Concert Sponsorship ($2,500 - $4,000)
The level of sponsorship is determined by the number of choirs participating, the number of performances and the number of sponsors allowed. Here is how each concert breaks down:
> Musicking– Mid October, $3,000. Three choirs perform, one performance and it is an exclusive sponsorship.
> Holiday Concert – Mid December, $4,000. All five choirs perform, two performances and it is an exclusive sponsorship. This year’s sponsor has already been confirmed: Sterling Savings Bank.
> International Music Celebration – March, $2,500. All five choirs perform, three performances (two daytime concerts at the Metropolitan Opera House for area third and fourth graders and one evening performance at Westminster Congregational Church), and limitless concert sponsors.
> Spring Concert – Mid May, $4,000. All five choirs perform, two performances and it is an exclusive sponsorship.
Concert sponsorship benefits include a full page ad in the concert program, recognition at the concert, and four free concert tickets.
Existing Program Support
In addition to our concert season, we offer a comprehensive music development curriculum. The following summarizes the biggest areas of need.
Scholarships ($2,500)
With tuition ranging from $450 to $900 per year per chorister (tuition level is determined by choir), we want to provide as much help as we can. We are planning to expand our current scholarship program from one needs based scholarship to five different types of scholarships: an emergency scholarship for choristers who experience a catastrophic event, a renewing scholarship for returning choristers, an Ensemble Tour scholarship for Ensemble Choristers wishing to go on tour, a Summer Camp scholarship to offset registration for campers and the original needs based new chorister scholarship.
Summer Camp ($1,000)
Summer Camp takes place mid-August and includes quality training in the fine arts. The combination of a structured music program, recreational activities and a unique setting enable each singer to dedicate their attention to musical and social development. They make rapid progress in mastering repertoire, music theory, voice classes, instrumental Orff classes, dance classes and drama techniques. During this intensive period of training, each chorister gets to know better and grow to understand more deeply their fellow choristers and the interest in music that they hold in common. The camp experience is one of the most treasured memories of SACC members and alumnae.
SACC Summer Camp sold out this year in record time and had a long waiting list. Expansion is on our horizon. Our Artistic Director is considering the creation of two types of camps equaling two weeks. The first week would be geared toward elementary aged campers and the second would be for middle school aged campers. Cognitively and physically, these age groups need different things. We currently separate them into groups to allow the artistic staff to tailor their teaching in a more usable way for the campers. To maintain the small groupings for the same amount of individual attention, but accommodate more campers, we would simply need to have more camps!
Voice and Theory Academy ($1,000)
Our academic curriculum is expanding this year. Not only are we offering some form of voice coaching or music theory to all choristers, Spokane Youth Symphony has asked to participate as well. We currently have Saturday Academy but will also begin music theory for Preparatory level artists as well as a voice and music theory offering for Ensemble level artists. Below briefly describes the intent of Saturday Academy in order to provide a look into overall content of our music academy.
Saturday Academy is a small group, intense immersion into greater details of music theory and more personalized voice coaching. These classes are offered several times per year. To join Ensemble, students must take and pass two sessions of Saturday Academy, or demonstrate equivalent knowledge.
Tour ($2,500)
Our Ensemble Choir goes on either an international or a national tour every year. While this is an expensive venture, the experience of touring offers our choristers many life-long benefits. The kind of independence that it takes to navigate foreign spaces, make choices and take care of oneself with guidance from chaperones, but separate from their parents, is a huge benefit to our choristers. On tour choristers are provided with opportunities to see and sing in beautiful spaces, work with internationally acclaimed choral conductors, meet and sing with singers from our country as well as others, and have the opportunity to see what is happening in the larger choral community all while learning how to function as an adult traveling.
Endowment ($10,000)
The Spokane Area Children’s Chorus is a unique musical outreach that brings children together from all corners of our community. The children share in the wonder of learning and the excitement of performing while acquiring the self-discipline and concentration so essential to their personal and professional development. A gift to the Endowment Fund is a serious investment in the musical education and appreciation of thousands of children yet to come. Their choral performances will contribute directly and significantly to the joy of living in our truly remarkable community.
Guest Artists ($1,000)
A guest artist brings value and richness to choral programming. There are two types of guest artists: a musician for concert performances or an “Artist in Residence.” Vocal guest artists provide ideal examples for what choristers aspire to become. Instrumental guest artists provide textures that enrich the quality of the choristers’ music making. An “Artist in Residence” is someone who comes and spends time with the young artists before a performance and teaches them rather than just performing with them. An “Artist in Residence” could range from a conductor, vocalist or a composer – depending upon the skills of the artist and the intention of the Artistic Director. A world-renownd artist can enrich a young artists’ creative palate and provide a life changing experience for choristers.
