The following guidelines are offered as an aid to the I.D.R.S. member who wishes to host an annual meeting of the Society. Some parts are rather flexible, but adherence to these guidelines will generally help in the planning of a successful meeting.
Invitations are considered two or three years in advance. A letter of invitation from the proper school or business authority such as the Dean or Department Head M UST accompany the members written and verbal invitation. NO invitation will be considered without this official letter. The verbal invitation is usually presented to the members at the first general session of the annual meeting along with the written invitations from the member and the proper authority. Supporting documents, pictures, etc. should accompany these letters. A decision may or may NOT be made by the executive committee during the annual meeting. Invitations wilt be accepted in Lubbock for our 1983 meeting.
The annual meeting is generally held the Monday through Wednesday of the third week (more properly, the third weekend) in August with members arriving on Sunday and leaving by Thursday noon. The Society will consider other dates and longer meetings.
Minimal facilities for a successful meeting include the following:
1. RECITAL HALL: to be used for all musical performances. Hopefully this recital hall would have good acoustics and would have proper lighting, adequate seating for 300 people, and would have recording facilities available. A second recital hall can prove beneficial in scheduling, but beware of large halls unless the acoustics are excellent.
2. GENERAL ASSEMBLY ROOM: where the general business meetings will be held. The recital hall may serve in this capacity. For the meetings, tables, chairs, and a lecturn with microphone are needed on stage.
3. DISPLAY ROOM: This MUST be a LARGE room to accommodate our exhibitors and the large crowds. Exhibitors are an important facet of the meeting and care should be taken to choose this room wisely. In general, a large ensemble rehearsal room such as a band room will prove best. The room must be securely locked when not in use, and arrangements must be made to have it guarded at all times. Approximately 15-20 large (six feet) tables must be available for the exhibitors. Consult the Second Vice-President for further details on this important aspect of the meeting. A UNIFORMED person on hand can help alleviate many problems.
4. AUDITION ROOMS: several small rooms such as practice rooms should be adjacent to the exhibit room so that members may play-test an instrument or bocal in relative quiet.
5. REGISTRATION AREA: This can vary greatly, but certainly should be planned carefully so as to accommodate some 250 members all of whom are anxious to get registered and go see the exhibits. Consider "pre-registration and other streamlining methods."
6. LOUNGE: This should be some type of a rest area where members and exhibitors can get away from it for awhile. Coffee, cokes, etc. should be available. Exhibitors will frequently help defray the cost of the coffee, though this is NOT an established policy.
7. CONFERENCE ROOMS: The Executive Committee normally meets the day prior to registration and will need a meeting room which is frequently used by them until the wee hours of the morning. Various other committees may need such a room during the convention.
The host university assumes full responsibility for financing of the meeting. The Society is simply having its annual meeting on your campus during your festivities. The University should understand that there may be some financial loss rather than profit, and that only careful planning can insure enough attendance to make any profit.
Receipts are figured as follows:
Registration fees are charged to everyone attending. Members pay $20.00 ($30.00) for member and family) while non-members pay $40.00 ($50.00 for non-member and family). The host university keeps the basic registration fee while the extra charge for non-members goes into the I.D.R.S. Treasury.
All display fees go to the host university. Display fees are $70.00 per half table (six foot tables).
| Average attendance | 200 to 250 | 225 x $20.00 | $4,500.00 |
| Average display attendance | 12 - 20 | 15 x $70.00 | $1,050.00 |
| Total Income | $5,550.00 |
It is assumed that most members wishing to appear on the program do so for the honor involved. Members should apply well ahead of time (6-9 months) to the host and normally will NOT be renumerated for their expenses or given any kind of fee or honorarium. The executive board and host in consultation will decide on headliners who will have their expenses paid. The host should keep the executive committee well informed at all times.
The Society will work closely with the host concerning commercial display space at the convention.
The host should stress to participants that the I.D.R.S. is a non-profit organization and can NOT afford to pay participants. Occasional exceptions to this rule may be made.
The host must have ample accompanists. Secure piano, string players, and other instrumentalists etc. well ahead of time. These performers will be paid from the convention funds.
The host must be aware that this can NOT be done by one or two people. Sufficient student help is mandatory in order to accomplish the incredible tasks of organizing the convention. Knowledgeable help is NEEDED at all stages from exposition to coda. Student help is needed during the convention to act as stage crews, ushers, guides, etc. These helpers should wear some identification so that participants will know who they are. Typing and ditto facilities are also needed during the meeting as well as during the planning. Stage crews, ushers, etc. should be appropriately dressed.
