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PMTNM Handbook

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Section VII Part 3 - Conference and Communication Committees | PMTNM

SECTION VII - PART 3

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DUTIES OF CONFERENCE CHAIRMEN: PMTNM

STATE PRESIDENT

  1. Initiates teacher of year award at Spring Board meeting.
  2. Writes greetings for conference program and newsletter.
  3. Appoints the Student Ensemble Recital Chairperson and any other special project chairs.
  4. Invites guests for head table at Teacher Banquet
    1. Selects person to give invocation.
    2. Chairman of Music Dept. of College Facility if used.
    3. National Representative if being done.
    4. Arranges for housing, meals, etc.
    5. Escorts from plane, and at convention
    6. Calls Executive Secretary-Treasurer to arrange for tickets for all guests.
    7. Presides at banquet.
    8. Introduces guests.
    9. Presents teacher award.
    10. Communicates any of the state needs for workshop time to Conference Chair.
    11. Sends thank you notes to clinician, representative, Music Dept. Chair, Conference Chair etc.
    12. Prepares agenda for Sunday Membership Breakfast
    13. After conference, gets brief conference report from Conference Chair.

CONFERENCE CHAIRPERSON

(He/she is a temporary, non-voting member of the Executive Board who should attend board meetings and keep the board apprised of Conference plans.)

  1. Prepares skeletal program
    1. Uses old conference programs as guides
    2. Leaves blank spaces for who will be responsible for each event
  2. Prepares one sheet for each job, using handbook guidelines.
  3. Sets up first meeting as soon as possible
    • For local association members.
    • For neighboring associations as needed.
    • Determines who will take on all needed jobs.
    • Distributes job descriptions and discuss.
    • Brings approximate budget amount after consultation with PMTNM Executive Secretary-Treasurer.
    • Discusses proposed budget for various events and the need to keep expenses low.
    • Discusses conference program for ideas.
    • Makes deadline for all information that you must get for final program.
    • Confirms newsletter and printing deadlines.
    • Mails out schedule revisions as timing and events become firm (Date each revision)
    • Checks with competition chair for time needs.
    • Allows enough time between events.
    • Are they in same room or in different building?
    • Breaks for snacks, lunch.
    • Time to go back to hotel to prepare for Banquet.
    • Determines Host for Tertulia. Set time and place.
    • Indicates time of opening and closing of exhibits.
    • Checks with State Composer Chair for length of concert (starts usually 7:30)
    • Adjusts beginning of Clinician Recital so there isn't big gap between.
    • Checks with President for times of Board meeting and Sunday full membership meeting.
    • Obtains student's day schedule from Student Activities Chair.
    • Sets dates for further meetings as needed to get information for the overall schedule.
    • Coordinates with Newsletter editor and program printer.
    • Checks with PMTNM President: greetings, names of guests, program notes.
    • Determines who will print various concert programs (Clinician, Composer, Student Winners and Student Ensemble)
    • Sends that person details by mutually decided deadline.
    • Sets post-conference meeting to prepare brief report on what worked, problems encountered, etc. for next Conference Chair.

The following are the suggested chairpersons. Depending on the number of volunteers, several jobs may have to be done by the same person. Choosing the Clinician and Workshop Presenters is frequently done by Conference Chair. It is encouraged that each committee chair coordinate programs for the Conference Chair.

SITE MANAGER

  1. Obtains preliminary program from chairperson for site time and piano requirements.
  2. Acquires sites for each event according to its requirements.
  3. Secures auditorium and practice for concerts (Composer and Clinician, Student Winners)
  4. Secures auditorium for auditions and practice.
  5. Secures practice space before Competitions.
  6. Secures Master Class space.
  7. Secures rooms for workshops and other program events.
  8. Sets up registration space at entrance.
  9. Sets up exhibition space which should be located in a central traffic location.
  10. Sees that microphones are available where needed.
  11. Works with Piano Manager to insure that pianos are located properly.
  12. Provides a clear, large map for the Conference Issue of PMTNM Newsletter and Program. (Include hotel and motel locations and prices from Hotel Manager.)

NOTE: University and College facilities should be used if available. Churches and civic auditoriums sometimes have excellent instruments and space. It is always best if the activities can be in one place, but in some cities this is impossible. Stay in touch with PMTNM Executive Secretary-Treasurer for additional guidelines.

HOTEL-MOTEL MANAGER

  1. Contacts hotels to set aside numbers of rooms. Secures room rates.
  2. Hotels and motels should be affordable and convenient. Conference hotel often gives a complimentary room per a certain number of conference guests. Ask hotel manager for details.
  3. Banquet facilities are generally available so coordinate with Banquet Manager
  4. Sends information on locations and prices to Site Manager.

