AMATEUR CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY
Kirribilli Concerts – Role of the Organiser

 

The ACMS program of concerts is held at the Kirribilli Neighbourhood Centre.  As necessary, liaise in advance with the Centre on 9922 4428, info@kirribilli.org.au. 

Preparing for your concert

Secure performance items for your concert. Progressively send details of these to the Coordinator, currently George Carrard, and to Ian Butler to be put on the website, and to Felicia Mitchell for the preparation of the program.

Confirm that all performers are financial members of ACMS. Advise non-members that they must join or become financial before the day of the concert. For those who are not members or who are unfinancial, direct them to the ACMS website, https://acms-australia.org/ where they can join ACMS or renew their membership. If someone does not want to become a member (just for one concert) then ask them to contribute to the cost of the venue at the door -- whatever they think is appropriate.

Build a program of up to about 70 minutes’ duration, which would include a few minutes’ introduction and concluding remarks and time between items. Playing time would therefore be around 60 minutes, but this is flexible. In such a concert format, ask your groups to consider the length of individual items.

Arrange the items into an interesting and varied program. As we are a chamber music society, we accept ensembles rather than solo items.

Performers playing copyrighted music should play from commercially published copies of the work.

Organisers may wish to publish program notes about the works in their program. These should be provided by you or the individual groups, but are not mandatory. Felicia Mitchell (0412724146) can assist with the production of the program, but not its printing. A template for concert programs is available.

Email the program notes to the Coordinator and to Felicia Mitchell.
The current Coordinator is George Carrard 0412 704 426  george_carrard@yahoo.com.au
Print 40 copies of the program and bring them to the concert.

Email the program to the membership list and the concerts list as soon as it is finalised.  This is basic advertising for the concert. acms-membership@acms-australia.org

If costs are incurred and you require reimbursement, advise the Coordinator before the beginning of the concert. You will be reimbursed from door takings.

As necessary, liaise with the person on duty at the Kirribilli Centre, Roger on 0418 465 587.

Concerts are held in the upstairs gallery which is available to us for sound checks and rehearsal from 1.00pm. Sound checks should conclude by 2.40pm to allow patrons to enter the gallery for a 3.00 pm start. If any of your groups wish to rehearse at other times, you or they may be able to arrange this through the Centre Manager, which may charge a discount Community Rate.

On the day

You or a spokesperson for one of your groups welcomes people to the concert and thanks them for supporting ACMS. The Coordinator will do this if you prefer.

The audience should be invited to stay for light refreshments (wine, juice, cheese, nibbles) at the conclusion of the concert. The Centre needs to be vacated by 5.00pm.

The President and/or the Coordinator are usually present as well as ACMS volunteers assisting with the concert.

Introduce each item, or arrange for one performer from each group to announce their own item. Items with published program notes optionally may or may not be announced. Advise the performers that any additional information they provide to the audience should be brief and pertinent.

At the conclusion of the concert, ask patrons to assist by stacking the chairs against the wall. 

The role of ACMS  Venue Manager

Purchase food for the evening refreshments. This could include cheeses, savoury biscuits, chips, dips, grapes and orange juice. Either before the concert or at interval the venue manager may need to buy wine from the bottle shop just around the corner in the shopping centre, but will check first what we have in stock in the ACMS cupboard. The usual order is 3 bottles of white, 3 bottles of red but these can adjusted according to the weather and audience size. This is usually enough for a full house. Obtain a receipt from the BWS bottle shop. If at interval it is apparent that there is a larger crowd than usual you might need to buy some extra bottles. Naturally the choice of wine is from the best specials available. Unopened bottles should be stored in the ACMS cupboard.

Ensure that the collapsible tables are brought out to the gallery and set up for supper. At the conclusion of the light refreshments, ensure that the trestle tables are returned to the room next to the Green Room.

In the rare event that neither the President, nor the Coordinator, nor the ACMS Venue Manager is in attendance, it becomes the Organiser’s responsibility to carry out the tasks described above, or to delegate them to another person. 

If you have any difficulties or an emergency arises, contact the Centre representative, Roger, on 0418 465 587 or the Coordinator as appropriate and then, if necessary, the President, currently Sue Butler, on 0400 677 455.

Thank you for taking on this very valuable role.

ACMS Committee