Reading Session ($1,000)
Kristina Ploeger, Artistic Director and David Weatherred, Coordinator of Music/Art, District 81 are planning a professional development opportunity for music educators. It will be an opportunity for Developmental Music Specialist to have specifically tailored information about choral literature and voice pedagogy. It is SACC’s hope that we can help music educators choose choral music centered on their choristers’ physical and developmental capabilities. Through the act of gathering all of the specialists with this goal in mind, SACC can help to create a District 81 music library where quality pieces could be shared between schools. Also, the relationship between SACC and the area music educators will be further strengthened with the music specialists gaining more knowledge about what SACC can do to support them.
Chorister Retreats ($1,000)
Throughout the year we provide retreats for our choristers in order for them to work on music for the year or for Tour as well as provide an opportunity for each choir to “gel” as a group. During regular rehearsals choristers do not have the opportunity to talk to each other much. Retreats allow for much more social interaction, which in turn creates a sense of community resulting in a more open and unified sound during performances.
Elementary School Tour ($1,000)
The Elementary School Tour is an outreach program of the Chorus with the goal of educating and inspiring music appreciation among elementary school children while providing a performance opportunity for our Elementary and Ensemble Choirs in front of their peers. Your donation would cover the cost of transportation, artistic staff, and learning materials provided to students as well as event promotion. We try to visit up to four area elementary schools with emphasis on Title I schools.
Music ($4,000)
In keeping with our mission, it is important for SACC to offer varying levels of music to our choristers. Music is chosen according to the developmental needs of the kids. Issues such as: what skills need to be addressed, what pieces aid in the physiological growth of each singer, what level of diversity is offered throughout the season, and what opportunities have arisen in terms of composers and events, are just a few items that are taken into consideration during this process.
Given that we may have our choristers for up to twelve years, our repertoire must be expansive in order to provide new literature without duplicating pieces for them. Also, students are attracted to the program because of the many newly published, fresh and exciting pieces we often perform. All together, the five choirs perform an average of about 80 pieces of music per year in over 15 different languages, most of which is about $1.50 a copy for EACH chorister.
New Program Support
During an extensive strategic planning process in 2004-2005, the SACC board of trustees established the following list of priorities for the future development of the Chorus.
Major Recording ($5,000)
First on the list is to make a major recording of all the choirs throughout the entire concert season. We haven’t produced a recording in nearly ten years. Recording is important to chronicle the pieces performed as well as to let the choristers experience a disciplined and rewarding recording session.
Continuous Strategic Planning Process ($2,500)
As a part of our strategic planning process we contracted with Dr. Jonas Hiner, PhD to conduct a narrative planning study. The study rendered the following recommendation:
“Beginning in 2006, initiate a tradition of having an “annual” Board retreat, the first three years to which would track the 18- to 24-month strategic planning process soon to begin, and the beginning of the implementation of the new five- to seven-year plan that results from it.”
The board began this process in April of this year decided we would have two retreats, one in September to orient new board members and kick-off our concert season as well as one in January to begin or maintain our strategic planning process. We thought we’d go through a thorough planning process with an external facilitator as the president and artistic director deemed appropriate. This will most likely occur with the change of presidency every one to three years.
Recording Playback Equipment ($3,000)
We’d also like to purchase playback equipment which will be used during rehearsals. From a chorister’s point of view it can be difficult to understand the intention of the conductor’s instruction without hearing exactly what sound the choir is making. The ability to tape during a rehearsal and immediately play it back to the choristers allows a more comprehensive method of instruction which includes an even more active questioning process for the choristers.
Historical/Recruitment DVD ($4,000)
Lastly, during our strategic planning process last year we discussed our 20th anniversary coming up in 2006-2007. In order to properly celebrate the anniversary and let the Spokane community be familiar with the Spokane Area Children’s Chorus’ mission we want to create a DVD to be used to chronicle our history, recruit new choristers, inform potential donors as well as educate the public about our mission.
The Parent's Association provides a pool of volunteer
help to assist the professional staff in the office, to sponsor and
promote social activities, and to facilitate the successful operation
of chorus related affairs. This Association is also a support group
which seeks to raise additional funds necessary for the Chorus operating
budget, as well as for such special needs and events such as travel,
concerts and music.
All parents of children in the SACC are automatically
members of the Parent Association. Parent involvement in th eAssociation,
while voluntary, is greatly encouraged. Activities are many and varied,
with new ideas and project proposals welcomed. Generally, volunteers
implement social and/or fund raising events and provide refreshments
after concerts and other SACC activities. Besides the immediate benefits
to SACC as a result of these efforts, there is the bonus of friendship
that arises from such shared participation.
