Operating Support

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$16,165
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Honors Choirs of Southeast Minnesota
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
July 2012
End Date
June 2013
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Dakota
Dodge
Fillmore
Goodhue
Mower
Olmsted
Steele
Wabasha
Winona
Dakota
Dodge
Fillmore
Goodhue
Mower
Olmsted
Steele
Wabasha
Winona
Project Overview
Operating Support
Project Details
General operating support
Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications
Judson Bemis Jr., Actor, arts administrator, founder and principal of Clere Consulting. Secretary, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Ardell Brede, Mayor of Rochester, elected 2002.; Peggy Burnet, Businesswoman, art collector, and community volunteer. Chair of the Nominating Committee, Smithsonian National Board. Trustee, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Michael Charron, Dean of the School of the Arts, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Sean Dowse, Executive director, Sheldon Theatre. Board member for Minnesota Music Coalition, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, and Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies.; John Gunyou, City manager, Minnetonka.; Benjamin Klipfel, Board member, Minnesota State Arts Board. Executive Director, Alexandria Area Arts Association, Inc. Director and arts educator.; Ellen McInnis, Director of Twin Cities government relations, Wells Fargo. Member of Bottineau Boulevard Partnership. Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Pamela Perri, Executive vice president, Builders Association of Minnesota.; Margaret Rapp, Former educator, Saint Paul Academy and Summit School. Officer at-large, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Anton Treuer, Professor of Ojibwe, Bemidji State University.
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Judson Bemis Jr., Actor, arts administrator, founder and principal of Clere Consulting. Secretary, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Ardell Brede, Mayor of Rochester, elected 2002.; Peggy Burnet, Businesswoman, art collector, and community volunteer. Chair of the Nominating Committee, Smithsonian National Board. Trustee, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Michael Charron, Dean of the School of the Arts, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Sean Dowse, Executive director, Sheldon Theatre. Board member for Minnesota Music Coalition, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, and Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies.; John Gunyou, City manager, Minnetonka.; Benjamin Klipfel, Board member, Minnesota State Arts Board. Executive Director, Alexandria Area Arts Association, Inc. Director and arts educator.; Ellen McInnis, Director of Twin Cities government relations, Wells Fargo. Member of Bottineau Boulevard Partnership. Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Pamela Perri, Executive vice president, Builders Association of Minnesota.; Margaret Rapp, Former educator, Saint Paul Academy and Summit School. Officer at-large, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Anton Treuer, Professor of Ojibwe, Bemidji State University.
Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2011, First Special Session, chapter 6, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$16,165
Other Funds Leveraged
$293,880
Direct expenses
$310,045
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Honors Choirs will strive to provide artistic challenge and growth opportunities for singers and the community. The abilities of the ensembles vary season to season as singers move from one ensemble to the next. The artistic staff selects first semester music based on what they expect the singers to be able to achieve. Second semester repertoire is selected by the conductor with the goal of providing music that will be challenging to the ensemble and provide the means to stretch their abilities as they learn more skills. By choosing carefully from a variety of genres, styles and composers, the artistic staff ensures the singers are challenged and are able to learn through the challenge. This evaluation is ongoing by the artistic director, including a discussion at the end of the season with each conductor, specifically addressing repertoire. All repertoire selections are reviewed by the artistic director to ensure the appropriate level of difficulty and learning opportunities. 2: Honors Choirs will continue to hold the highest standard of excellence while recognizing the importance of the organization’s affordability to singers and their families. The staff and board members regularly reviewed the concert attendance figures as well as the level of enrollment as indicators of the health of the organization and the excellence of the program. Additionally, we conducted a post-season survey to determine the value of the program to our families. Data suggests that families view tuition as on-par with their other activities and a good/excellent value to their singer.

Measurable Outcome(s)

The 2012-13 season featured a variety of repertoire including many musical styles, cultures, and languages. Challenging repertoire included music of composers such as Handel, Vivaldi, Mozart, and Brahms, alongside pieces by Rutter, Papoulis, Clausen, and Leavitt. Singers performed in several foreign languages such as Italian, Yoruba, German, and Latin. Singers in all four ensembles had the opportunity to audition for solo parts, and perform outside the traditional concert setting including school outreach tours, public venue performances, and a major tour to New York City. Additionally, Concert Choir performed complex repertoire collaboratively on two separate occasions this season: Rutter's Gloria, with adult choir Choral Arts Ensemble, and Rene Clausen's The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere performed at Lincoln Center in New York City along with musicians and singers from across the country. 2: Scholarships provided funding to all singers with need, including assistance to Concert Choir singers traveling to New York City. We added several fundraising options to help singers defray the cost of the New York City tour. Proceeds from both of these fundraisers were credited 100% to singers' accounts, and many of the singers participated. A focus was put on utilizing volunteers from within our membership, resulting this past season in the formation of a regular group of helpers for concerts, publicity, and outreach activities. Utilizing volunteers keeps our administrative hours low, while capitalizing on the many talented individuals in our midst. Outside funding this season included the historically reliable contributors as well as new resources. We exceeded the giving goal from individual donors. Enrollment remained consistent to that of previous seasons, and attrition remained low. Attendance at concerts remained consistent.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other

Recipient Board Members
Tim Gangl, Mary Schneekloth, Kyle Cunningham, Cheryl James, Judi Wilson, Brian Dunbar, Greg Edlund, Michael Holmes, Chuck Johnson, Laurie Nelsen, Muriel Schornack Fletcher Smith, Sherri Thornburg, Julia Utz, Todd Weston
Source of Additional Funds

local or private

Project Manager
First Name
Jayne
Last Name
Rothschild
Organization Name
Honors Choirs of Southeast Minnesota
Street Address
1001 14th St NW Ste 920
City
Rochester
State
MN
Zip Code
55901-2534
Phone
(507) 252-0505
Email
jayne@HonorsChoirs.org
Administered By
Administered by
Location

Griggs Midway Building, Suite 304,
540 Fairview Avenue North,
St. Paul, MN 55104

Phone
(651) 539-2650 or toll-free (800) 866-2787
Email the Agency