Newsletter To Be Named Later
August 27, 2013
Strategic Plan on the Stand
Volume 1, Issue 2
San Luis Obispo Wind Orchestra, www.slowinds.org
This periodic
newsletter is
published by
and for the
playing
members of the
San Luis
Obispo Wind
Orchestra. Its
purpose is to
enhance
communication
among the
membership
and with the
board of
directors.
Contributions
are welcome
and
encouraged.
Individual
Highlights:
Shannon’s
Message
2
Financial Picture 2
Personnel
Changes
3
Music Links
4
This Newsletter 4
Strategic Plan
5
Dave Strickler
Editor
This newsletter edition is particularly intended to update you, the membership,
on the August 24 Board of Directors meeting results.
Involvement Opportunities Abound!
In these days of high
unemployment, SLO Winds
offers a solution: many ways
to put your time and talent to
excellent use!
As you will read in
Shannon’s message on page
2, SLO Winds has big plans,
but also big costs. It’s us, the
membership, who have to
take up the slack. Here are
some specific -- and fun -ways to help.

BravoSLO is a
showcase of SLO arts
organizations at the
SLO PAC. SLO Winds
will be presenting there
and needs a helping
hand. You can staff the
information desk, play in
a group, present a
“creative interaction and
engagement,” recruit
new members, and
present an ambassadorial face to the SLO
arts community. That’s
Saturday, October 19 at
the PAC.



The KCBX Fall
Pledge Drive is
coming up, and SLO
Winds has committed
to take phone pledges
on Tuesday, Sept. 24,
9 a.m. til noon (during
Morning Cup of Jazz).
We get on-air promos
in compensation,
during concert week,
and phone volunteers
get to see the inside
operation of radio and
eat some nice snacks.
One to two kindly
voiced volunteers.
Marketing planning
for upcoming concerts,
September and
Queen, is in high gear,
and needs high-energy
assistance.
Critical eyes are
needed to help
examine the
Strategic Plan. Sept.
9 meeting, Cuesta
Music Library, 7 p.m.

Board committee
positions are very
open. Please note the
organizational chart
on page 5.

The SLO Winds
newsletter needs a
good editor. Do you
like to write?

