at Stringfest, Goffstown, NH

Present:  John Cosgriff, Marilyn Johnson, Katherine Knowles, Charlene Ledoux, Lynne McMahon, Marjorie Nelson, Chris Nourse, Muriel Orcutt, Steve Organek, Bev Ramstrom-Manning, Ellen Schwindt, Laurie Strubbe, Anthony Varga, Edward Wall, Melissa Waterhouse, Sally Wituszynski, Alison Yankowskas.

1.  Minutes from January 31, 2009 are approved.

2.  Treasurer’s report.  Our current balance is $10, 073; however, all Stringfest expenses have NOT been paid yet.

3.  National Convention news.  Charlene Ledoux reports that they had the largest attendance ever at their national convention.  There was a lot of controversy about being incorporated at the national level.  Each state chapter can affiliate with the Parent Organization and have the same tax-exempt purposes as the National Office. Information is on the national web site.  Individual state chapters get no rebate if they do not sign on to the “Chapter Affiliation Agreement” under the national umbrella.  There is no fee for individual chapters, but there are stipulations.
We tabled the issue about signing on until the June meeting, after we have looked over information that Charlene will send us.
This is particularly confusing to us since we as a chapter just finalized being incorporated ourselves very recently.
Charlene Ledoux also won some music at the national convention:  “Largo” by Sandra Dackow (Grade 2).  Charlene asks that whoever conducts Orchestra 3 should at least consider using this at next year’s Stringfest.

4.  Julie Lyonn  Lieberman workshop update.  Marjorie Nelson again passes out a registration form and repeats info about the upcoming Lieberman workshop the following Saturday.  About a half dozen of the teachers that are present, plan to attend.

5.  Nominating Committee.  Steve Organek will take over as President in June, and Charlene Ledoux will become Past President.  Tony Varga is willing to become President Elect after he joins NHASTA.  Melissa Waterhouse will become Member-at-Large rather than Membership Chair.  Instead, part of the President’s job will be updating the membership list.  This will be easier because the President is the one who regularly gets updates on the membership list from the National Office.
Marjorie Nelson will continue as Secretary, and Laurie Strubbe will continue to be Treasurer.
Alison Yankowskas will be a Member-at-Large.  John Cosgriff will continue to be a member of the Board and so will Muriel Orcutt.  However, Chris Nourse is resigning from the Board.
Lynne McMahon will continue to be in charge of Stringfest registration.
Does Larry Veal want to remain on the Board?
Charlene Ledoux will contact Chris Hill about the possibility of joining the Board.

6.  New business.  The Southern Maine Summer Camp (Camp Hawthorne) has been moved from SMU to Raymond, Maine, near Sebago.  Small cabins, boats, and a basketball court are all available for use.  Three orchestras will be included, ranging in age from 10 years through high school age.  The younger students commute, but older students stay overnight for a week in August.  The Junior Orchestra is about Orchestra Three level.  The Intermediate Orchestra is junior high and middle school level, and the Advanced Orchestra is for high school students.  Go to the Maine ASTA web site for more information.
A new rule now is that we are able to join any state chapter of ASTA that we want, not necessarily the chapter of the state in which we reside, as previously  required!

Mary Eckstein is recommended as a good clinician.  Charlene Ledoux was impressed with her workshop at the National Convention about how to deal with difficult students and their parents.  She has her own private studio in Maine.

The meeting is adjourned at 1:00 pm in order to continue rehearsals at Stringfest.
The next Board meeting will be held at MCMS on Saturday, June 6, 2009 at 10am.

Respectfully submitted,
Marjorie Nelson
NHASTA Secretary