Opening
The executive meeting of the Los Angeles Symphonic Winds Board Meeting was called to order at 9:31with 10:30am start for open board meeting on October 7, 2017 in Woodland Hills by Stephen Piazza.
Present
Steve P., Steve W., Kathy, Arlene, Sy, Chuck, Eileen, Bob, Sue A., Mary, Debbie, Marv
Approval of Agenda
The agenda was unanimously approved as distributed.
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the previous meeting were unanimously approved as distributed.
Open Issues
Dues: $7,200 collected currently. New members with late start will pay an $80 prorated fee.
Oktoberfest Concert & Reception Review:
- Calabasas Stage Crew need to be present for sound and lighting requests before, during and after the concert.
- There was good feedback on the concert with a concert attendee’s opinion — they felt that the 2nd half was stronger.
- Good turnout at the reception, surprisingly large crowd (perhaps around 60?).
- The restaurant was not a cooperative as promised with tables reserved intermittently and not in a grouping. Ultimately, the patrons seemed to enjoy the reception.
- Steve suggested in the future the LA Wind Performers could mingle more with the concert attendees to promote good will at post-concert events.
Non-profit filing status: The Articles of Incorporation will be filed on Monday, October 9, 2017 with the By-Laws Report. Current sharing of Non-Profit Status triangle with San Fernando Valley Symphony and Center Stage Opera will be dissolved when LASW Non-Profit Status is achieved.
Band Sponsorship:
- Ralph’s Program:
- Annual renewal required for those who have signed up for the Ralph’s donations. Sy will attempt to obtain our Ralph’s summary and other pertinent information from Richard Lewis.
- Food For Less – Another program that ties into the Ralph’s Cards (same ID). Needs to be added information those shoppers in our Ralph’s verbiage.
- Marv stated that Ralph’s contribution will diminish with increased participant enrollees. Hope to add Amazon Smile when 501c3 status is obtained.
- Donation Forms distributed at Oktoberfest concert generated 2 $50 donations from attendees.
- Checks for donations should be made to Los Angeles Symphonic Winds Association.
- Sponsorship form and information needs to be added to the LA Winds Site.
New Business
Mary will accept membership to the San Fernando Valley Arts Council for LASW representation.
Upcoming Holiday Concert and Reception:
- Four Center Stage Opera singers will be featured therefore Center Stage Opera subscribers can attend with their Opera subscriptions for no additional entry fee. Steve will inform them with Kathy following up.
- The Cookie Baking Contest will take place (a repeat of last year’s contest).
- Cookie Crew: Arlene, Mary and Eileen
- Band Members only to participate and bring their baked items
- Row A – performance hall will be the location to drop off the cookies
- Early access permitted to auditorium for participants to drop off their box of cookies.
- Submit cookies in a cardboard box with a page pasted to the inside of the box top with your photo (holding your instrument would be great!), name, contact information, Cookie name, and recipe. These will be on display behind your cookies for the contest.
Future Concert: Goal to include high school band students from Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies (SOCER).
Next Concert: November 19th Chamber Concert
- Takes place at a smaller venue (Sherman Oaks Woman’s Club) with limited parking
- Two (1pm & 4pm) performances to accommodate our concert goers
- The members will provide shuttle cars on Seloma (parallel to Kester) to transport attendees to the venue.
- Current Count: 1pm – 35 tickets sold, 4pm – 70 tickets sold.
- Parking lot attendant volunteers needed to inform ambulatory concert attendess to park elsewhere.
Agenda for Next Meeting
- Non-profit filing status.
- Chamber Concert preparations.
Adjournment
Meeting was adjourned at 12:25pm by Stephen Piazza. The next general meeting will be at 10:30am on November 4, 2017, in Woodland Hills.
Minutes submitted by: Charles Fernandez
Approved by: Susan Anderson
We hope you can join us at 6 pm this Sunday, September 24th at LACMA “Sundays Live” concert. Come see us in the beautiful Bing Theatre – it’s free! Visit the 
We run an online oboe and English horn reed shop based out of Pittsburgh, and we are writing to inquire if there are any oboists in your ensemble who would be interested in purchasing handmade, professional quality reeds for themselves or their students. We are both conservatory trained, professional oboists freelancing in the Pittsburgh area and supply reeds to our students, double reed companies, and players across the country. We’d appreciate it if you could pass along our information to your oboists, and please let us know if you have any questions!
As the nearly 500 of you who attended our Mother’s Day concert know, our celebration of women who changed the course of history was a wonderful tribute to women of the past—and to those of you women of today who made our “Season of Independence” so successful. The complimentary roses and beautifully packaged candy were simply our way of saying “thank you”. In order to give equal time to our men subscribers and friends, we’ll have a special gift package for them at our June 18 Father’s Day concert. And the music promises to be no less exciting.
This Sunday’s “Extraordinary Women” concert promises to take you on one of the most fascinating journeys of your LA Winds season. From the 15th century heroine Joan of Arc to the present-day royalty of Queen Elizabeth, the Winds will share with you the power, majesty and beauty of some of history’s most influential women.
I’ve been a band member since 1994. After speaking with bandmate Bob Crosby after a rehearsal of another group we played in, he suggested that I call Steve Piazza. I did so, telling him about my clarinet background. He replied with: “We can always use good ones.” Within 5 minutes of my first rehearsal, I knew I was finally in the right place. Playing with the LA Winds has led to years of enrichment, playing before appreciative home audiences and going on many great ventures, including 5 European trips! My favorite moment was on our first European trip in 2000 where we played a joint concert with the local band in the hill town of Prossedi, Italy.
Now retired, Marcy, a paralegal and Mike, a scientist, were raised in the San Fernando Valley. We subscribed when our high school daughter, Dena, joined the nurturing Wind’s clarinet section. She is now completing a DMA degree in clarinet performance and literature. When her brother, Daniel, returned from college, she encouraged him to join the trombone section.
Thanks to Nancy Lew and her husband, Lee, for their generous support of the LA Winds and for hosting the LA Winds Woodwind Quintet (Juan Rivera, Steve Piazza, Jessica Wilkins, Charles Fernandez & Joy Armstrong) and Saxophone Quartet (Caryn Rassmusen, Ed Etayo, Tom Stipulkosky & Dave Weston) at their lovely home. The cake was amazing (see inset above) and the ribs were unbelievable!