The San Francisco Early Music Society held its annual membership meeting at Berkeley’s Musical Offering café and record store this past Wednesday evening, September 13. The meeting was well attended by community members as well as both SFEMS board and staff. Following some pleasant socializing, lubricated with excellent wines and other refreshments donated by board members, the meeting got underway with president Robert Cole’s State of the Society report.
This was Robert’s final address as SFEMS president. He has served us for the past three years, developing the board and community support, while continuing to shepherd our stewardship of the Berkeley Festival, of which he will remain Director. You can read the full text of Robert’s report here.
SFEMS Administrator and Development Director Jessica House Steward reported on the our Affiliates program. Last year, the Society distributed $5,000 in grant money from the California Arts Council to ten Affiliate groups. She used the work of three groups to illustrate some of the noteworthy projects these grants have helped fulfill: Black Box Baroque and the Albany Consort, who collaborated on a well reviewed production Handel’s Alcina in April; and Varja Voices, who commissioned and premiered a new work by composer Theresa Wong. This year SFEMS will have $5,500 in grant money to distribute to Affiliates. Applications will be posted soon on our website soon and will be due in November.
The members present elected our new Board for 2017–18: Elizabeth Wilson (Bonney), Robert Cole, Marie Collins, Gloria Eive, Juliette Faraco, Violet Grgich, Joyce Johnson Hamilton, William Langston, Judith Linsenberg, Randall Matamoros, John Phillips, Steven Rood, David Stein, Bill Stewart, Tobi Szuts, and Kent Young. Officers elected by the incoming board are Joyce Johnson Hamilton, President; Gloria Eive and Robert Cole, Vice-Presidents; Juliette Faraco, Secretary; and David Stein, Treasurer.
If you would like to become more involved with SFEMS, there are many ways, and we value your participation. If you have ideas or concerns about improving the organization or our programs, please contact any of these board members or officers via [email protected] or at 510-528-1725.
