Week 7

This week I learned much about website design and podcasting. I attended a staff meeting where we met with the designer of ProMusica's website. The staff is interested in modifying the layout, updating content, and adding a page where user's can donate to the organization online. I learned the difference between modifying the layout of a website versus modifying the design, as well as a little bit about graphics and all the images that are contained on the website. I even understood a little of the html-code talk that was going on, it brought back memories of Visual Basic programming class freshman year! The staff wants to be able to make ProMusica's "post-concert INSIGHT" or casual conversations (Tim Russell leads a discussion after each concert for audience members) available to download via web syndication.



I finished updating the audio archives last week, and this week I burned CDs of each concert this past season for Dr. Russell (music conductor). I also made labels for every concert to be inserted in each CD.



I am still helping Julia edit the educational strategic plan. We are continually looking at ProMusica's strengths and considering how we can formulate new opportunities/generate new ideas based off of what we are already good at (yes, I ended in a preposition).



We are also preparing the harpsichord schedule (similar to how I prepared the grand piano moving schedule a few weeks ago) so we can figure out when the harpsichord needs to be transported before each performance during this next season.

Week 6

This past week was one of my favorite weeks at ProMusica thus far. On Monday, the Education Committee (consisting of Dr. Tim Russell, Music Director; Janet Chen, Executive Director; Julia Hare, Education and Operations Director; and several music educators from around the Columbus area) met from about 9am-4pm to have a strategic planning meeting. I ordered food for breakfast and lunch, and I picked up all the food from Giant Eagle for lunch before I went in on Monday (salad, sandwiches, fruit, water, and dessert). The morning was spent analyzing the education mission statement. The committee addressed its strengths and touched on its competive advantage by beginning a SWOT analysis. Then the committee looked at audiences it is currently serving well versus audiences it has the potential to serve. For the rest of the morning, the committee assembled its sustainable funding model; they determined what funding methods are successful and can be counted on in the future (such as funds from foundations/corporations and participants that cover the cost of certain programs). I learned the importance of recognizing an organization's strengths; from there it is easier to generate ideas for reaching new target audiences.

After lunch the committee delve into each of the education/outreach programs. There were about 18 programs, and each was evaluated based on its fundability, marketability, and educational value. Assessing each program individually stimulated ideas for new spins on existing programs, and in a couple cases, new programs entirely. The committee really ran with the idea of trying to create a Youth Ensemble/Orchestra that operates throughout the school year, and I think they will begin this project with an "Honor Orchestra Weekend" where high school students prepare for an ensemble that rehearses for only 1 weekend and has a Sunday afternoon concert.

On Wednesday, I picked up the End-of-Season awards from Reed Arts and Village Trophy. I spent the first part of the afternoon. I also began to update the audio archives by importing recordings from the 2008-2009 season. Later in the afternoon I went to the Annual Board Meeting and End-of-Season reception which were held in another location in downtown Columbus. The board members discussed the financial status of the organization and the funding allocations from Greater Columbus Art Council. They also held nominations of board members for the next year, and the Music Director and Executive Director gave encouraging annual reports.

On Friday I finished updating the audio archives and wrote up a summary of my networking survey:

Networking Survey Summary

June 2009

I received 10 responses to this survey.

Question #1 asked Ohio arts organization administrators how they used different types of social networking, giving the options of “For Work”, “Personal Use”, “Heard of it, but don’t use it”, and “Never heard of it”. It is safe to say that most people surveyed use Facebook for work and/or personal use; 70% use Facebook for work and 70% use it for personal use. 60% of surveyors have heard of Myspace but do not use it. 50% have heard of Twitter but don’t use it, and 40% use Twitter for work purposes. 60% of people use LinkedIn in their workplace. Plaxo, Wordpress, Live Journal, Flicker, and Animoto are not used much in the work place or for personal use, and practically no one has heard of Animoto.

Question #2 asks how each networking tool is used within an organization, providing the options “Someone in my organization speaks for the organization as a whole”, “I use it to speak for myself as a member of the organization”, or “This is not a part of my organization/workplace”. 100% of people do not use Snapfish, Animoto, or Live Journal at all in their workplace, and at least 70% do not use Myspace, Ning, or Blogger in their workplace. A majority (80%) of administrators surveyed claim that someone within their organization uses Facebook to represent their organization, while 50% of administrators surveyed say that they personally use LinkedIn to speak for themselves as a member of the organization.

Question #3 asks about the roadblocks or issues an organization faces when implementing these networking tools. Organizations are realizing that there are so many networking tools from which to choose and different target audiences are using different networking tools. It is mentioned there is the issue of choosing networking tools within an organization and then having to seek approval from the appropriate personnel within the workplace, such as having to go through the Communications Manager.

Question #4 asks about the benefits of these networking tools. The survey indicates that one of the greatest benefits is being able to reach specific audiences. It is easy to quickly get in touch with or quickly get word out to the next generation (especially college and high school students) by utilizing these different types of communication.

Question #5 asks administrators if they have additional ideas for the June ACE agenda. Podcasting and Cleveland Arts Summit are mentioned, and there is a request for more social networking data, such as statistics showing what works or what people pay attention to most. I will have to look into this more…

General Summary:

From my own perspective, it seems that Facebook is used most by a variety of age groups, ranging from high-school students to retired adults. Myspace seems to reach a certain age group—middle-school students to young adults—and Twitter seems to reach college graduates to young adults most frequently. Obviously there are several networking tools from which to choose, and that limits how people will choose to use them and how frequently they will use them. The challenge of balancing personal and professional use is also an issue. Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter share similar features, and most people do not use all three of these tools.