Don’t see a role that
appeals to you?
Create your own!
What’s your strength?
What are you proud
of? How might your
special talent benefit
SLO Winds?
Please contact Shannon
McNeely at
Shannon.mcneely@gmail.
com with your offer.
And she might very well
ask you, too!
Newsletter To Be Named Later
Page 2 of 5
From the President
musically; a place where
we can have fun with our
friends and play the level
of music that no one else
plays.
But the SLO Wind
Orchestra is financially in
trouble.
Your Board of Directors
is trying to remedy this.
Shannon McNeely, President, and Sarah We have established
Maggelet, Executive Director
goals to be completed by
June of 2015, and if they
are achieved, we will be
Friends,
well on our way to a
The SLO Wind
financially secure and
Orchestra is a wonderful
vibrant wind orchestra that
organization that we all
is recognized throughout
cherish. We really
the county.
appreciate having an
To achieve these goals,
outlet for our musicianwe are revamping board
ship; a group that
responsibilities,
encourages us to grow
establishing several
committees to distribute
the workload, and
seriously addressing
community outreach and
attracting donors and
sponsors.
However, your board
cannot do this alone.
There is too much work
for just the board to
complete successfully. We
must have the
participation of the
members of the SLO
Wind Orchestra for us to
succeed. No matter how
small the contribution,
everyone needs to step up
and be counted. If we
want the SLO Wind
Orchestra to survive, if we
are passionate about
having a place to play, this
is the time for you to “walk
the talk” and volunteer.
We need people in
marketing, fundraising,
events, and other
important tasks. No effort
is too small.
You can volunteer for
the season or for just a
period of time. We
welcome all. If you
treasure this organization
as much as you say you
do, be counted!
-
Shannon
McNeely,
President, Board
of Directors
What’s Our Financial Picture?
You may wonder how
SLOWO gets the money to
operate. Or you may think
the $38 you pay Cuesta
College every half-year
covers our expenses. Not
quite.
We have plenty of
expenses, such as music
purchases, executive
director salary, guest artists,
venue rental, insurance, and
promotion (ads, brochures,
etc.) Even though our
directors are not paid, total
expenses for 2013-2014 are
expected to be more than
$22,000.
How do we pay for this?
Ticket sales only cover
about 35% of our expenses.
Fundraisers and grants
cover a bit more. But we
receive no direct support
from any governmental
organization, as the SLO
County Band does, so we
may face a very significant
shortfall for 2013-2014.
The band has lost money
for the last several years.
Not a pretty picture.
Through Jenn Martin’s
very good offices, we
avoid a very great deal of
expense because
rehearsal and performance space at Cuesta,
use of percussion
equipment, and program
printing costs us nothing.
So the financial situation
would be much worse
without Cuesta College.
SLOWO does maintain an
endowment fund that can
be tapped for operating
expenses, but it will not
last long with large annual
shortfalls. And there is a
substantial separate
endowment fund, but it
can used only for
scholarships.
If we run out of money,
we face closure.
How do we survive
financially? See the
Strategic Plan, page 5.
We raise prices, sell more
tickets, perform more
outreach, and bring in
more donations. And we
all have to help.
Have You
Registered?
Since the SLO Winds is a
community program of
Cuesta College, all playing
members must register
with Cuesta. Without a
minimum number of
paying registrants, we
risk losing the use of this
fine facility.
Three ways to register:
1. Go to
www.communityprogram
s.net
2. Call (805) 546-3132
3. Go in person to Bldg.
4700, SLO Campus
(closed 12-1 p.m.)
The fee is a very low $38.
Page 3 of 5
Newsletter To Be Named Later
An Old Friend Returns
Chungsam Doh will be
rejoining us to conduct a
piece on the December
concert.
Chungsam was a
frequent guest conductor
of the San Luis Obispo
Wind Orchestra from 2005
to 2011, when he moved
to San Diego, and he was
a favorite of both
audiences and players
with his enthusiasm for the
music.
Lieutenant Commander
Doh served as the leader
of the South Korean Navy
Band for 14 years, before
immigrating to the United
States in 1974. He has
served as music director of
several Protestant
churches in our area and
Bakersfield, as well as on
the board of the SLO
Symphony, among other
music assignments.
Please welcome
Chungsam when he
returns to conduct Jared
Barnes’s Adventum in the
December concert.
Other guest conductors
are scheduled throughout
our season, starting with
David Rackley and David
Roberts for the September
concert. Jennifer Martin,
Associate Director, will of
course be conducting us
every concert.
Bill takes the WASBE baton.
Embrace the New
Membership turnover is
a fact of life for all
volunteer community
organizations, and the
San Luis Obispo Wind
Ensemble has its share
for the first rehearsal.
Departed, sadly, are
William Preston, clarinet,
Patrick Fina, tenor sax,
and Bill Garn, clarinet.
Bev Young, tenor sax,
Brian Coggins, oboe, and
Chris Woodruff, trumpet,
will miss the first concert.
Several new members
as well as returning
members will be joining us
for the first rehearsal on
September 29th, however,
and we look forward to
having them.
We SLOWO-ians are a
chatty bunch, and pretty
decent folk when you get
to know us. Sometimes,
though, it’s a little difficult
to break into the circle. A
couple of new members
have felt somewhat left
out during their first
rehearsals with us.
Please don’t miss a
chance to be friendly. If
you have a new member
in your section, introduce
yourself and get to know
the new guy’s
background. If you see a
new face across the room,
go over and introduce
yourself. Make sure the
new member meets the
conductors and the
section principals. Explain
how we do things. Tell
them that you’re glad
they’re there, and that you
look forward to playing
with them for a long time.
Sad News on the National Wind Band Front
The United States Marine Band announced last week that its 2013 National Tour
has been cancelled. Scheduled for the Midwest, the tour fell victim to the federal government’s costcutting measures arising from the sequestration actions taken by Congress and the Obama