BANQUET MANAGER

  1. Makes meal arrangements in late spring, early summer. Stays in close contact with Executive Secretary-Treasurer for number of attendees and Site Manager for facilities.
  2. Teacher's Banquet
    1. Gets approximate number of attendees from Executive Secretary-Treasurer.
    2. Contacts State President for head table choices and makes place cards.
    3. Gets locals to do table decorations. The number depends on number of people divided by the number of people at each table,
    4. Arranges for mike if at all possible (noisy restaurant space is too difficult for speakers and check noise level during busy hours)
  3. Student Activities Banquet
    1. Gets number of attendees from Executive Secretary-Treasurer.
    2. Arranges for the menu. Remember to keep it as inexpensive as possible, cafeteria style food suitable for students.
    3. Arranges for microphone
    4. Obtains local volunteer entertainment if time is available.
    5. Asks local association to make inexpensive take-away decorations on tables.
    6. Checks with Student Activities Chair for: programs, head table arrangement, place cards, etc.
    7. Gets two local students to do the invocation and another to act as Master of Ceremonies. Informs Activity Chair and PMTNM Executive. Secretary-Treasurer for free meal tickets.
  4. Board Meeting Dinner -Thursday Evening.
    1. Coordinates with State President for number of attendees.
    2. Arranges catering or gets local teachers to do potluck dinner.
    3. Finds someone to volunteer a home, or restaurant could be used.
  5. Sunday Morning Membership Breakfast
    1. Checks numbers with Executive Secretary-Treasurer.
    2. Considers choice for non-egg eaters: cereal or pancakes.
    3. Keeps this as inexpensive as possible.
  6. Tertulia
    1. Arranges for reception with local teachers at a museum, or a volunteer's home.
  7. Hospitality Cart
    1. Discusses possibilities for snacks around lunch time at conference site and during the competitions. This is not strictly necessary.
    2. Contacts a local money making organization to see if they would like to do the cart.
  8. Student Banquet
    1. Cookies and punch after concerts are provided by a local organization or a neighboring organization.

ADVERTISING, EXHIBITS, GOODY BAGS

  1. Finds local advertisers, chamber of commerce, for ads and donations (pencils, pads, leaflets, etc.) for registration bag. (Refer to Advertising Manager)
  2. Contacts local music stores to arrange for exhibit. Refer to Advertising Manager.
  3. Is responsible for locking exhibit room overnight and unlocking in morning. Be available to exhibitors when they arrive and leave to answer questions and direct them to exhibit space.
  4. Checks with PMTNM Advertising Manager as to number of tables needed.

PUBLICITY

  1. Local: Newspapers, TV, Radio
  2. Writes pre-convention article and set up interviews.
  3. Two weeks ahead announces the clinician and student concerts. Provides bios and ticket price if any.
  4. One week ahead writes an article about local students entering competition.
  5. Writes post-conference article and interviews with local student winners.
  6. Works with PMTNM Newsletter Editor, Conference Chair for pre-conference newsletter.
  7. Obtains bios, pictures, titles, descriptions and programs from the Clinician and Workshop Chairperson to include with conference program.

CLINICAN

  1. Obtains a clinician as soon as possible, as wasted time can be your enemy.
  2. Gets recommendations from former chairman and passes on any candidates you did not use. Asks state and local people for ideas and PMTNM President for information.
  3. Writes letters.

DUTIES OF THE PMTNM NEWSLETTER EDITOR

  1. Investigates the method of printing and selects a company to do the printing that will produce an excellent newsletter at a reasonable price.
  2. Edits the PMTNM NEWSLETTER to ensure that it is factual, in good taste and is a professional publication reflective of PMTNM.
  3. Sees that the PMTNM NEWSLETTER is mailed to all PMTNM members including PMTNM College Student Chapter members (with an extra copy going to the Archivist and the Executive Secretary-Treasurer). Sees that each State MTA President receives one copy of the PMTNM NEWSLETTER a year (usually after the list of new presidents is printed in the American Music Teacher around March).
  4. Keeps two copies of all PMTNM NEWSLETTERS and PMTNM Rosters in a permanent file.
  5. Consults with the President on the number of extra copies needed each time.
  6. Sees that the PMTNM Student Activities programs, STEP program and PEP program are listed in the winter issue of the newsletter. Sees that Conference Registration Forms are sent with the fall newsletter.
  7. Assists the PMTNM Executive Secretary-Treasurer on the printing of the Roster and sends it out with the winter issue of the PMTNM NEWSLETTER. (Includes an extra copy to the Archivist, two extra copies to the PMTNM Executive Secretary-Treasurer, and an extra copy to members who have paid for extra listings.) Sends copies of the Roster to new members along with the most recent issue of the PMTNM NEWSLETTER.
  8. If also serving as Advertising Manager for the PMTNM NEWSLETTER, see Duties of the Advertising Manager in this section.
  9. Attends Executive Board Meetings and sends requested reports to the PMTNM Executive Secretary-Treasurer.
  10. Additional duties are listed under the General Duties for All Chairmen, Section VII.

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