Week 5

On Monday, I called the members of the Student Advisory Board (20 college/HS students) and informed them that the Annual Picnic/Social would be rescheduled for next Monday, June 15 due to inclement weather. I also went (off site!) to Reed Arts and Village Trophy to have the End-of-Season awards assembled. I was finally able to print out all the different components--plaque wordings, and framed inscriptions--with much help from Joe (Ticketing Manager). When I returned I began to look at the results of my networking survey; so far I have received 8 responses. I am finding that pretty much everyone uses facebook whether it be for office work or personal use or both, and most people find it difficult to use many of the different networking tools (myspace, twitter, blogger, snapfish, etc.) because there is such a plethora from which to choose. A couple respondents have also mentioned communicating within their organization (having to consult the Communications Manager, for example) about which networking tools to use as a roadblock. I will continue to compile these results as more are received.

Almost everyone in the office is writing his/her end of the year report, so it's pretty quiet. We are getting ready to send out one final mass mailing before the end of the fiscal year asking for any last minute donations.

On Wednesday, I filed some recordings away in the secret "Archives" room. :) I edited Julia's end of the year report on all of the Education and Outreach programs that ProMusica has put on this past season. I learned a lot about just how many programs Julia is in charge of, and only began to understand the magnitude of organizing all the resources and funds for such projects. I was then sent on another shopping assignment to purchase supplies(markers, presentation post-its) for the Educational Strategic Planning meeting which is happening on Monday, June 15. I am in charge of ordering/picking up/purchasing all the food for lunch on Monday, any chance I get to go to Giant Eagle-I'm in! When I came back from Staples, I began to assemble the last award for a guest conductor which is going to presented at the Annual Board meeting on Wednesday, June 17. For this award, I went to Target and purchased a triple photo frame, placed two pictures of the guest conductor in it, and with Julia's help, came up with an inscription to commemorate the event for the third photo space in between the two pictures. I really like working on artsy projects like this one. Putting the awards together and compiling the End of Season Reception invitations has been very fun for me.

Also on Wednesday, I prepared some of the index cards for brainstorming in the meeting on June 15 by labeling index cards with each of the programs outlined in Julia's Education report, such as Education Forums, Open Rehearsals (for senior citizens, complete with large print programs), and Stop! Look! Listen! (Sunday afternoon concert series at the Columbus Museum of Art and Columbus Metropolitan Libraries). I'm pretty excited to see what all I learn in this all-day meeting on Monday!

Week 4

This week I updated forms on the electronic database. The Student Advisory Board (an assembly of high school and college students that meet to advise and assist in generation and implementation of new programs at ProMusica, designed to educate the community) officers form and information form needed updated in MS word documents.

I sent a fax to Davis Piano Moving to book the times that the concert grand piano will need to be moved for each performance next season.

I helped Julia create an online survey (survey monkey) about different networking tools (facebook, myspace, twitter, etc.). I emailed the survey to administrators of Columbus area fine arts organizations and am waiting to process and analyze their responses. The survey is intended to see which networking tools different organizations use and how they use them within the organization, whether it be for personal use or to broadcast news to many people. By processing their responses we hope to make a conclusion about the usefulness of the different networking tools that have become available.

I worked in MS excel to make a spreadsheet of all the members and contact information of the Student Advisory Board.

I designed an invitation to be sent out to the Board of Trustees, Musicians, and special guests for ProMusica's End of Season Reception to be held on June 17th.

I sent in the list of world and regional premieres that ProMusica will perform during its 2009-2010 season to the League of American Orchestras for its Symphony survey, where all major orchestras' premieres are listed.

Julia gave me a [grant] project proposal to read from the Greater Columbus Arts Council. The project involves helping Columbus area schools create assessment tools and program requirements for out-of-classroom activities in which high school students may earn credit, also called "credit flexibility". From what I understand, the state mandated that it is possible for students to receive credit for activities in which they are assessed outside of the classroom, but individual school districts are responsible for coming up with specific programs and criteria in which to evaluate those programs. The proposal was fairly vague and GCAC is basically saying that it (and other arts organizations around Columbus) wants to help schools/administrators develop assessment procedures, generate and implement programs that align with the assessment procedures, and make these programs accessible to all students in the Columbus area. I am curious to see what kinds of actual programs they will come up with and how students will be asked to prove their competency in a subject.

Week 3

This week at ProMusica I helped put together a mass mailing. I also continued to research strategic planning. I looked for strategic planning templates and how to go about generating and implementing new programs.

What is ProMusica?

This chamber orchestra is made up of part-time local and national musicians who perform throughout the year in different venues around Columbus, Ohio. ProMusica Chamber Orchestra performs at the Southern Theatre and the Josephinum, and the orchestra performs family concerts at the Columbus Museum of Art. In addition to serving the community of Columbus, ProMusica is dedicated to the education of students. The ensemble hosts a side-by-side Handel's Messiah sing along each December incorporating high school string students and area school, community and church choral ensembles. ProMusica musicians also visit Columbus area schools to give master classes as part of the Musicians in the Schools Program. ProMusica strives to create a partnership with audiences with the intention of understanding and fulfilling audience needs through a variety of musical performances and educational experiences.