JAVS Fall 2007

FROM THE PRESIDENT

I was very pleased recendy ro be a parr of the rebirth of the Chicago Viola Society, now called the Grear Lakes Viola Society. A number of former members and new supporters carne together in Oaober at the Music Institute of Chicago ro restart the chapter. The Music Institute has generously stepped in to support the chapter and they already have a world class list of events (all informa tion can be found on our web site www.AmericanViolaSociety.org) thar will starr the chapter off and running in style! We can also report that the International Viola Congress for 201 0 has been awarded ro the University ofCincinnati on behalf of the College-Conservatory ofMusic with Professor ofViola, Catharine Carroll as host. The proposal the school submitted was one of the best we have ever seen at the AVS and we feel sure it is an indication that the quality of the event will be remarkable. The Viola Bank has received a number of exciting donations and we hope to have the program available for our members starting January 1st 2008. As always, it is my pleasure ro serve you as president and I hope to be able ro serve my last year in office by building the society to ensure its future for us all. r:

us with their much-needed dona tions. While we re-evaluate our soci ety to ensure a strong foundation for the next 30 years, we ask that you rake this rime ro make a special TAX DEDUCTIBLE donation ro the AVS to assist us in keeping the new programs alive and supporting the much beloved Journal, competi tions, and congresses. With your additional help, membership dollars can go towards the supporting of all those great programs and grants we provide. If you value what the AVS is doing in our community please take this rime to make a donation to the society. We need your help. Like you, the AVS has been very busy these past few months, gear ing up for the new year and the wonderful events we have planned to include the International Viola Congress in Pheonix, Ariwna (Imp://www.violacongress2008.co m/); The Primrose International Competition and all of the BRATS Days and Viola Days we are help ing to support all over the country. We have a very diverse membership and wirh special thanks ro our board and in particular our new Secretary, Ken Martinson, we were able ro starr a number of new chap ters all over the country as part of our new initiative to have a chapter in every stare. If you want to start one where you live just log onto the web sire and follow rhe instruc tions ro srart your own chapter- it's very easy ro do!

You will notice in this issue of]AVS that there is a fundraising letter included for you ro read. This is a very important fundraising drive as the AVS enters its 30th anniversary year! In preparation for this landmark event in our rustory, we have taken steps to review every aspect of the society ro see if there are ways we can move forward thar are more financial ly realistic and that will give the AVS a firmer long-range financial footing. Parr of that review was ro create an annual budget forecast - the first of its kjnd that should allow us to manage our accounts and be more efficient with the lirrured amount of resources we have. It will also hopefully allow us to rerajn our general managemenr and with the generous support of Madeleine Crouch and the N , we are workjng towards that financial plan over the next six months. It has been some time since we have asked our members ro go that little bit above and beyond by supporting

Helen Callus AVS President

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