Programs should be printed for the meeting and should have a nice cover with the I.D.R.S. logos imprinted thereon. Past programs will be available to you and you should remember to send two programs to each of the next hosts and a complete set of all papers. Programs should be sent to the I.D.R.S. Library for the archives. Remember that you must obtain program information, publishers, and biographical material from the participants by May prior to the convention.
The host university normally makes available room and board at a nominal cost to those attending the meeting. Dormitory housing and dining, information on what to bring, costs, maps, etc. should all be included in published publicity. Local motels should be consulted and information concerning their rates, maps, etc. along with any tourist information desired should also be included.
Whenever possible tape recordings should be made of all performances and a copy sent to the I.D.R.S. Library. Tapes may be sold to members at a cost covering the tapes and the workers. In the past there has been great interest in these tapes.
The Society will make every effort to keep members informed of your meeting. The host should have an article ready for each publication as follows:
September of previous year: This should contain a general announcement of when, where, and include the name and address of the host. It should include application information for those members who may wish to appear on the program.
December of previous year: This should contain all information from the previous article with any additional information you may have such as information on tourist attractions, costs of housing if known, etc.
April preceding the convention: This should have full information on housing, transportation, maps, costs, etc., plus as much information as possible on the performers.
Journal preceding the convention: This should have every bit of information possible including above on costs etc.
September after the meeting: A good follow-up article should be written.
The above outline should also be used for general music publications, local newspapers, local T.V., etc.
Do make use of the industry. Their ideas, mailing lists, and general knowledge of conventions can be of great help!
One bulk mailing MAY be made to all members. If needed, this should be done by March 1 so that the bulk mailing will reach the members before their summer break. This should include as much information as possible. This bulk mailing should not be necessary if all I.D.R.S. publications are on time.
Scheduling should include two general sessions for the annual I.D.R.S. business meetings. Generally this is a two hour session on the first morning from 10:00 to 12:00, and a slightly shorter session the last afternoon from about 4:00 to 5:30. During non-election years, the second meeting may not be needed, or may be only an hour.
DO NOT schedule too tightly! It is suggested that you schedule a ten minute break between sessions. A representative should be present at all sessions who will be responsible for calling "time" if needed. Remember to schedule free time for visiting the exhibits. There should not be anything scheduled against this time. Schedule about three hours daily for exhibits. It is O.K. to schedule clinic against clinic, but be prudent. Do not schedule performance against performance. It is suggested that many if not most of the daytime recitals be shared by a number of performers.
| EX. | 12:00 | Lunch |
| 1:00-1.50 | Exhibits | |
| 2:00-2:50 | Clinic on hosting the convention. | |
| 2:00-2:50 | Clinic on repair of the bassoon. | |
| 3:00-3:50 | Performing contemporary literature. | |
| 4:00-4:20 | Exhibits | |
| 4:30-5:30 | Joe Oboe and friends in recital. |
Obviously the exact times etc. will depend on the host.
Be sure to send information to your local A.F. of M.
Invite local teachers, music critics, and music clubs.
Remember to send two copies of EVERYTHING to the two next hosts, and one copy of the program to the I.D.R.S. Library.
You need access to mail services to properly advertise the convention. Bulk mail is in order for such a large mailing, and students must be on hand who are reliable.
The Society will make available to the host the mailing list for members and industry.
Have a directory of participants posted as to where they are staying so members can find each other.
Put publishers names right on the program if possible.
Have name tags prepared with the I.D.R.S. Logos imprinted thereon, along with the year, name of host university, etc. and leaving enough room to print the members name and affiliation. These should be done at registration and members should be encouraged to wear them throughout the meeting.
Make arrangements with campus security to secure the exhibit room at all times it is not open; to see that all doors, etc. are open or locked as the case may be. Make arrangements for parking for those members who drive to the convention.
An evening meal or other catered affair should be planned. A guest speaker at the evening meal would be a nice added touch. Members who attend would be expected to pay for this.
Make arrangements for piano tuning, harpsichord, electronic equipment, etc. well ahead of time.
Arrange transportation to and from the airport for those members who fly. One possibility is to approach local music clubs for help in furnishing a "taxi" service with a number to call upon arrival at the airport.
Plan to use the entire last week and most of the last two weeks before the convention for last minute details. Student help at this time is a MUST and remember that it is SUMMER!
A successful convention depends upon careful planning. The experience of the executive committee and of the past hosts are at your disposal in all your planning.