Maidstone Youth Music Society
Registered Charity Number 297018
16 Sycamore Crescent, Allington, Maidstone, ME16 0AG
MYMS Manager’s Mobile: 07802-425022 Email:
20 November 2015
Dear Parents and Players
MYMS Christmas Concert - Friday 4 December 2015 – 7:30 p.m. – Invicta Grammar School and
MYMS Annual General Meeting – c. 7:10 p.m. - Invicta Grammar School [immediately before the concert]
I am writing to confirm the arrangements for the above concert and AGM.
Friday 27 November 2015 - Rehearsals for all ensembles will be at our usual times and in the rooms we have been using recently.
Friday 4 December 2015 – Christmas Concert – [for ALL players] The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. on Friday 4 December and is preceded by the MYMS AGM at approximately 7:10 p.m. [more details below]. As usual, all parents [plus grandparents, friends and neighbours] are invited to attend. There are no tickets and no admission charge but there will be a raffle on the way in and an opportunity to contribute a donation on the way out. As usual, we are also planning to have mulled wine and mince pies available in the interval.
Schedule for Dress Rehearsals in the Hall on the Concert Day [4 December]
3:30 - 4:00 Preparation of Hall. Percussion and Audience Chairs
* MYMS Voices – Can you ALL come as early as possible to help set up the Hall so that we can start your rehearsal promptly at 4:15.
4:15 MYMS Voices [* see above]
4:35 Strictly Strings
4:55 MYWO
5:25 Alpha
5:45 Concert
6:05 MYO
6:35 Youth Strings
6:55 Beta Percussion Ensemble
7:10 MYMS Annual General Meeting
7:25 End of AGM
7:30 Concert starts
[Please ensure that all players arrive in good time so that all the rehearsals start – and finish - promptly.]
MYMS Annual General Meeting – Notice is given that the 41st MYMS AGM will be held at 7:10 p.m. on Friday 4 December 2015 in the Hall at Invicta GS just before the Christmas Concert begins. The MYMS Committee is meeting later today on 20 November officially to agree the paperwork for the meeting. They will be placed subsequently on the MYMS website – www.myms.org.uk – which will include the Agenda [see p.2], the Minutes of last year’s AGM and this summer’s Second General Meeting, and the Chair’s & Manager’s Reports. If anyone wishes to raise any other business, notice of that should be sent in writing in advance of the AGM to Jackie Marks onsecretary@ myms.org.uk
MYMS Raffle – Any donations of raffle prizes would be gratefully received. Please bring them with you on the day of the concert.
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Concert Dress
MYWO, MYO and Youth Strings
Men: black long-sleeved shirts – sleeves rolled down please, black trousers, socks and shoes, MYMS tie (£12 each – from Richard, MYMS Manager)
Ladies: black sleeved top and trousers, or skirt (knee-length or longer), or similar black dress with plain black tights and black shoes [MYMS Voices – core choir singers can choose either of the types of concert dress]
Concert, Alpha and Strictly Strings
Men: white long-sleeved shirts – sleeves rolled down please, black trousers, socks and shoes, MYMS tie (£12 each)
Ladies: white sleeved top, black trousers or skirt (knee-length or longer), black tights and black shoes
Additional Notes: I have been asked by staff and the Committee that you make sure that all shoes are BLACK, that tights are not heavily patterned and that blouses for senior players are black and opaque, rather than see-through.
Student attendance at Rehearsals and Concerts – please help us to put on as good a concert as possible by maximising students’ attendance at the final rehearsal [27th] and the dress rehearsals and the concert [4th].
Help with Recruitment – please remember that MYMS pays a £10 ‘reward’ to any current member who introduces a brand new member to MYMS [once that new player has paid their subs]. This applies both to any new instrumentalists but also to friends of yours who sing but don’t play an instrument to join MYMS Voices.
Future Dates
· Fridays 11, 18 and 25 December 2015 plus 1 January 2016 – MYMS is closed.
· Friday 8 January 2016 – MYMS reopens for the Spring Term – launch of our new ‘Orchestra for All’
· Friday 19 February 2016 – MYMS is closed for half term.
· Friday 18 March 2016 – MYMS Spring Concert at 7:30 p.m. at Invicta GS
· Fridays 25 March, 1 & 8 April 2016 – MYMS is closed
· Friday 15 April 2016 – MYMS restarts for the Summer Term
· Fridays 27 May 2016 and 3 June 2016 – No MYMS [i.e. Fridays at beginning and during half term]
· Sunday 19 June 2016 – p.m. MYMS Bandstand Concert in Brenchley Gardens [tbc]
· Friday 24 June 2016 – Summer Concert and Second General Meeting at Invicta GS
Possible Snow Closures – I will post immediate advice about whether MYMS is open or not on the MYMS website. I will also attempt, as I did when we last had a snow closure, to get information posted on BBC Kent.
If you want to discuss any aspect of MYMS’ activities or you wish to get more actively involved yourself, please feel free to contact any of us. Our contact details are all on the MYMS website – www.myms.org.uk
Richard Gretton
MYMS Manager
THE 41ST ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the Maidstone Youth Music Society
will be held on Friday 4 december 2015 at invicta Grammar School at 7:10 pm
A G E N D A
1. Welcome, Apologies for Absence and notice of any items of Any Other Business
2. Minutes of the last AGM *(5 December 2014) and Second General Meeting * (26 June 2015)
3. Chair’s & Manager’s Reports
4. Treasurer’s Report and Statement of Accounts * [* copies available on website]
5. Membership of Committee
5.1. To note that the Tutors and MYMS Manager are ex-officio/non-voting members.
5.2. To confirm the membership of the Committee from 1st January 2016:
Chair –Karen Vincent; Vice Chair –Graeme Dowd; Treasurer –Peter Runting; Secretary –Alexandra Brown; Librarian -Barbie Vaughan; Instrument Hire -Graeme Dowd; Parent Representatives – Carl Taylor & Polly Williamson; Student Reps - Matthew Deacon, Will Knight, Daniel Reidy and Sarah Vincent
6. Any Other Business: please let the Chair or Secretary have a note of this in advance of the meeting.
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