Annual Meeting Considers State of the Society-

Financial Challenges Top Agenda

The San Francisco Early Music Society held its annual membership meeting and first board meeting of the 2002-2003 year on September 17. The new board and officers (see accompanying story) spent most of the evening grappling with what is probably the most serious financial situation the Society has faced in the last decade.

Like most not-for-profit organizations, SFEMS faced a number of financial challenges during the past year. Attendance at concerts and workshops was somewhat depressed, as community members dealt with current economic and political uncertainties. More important, individual donations received during the year were considerably below even our conservative forecasts.

Fortunately, two special fund-raising campaigns-resulting in generous responses from a small group of life-long SFEMS supporters-fully compensated for the decline in general revenues and enabled the Society to meet and even slightly exceed its budget for the year. The experience, however, has provided an early warning for the future: general revenues are likely to continue to be weak, and we cannot depend on extraordinary contributions to make up the difference.

The critical issue is that over the past ten years SFEMS has not been able to develop sufficient financial support to pay for a full-time salaried administrator. Our expected revenues for the coming year are considerably less than what we would need both to run our programs and to pay a salaried executive. Therefore, the board determined that Rachel Winheld will not be replaced (see accompanying story). Instead, the Society will return to a structure that served us well in the early 1990s. Strong, program-oriented committees of board and community members, supported by occasional contract personnel and by volunteers, and coordinated by the Executive Committee, will administer the Society.

More than ever, we need the support of our members and our community. Of course, we need your continued financial contributions. But we also need your energy and creative input as volunteers, not only to continue SFEMS programs (e.g., ushering, mailing, telephoning, computer and clerical work, distribution of flyers and brochures, transportation and housing of performers), but also to help the Society to overcome challenges, and to grow and develop.

Some examples of the help we need are fund-raising, including telephone canvassing; identifying foundations and other potential funding sources and writing grant proposals targeted at them; and helping to expand SFEMS's membership base, particularly to a younger audience.

The Concert Committee urgently needs help in scheduling concerts for the 2003-2004 concert season and in negotiating with ensembles.

We also need consultation and advice about how better to use computer equipment in the drafting, printing and distribution of the Society's publications and publicity, as well as help in upgrading the SFEMS web site, so that it becomes an important communications and marketing tool.

All SFEMS committees will soon meet to prepare annual budgets and assess their needs for help to support their administrative functions. By the time you receive this newsletter, the committees will have defined what they need.

We will keep you posted, and you can volunteer by calling the Society at 510-528-1725 or by emailing us at sfems@sfems.org. And, as always, we want to hear your suggestions and criticisms.

It is important to put the current situation in perspective. Though the challenges we face are serious, the Society is equipped to deal with them. Our grass roots run deep, as much in terms of our "culture" as our community support. We are used to operating frugally. Our overhead is minimal. There is no SFEMS office to maintain; our small, dedicated staff works either on-site or out of their homes. Instead of paying for accommodations, we house visiting performers in our community. We also operate on a much higher percentage of earned revenues than most other non-profit arts groups and rely less heavily on dwindling foundation grants.

With your support, SFEMS will still be able to offer the Bay Area a concert series, summer workshops, children's educational programs, this newsletter, and much more, all at a total cost less than that of a single symphony performance.

The Society has overcome worse crises in the past. In the mid-1980s, SFEMS hit a rough patch, during which membership declined, this newsletter was gutted, and ultimately we almost lost our non-profit status. That we not only recovered, but emerged far stronger, is a testament to the dedication of a community that understood the importance of our survival.

With your continued support, SFEMS will emerge from its current difficulties stronger still.

New SFEMS Board and Officers

The main purpose of the annual SFEMS membership meeting is election of a new board of directors. The board then elects officers for the year. The new board includes Britt Ascher, Lisa Capaldini, Louise Carslake, David Cates, Robert Cole, Marie Collins, John Danielsen, Gerry Greer, Violet Grgich, Robert Jackson, Adair Langston, William Langston, John Mark, Karen Nebelkopf, Kate van Orden, Mike Peterson, Hanneke van Proosdij, Gonzalo Ruiz, Richard Stumpf, Ellen Thiel, Michele U, Barbara Van Slyke, and Priscilla Winslow.

Bill Langston was elected to succeed John Danielsen as SFEMS President; Hanneke van Proosdij and Priscilla Winslow will serve as co-Vice Presidents; Robert Jackson continues as Secretary, and Ellen Thiel is the new Treasurer.

Committee chairs for the 2002-2003 year are Adair Langston (Concert Committee), Priscilla Winslow (Education Committee), and Bill Langston (Outreach Committee). The Development Committee chair is currently vacant.

The board accepted the resignation of Executive Director Rachel Winheld, effective as of September 30. Rachel resigned for personal reasons after only four months at SFEMS. She will be missed, and we extend our best wishes to her.