together and benefit from. Those are some of my ideas rite now, if you're still awake by now, good job and i'll c u guys later

[jenn12]

Hey i have a question for you guys: suppose you're starting a new club with a friend - how do you decide who's the head of the council, and who's associate head?

[zippyzack]

Usually we do a vote for positions, but for head, it's pretty much always given to an OELC alumni at my school. If you are the only OELC alumni on the council, you should probably lead, as chances are, you are the best match for it. If you just hold a vote where anyone can be leader, it can turn into a popularity contest, where the winner isn't always the best choice.

[jenn12]

hmm...i'm not sure how OELC would play into this - I'm not really referring to an arts thing. I'm starting up an editing club with a friend of mine, and she's a native speaker of hte language, and the only reason I would think I'd do a better job is because she's not really too responsible and I'm scared she'll let things slide.