Volunteer Notes A PUBLICATION OF THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS VOLUNTEER COUNCIL

The Volunteer Council leadership team and Dine-Around Chair visited the city in September to begin planning our conference sessions. Our volunteer liaison Diane Unkovic, President of the Pittsburgh Symphony Association, welcomed us. We had the opportunity to join their board meeting and then lunch with several board members. PSO staff shared details about the orchestra’s upcoming season and provided an overview of their impressive and extensive community engagement and education activities. We also toured the beautiful Heinz Hall, home of the PSO, and met with the Visit Pittsburgh team to learn more about the city and what it offers. Pittsburgh is home to the Andy Warhol Museum, which houses the most extensive collection of his works in the world, and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, known for its collection of dinosaur fossils. For many of us, it was our first visit to Pittsburgh. Our host and her husband, Dennis, treated us to a baseball game at PNC park, with its spectacular view of the city’s skyline. We all were impressed with this vibrant city and excited for next year’s Conference. We will share more about Pittsburgh, our volunteer activities, and overall conference details in upcoming issues of Volunteer Notes. In the meantime, mark your calendars for June 13-16, 2023 and plan to join fellow volunteers in Pittsburgh. You will want to attend Conference and experience Pittsburgh for yourself!

Strategic Conversations: Sharing Ideas for Mutual Benefit

By: Janet Cabot, Volunteer Council President

Every fall, the Volunteer Council invites Presidents and Presidents-Elect of orchestra volunteer organizations to come together for a series of facilitated conversations on topics of mutual interest. This year was no different. The Volunteer Council hosted Strategic Conversations over four weeks in September and October. We had eight participants from orchestras in California, Iowa, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Despite differences in geographical location, size of their orchestras, and composition of their volunteer groups, participants had similar challenges. The sessions provided a forum to talk about experiences and exchange ideas. Guests joined two of the four sessions to share insights on two topics of particular interest: former Volunteer Council member Linda Stevens, President-Elect of the Kansas City Symphony Guild, talked about strategic planning — the things to consider and how to start, and Elizabeth Conner Stewart, a “millennial” and Immediate Past President of The Symphony Guild of Charlotte, brought valuable knowledge on how to attract, engage and retain younger members.

The Volunteer Council will hold Strategic Conversations again in 2023. Participation is free; advance registration is required. Please consider joining the conversation next fall if you are or anticipate becoming a President or President-Elect.

For more information on Strategic Conversations, email Janet Cabot (jbcabot52@gmail.com), Volunteer Council President, or Melanie Hausmann (mhausmann@americanorchestras.org), Volunteer Council Liaison, League of American Orchestras.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Florence Mc Lean

By: Loretta H. Davenport, Volunteer Notes Editor

Florence is in her second year of membership on the Volunteer Council. She was affiliated with the Baltimore Symphony Association. Born in Jamaica, she moved to the United States with her family at age 14, arriving, memorably, on the day before the March on Washington. Her interest in music and theater arrived with her, sparked by the arts education she received growing up in Kingston. The exposure to various genres of music and performance opportunities she enjoyed laid the groundwork for a lifetime of commitment to supporting the arts.

It was while volunteering at a local theater that a fellow volunteer invited Florence to join the Baltimore Symphony Association. She accepted, and before she knew it, she was holding office and taking lead roles in some of the organization’s major initiatives, including running the symphony store and working on the show house fundraiser. Though she recounts her rapid ascension within the group with surprise, it is not difficult to understand. Florence, in her own discreet manner, exudes both competence and confidence.

Professionally, Florence is a CPA. She has traveled extensively during her career working as an auditor and writing accounting procedures for firms including Arthur Anderson, Johnson & Johnson, and Chase. Now “semi-retired”, she provides accounting services to her husband’s insurance firm.

Florence and her husband, Isaac, have been married and lived in the Baltimore area for over 26 years. Isaac is from Liberia, and he and Florence enjoy a life together filled with culture, hard work, and commitment to family. Florence enjoys cooking and taking long walks.

League Joins Global Negotiations on Protected Species this November

The League is speaking up as the Pernambuco tree - essential to both the ecosystem of Brazil and the bows used by stringed musicians - is considered for new international protected species rules. At negotiations taking place November 14 to 25, 2022, the 184 worldwide parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) will meet in Panama to participate in the 19th Conference of the Parties. The agenda includes a proposal by Brazil to list its national tree, Pau Brasil, also known as Pernambuco, at the highest level of CITES protection (Appendix I), which would create new permit requirements for travel with all pernambuco bows used internationally and significantly limit future commercial trade in these bows. The music community supports conservation efforts that will ensure the long-term sustainability of Pernambuco and while also protecting essential international cultural activity. Learn more about the League’s efforts on Pernambuco.

Activate New Voter Engagement Resources

Orchestras participate in multiple forms of civic action in communities across the United States, including supporting voter engagement. While nonprofit organizations are strictly prohibited from supporting the election or defeat of any candidate for office, orchestras can engage in non-partisan voter engagement activity that encourages all voters to register and participate in the election process. The League of American Orchestras provides information to help your orchestra take action through our newly updated voter engagement resources. Learn more about opportunities to get engaged through the League’s online overview Playing Your Part: An Orchestra’s Guide to Public Policy Advocacy.

Make a Difference for Orchestras Today!

By Melanie Hausmann, League Staff Liaison to the Volunteer Council

Each of us has an orchestra that holds a special place in our heart. The League appreciates all your efforts to support your home orchestras throughout the year, and we are grateful for your partnership. Together, we can strengthen and champion orchestras across the country, through advocacy, connecting with each other, and sharing knowledge and innovative ideas. As we continue to support our orchestras and the field, we hope that you will consider including the League among your top choices to support this year. Orchestras across the country will feel the impact of your support. Make a gift to the League Today!

2022-2023 LEAGUE VOLUNTEER COUNCIL

Our Mission

The purpose of the Volunteer Council is to support the mission of the League of American Orchestras by providing leadership, communication, and a resource link between the League and orchestra volunteers.

Leadership Committee

• Janet Cabot, President (Madison, WI)
• Laurie Skjerseth, President-Elect (Davenport, IA)
• Bruce Colquhoun, Conference Chair (Spokane, WA)
• Darlene Clark, Conference Chair-Elect (Houston, TX)
• Julie Meredith, Immediate Past President (Arnold, MD)

Members

• Loretta Davenport (Chicago, IL)
• Marena Gault (Dallas, TX)
• Barbara Lake (Los Angeles, CA)
• Kathy Leibrand (Kansas City, MO)
• Charlotte Lewis (New Orleans, LA)
• Ginny Lundquist (Detroit, MI)
• Florence Mc Lean (Baltimore, MD)
• Paula McReynolds (Waco, TX)
• Irene Sohm (Santa Rosa, CA)
• Maggie Stehman (Washington, D.C.)

Ex-Officio Members

• Tresa Radermacher, Dyer, IN | Sustainer Liaison
• Camille Williams, Little Rock, AR | Sustainer Liaison-Elect
• Marylou Turner, Kansas City, MO | Sustainer Mentoring Program
• Melanie Hausmann, League of American Orchestras | Staff Liaison
• Douglas Hagerman, League of American Orchestras | President of the Board of Directors
• Simon Woods, League of American Orchestras | President & CEO