JAVS Fall 1996

3

FROM THE PRESIDENT

THEAVS IS ON THE MOVE:

• Our membership is growing. Thank you, Donna Lively Clark, for keeping us organized. • Chapterization is gaining momentum. Thank you, Pamela Goldsmith. • The Texas Congress, 3-7 June 1997, is falling into place beautifully. Thank you, Roger Myers. • Our finances are being well managed. Thank you, Mary Arlin. • Our journal looks better than ever. Thank you, David Dalton.

Thomas Ttztton, AVS President

• Working documents-our handbooks

on AVS activities-are either completed or are being prepared. Thank you, Peter Slowik and Dwight Pounds. • Local activities are being organized. Thank you, Mike Palumbo of the Utah Viola Society, Juliet White-Smith of the Rocky Mountain Viola Society, Eleanor Angel of the Northern California Viola Society, and Scott Rawls of the North Carolina Viola Society, for your work in behalf of our instrument and the AVS. Still, there remain some challenging issues for the AVS. Please be assured that your leader ship team continues to be engaged in solving those i~sues. One matter discussed at the Markneukirchen Congress last June was the relationship between the AVS and our parent organization, the lnternationale Viola-Gesellschaft (IVG). Let me briefly summarize. The AVS sends the IVG a certain percentage of its dues in even-numbered years (i.e. the years we do not host a North American Congress). In return, we receive copies of The Viola at inter mittent intervals, seven issues thus far (the first in 1979). We have experienced some frustration over irregularities associated with its distribution. We are also working with the IVG leadership to try to mitigate costs of both reproducing The Viola and delivering it to our membership and are optimistic that a better way can be found. The problems are not with The Viola alone. We are the largest section of the IVG, yet we have not found a way to make our voice heard in its governance. For logical historical and logistical reasons, of which we are fully aware, the guiding body of the IVG (the presidium) consists of representatives from central Europe, with relatively little turnover through the years. This situation has provided the stability needed for the international organization's steady growth, but the IVG lacks constituent representation. Now is an appropriate time to address seriously the revision of the IVG presidium to include on that governing board representation from the AVS and other sections as well. Past AVS presidents have pursued this possibility and have looked forward to a more representative IVG • AVS committees are organized and working well. My thanks go to each and every member.