Administration at the beginning of the year. The Marine Band, “The President’s Own,” may still be
coming our way in the fall of 2014.
The U.S. Army Field Band was scheduled to tour California this fall, but a spokesman told me just
this morning that the band will have to “remain parked” in Maryland this fall as well..
Newsletter To Be Named Later
Page 4 of 5
Concert Music Connection
Have you played any of the September concert music yet? It’s great fun -- and some is even
scary.
Here is the repertoire list for the first concert, with links to a sound file of each piece for
you to listen to and play along with.
Selections from “Shifter”
http://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&type=audio&productID=10361481
Video Games Live (Part 1)
http://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/search.jsp?keywords=10032948
Video Games Live (Part 2)
http://www.jwpepper.com/Video-Games-Live---Part-2/10051158.item#.UeQbkNKTj0R
Finish the fight
This arrangement is in manuscript. No sound file
Frenergy
http://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/search.jsp?keywords=10293768
The Incredibles
http://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/search.jsp?keywords=2480136
Of Sailors and Whales
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDAlyMmyO3w (Preview)
To get your music, a) pick it up on a Tuesday night Atascadero Community Band concert in
the park in Atascadero, b) ask Dave to mail it to you (for a small fee), or c) contact Dave to
work out a possible delivery to home or office. [email protected]
A Note About This Newsletter…
As
much
fun as
sightreading
is, it’s anisinefficient
useThird,
of rehearsal
time,
commodity
The
primary
purpose
of this newsletter
to
the use of
the a
term
SLOWO we
may soon be
never
seem
to
have
enough
of.
The
more
we
accomplish
note-wise
before
the
first
keep you, the playing members, more
eliminated -- it doesn’t tell non-members
much
rehearsal,
the more
timeplans
we have
to sweat the smallabout
stuff and
put
together
a
fine
concert.
informed about
SLOWO
and events.
who we are and what we do -- in favor of
Second, this newsletter is a means for twosomething like “SLO Winds.” So last newsletter’s
way communication, especially since there’s
clever title had to go.
no time for discussion during rehearsals. The
Please suggest a new newsletter title: something
board can keep you up to date through the
eye-catching and descriptive of news and our
newsletter, and you can keep the board aware
group -- “Wind Word” maybe? No prizes, but
of your thoughts, concerns, goals, complaints,
you’ll get your name in the newsletter.
or maybe even compliments.
Finally, yours truly now has three duties with
SLOWO: newsletter editor, secretary of the
How, you ask.
board, and librarian. That’s about two duties too
many, especially with as many talented people as
A new Letters to the Editor box is
there are in our group to share the load. So here’s
available online. You can really use this
a call for a new newsletter editor. You just need
comment box to say anything you want to the
an interest in wind band music in general and
board, not just respond to the newsletter. You
SLOWO (or whatever new name) in particular,
can sign your name or remain anonymous.
some communication skill, some writing
And anyone can read the discussion. We
experience, and a deep and abiding love of
really do want to know what you think. Just
Microsoft Word formatting ;{>. About six
click on this link:
newsletters a year would be good, but more is
even better. And you can enlist any help you
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nxJz0i6
want. Just contact me to sign on.
TuSylKjsmIrRjAS4z5XG8jhl4Q5tY4vHCxz
Q/edit?usp=sharing
-Dave Strickler, [email protected]
Newsletter To Be Named Later
Page 5 of 5
Strategic Plan on the Stand
A well-ordered nonprofit organization
like SLO Winds needs a set of
principles that set forth a) its goals,
b) the steps required to meet those
goals, and c) the means to measure
progress toward those goals.
SLO Winds leadership has
developed just such a guiding
Strategic Plan. The Plan began a
process of scrutiny by the board at
th
the August 24 board meeting.
Entitled “With a Little Help from our
Friends,” the plan’s goals are based
on an analysis of the results of the
person-to-person membership
survey that most of us took during
the summer. The Plan seeks to
accomplish the goals we said we
wanted for our group. The Plan
contains a general vision, general
goals, and specific steps to reach
those goals.
The mission statement -- the
vision, whose wording is still evolving
-- currently reads: “The SLO Wind
Orchestra’s fundamental purpose is
to perform classical and
contemporary wind music at the
highest level. The mission of the San
Luis Obispo Wind orchestra is to
enrich the cultural climate of San
Luis Obispo County with entertaining
and educational performances; to
provide educational and cultural
outreach to the community through
performance, seminars and
scholarship; and to provide
opportunities for volunteer musicians
to play for the pure joy of it.”
organizational policies.
Events - to create, set up and
execute all events, from
concerts to fundraisers.
Three general, measureable goals
were proposed:

Double concert attendance while
increasing revenue per person;

Achieve $25,000 in corporate and
individual donations per year;

Increase perception and
awareness of the organization.
So that’s what we want to do. How do
we do it? The Strategic Plan proposes
six committees:
Marketing/Publicity - to increase
attendance through advertising,
and to increase audience diversity.
Finance/Budgeting - to develop
and maintain budgets and
Development - to raise money
through individual and corporate
donations, creating an
environment where donors feel
appreciated.
Artistic - to program music that
is appealing to a wide audience
and to playing members.
Personnel - to recruit and
manage Wind Orchestra
membership.
These committees will be guided
by board members and Sarah
Maggelet, the Executive Director,
but all playing members will be
asked to contribute time and talent
to make them effective.
A vibrant organization depends on
the efforts, not just musical, of all its
members.
Proposed organizational chart