Our members 3,012 members, one voice
2 national conferences 6 training courses 13 local events 97.5% of members insured
400 new pieces commissioned by members 1.5 million total annual audiences
ÂŁ18.8 million spent on 34,000 music professionals
strain to make themselves heard by the powers that be, wish it was easier to connect with other amateur groups, shop around for ages to find affordable insurance, wonder how to challenge themselves artistically, fret about how to attract a wide audience to their events, struggle to express their contribution to the professional music sector, and then get on with making music. Annual Report 2013 A year of crossing stuff off the to-do list Fighting for the best deals and providing the expertise, networks and support that our members need to set up, run and thrive as voluntary music groups.
This page: A concert organised by Making Music group Ilford Arts Š Rob Cole Following spread: Jubilee String Quartet performing at 2013 AGM Š Stuart Pearson
Annual Report 2013
Our vision We believe active engagement in music transforms lives for the better and enriches the communities in which we live. Our mission As the membership organisation for voluntary music in the UK, we support, connect and champion everyone who makes, performs and presents music on a voluntary basis. Message from the Executive Director
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Membership 6 Services 8 Projects 10 Advocacy 12 Campaigns 14 About us
16
Financial summary
17
Staff and board 2014
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All quotes in this report come from the Making Music treasurers’ survey and membership survey, and from feedback forms from Making Music projects and events.
The trustees of Making Music are delighted with the progress that the charity has made in 2013, and the speed with which a new management team has taken over the leadership. We thank them, all of our staff, and our many volunteers for their efforts throughout the year.
Peter Lawson Chair, Making Music
Message from the Executive Director Having been with Making Music for two years now, I continue to be amazed at the breadth and depth of activity this modest-sized charity undertakes every year and which this report illustrates for 2013. Making Music members are all about organising and managing themselves so they can focus on doing what they love and enjoy: making and presenting music in their local community. Our job at Making Music is to make that easier. We’re here to cross the ‘boring stuff’ off members’ to-do lists so they can get on with performing or promoting music, as well as to encourage their artistic ambitions, be that in terms of technical proficiency, programming or performance platform. This means supporting music groups with practical services, connecting them to each other and to a wider community of amateur music and, furthermore, giving members a voice, amplified and strengthened by the fact that we all speak as one.
I know we have some work to do to provide more and better support for members in future. Our new business plan for 2014-16 has members, and their needs and concerns, at its heart. We are planning, among many other things, to listen to and engage with members more deeply. Making Music is very fortunate in having a dedicated, professional and experienced staff who are passionate about supporting amateur music as well as being a joy to work with. I would like to thank them and Making Music’s Board of Directors. But there are also around 100 volunteers who give up their time to help member groups in a huge variety of ways, and I’d like to extend a particularly heartfelt thank you to them for their contribution.
Barbara Eifler Executive Director, Making Music
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Membership In 2013, Making Music had 3,012 member groups representing approximately 170,000 individuals. There were four types of membership:
1. Full membership
£7,200 or under
full members at the end of 2013
2. Associate membership
Open to any music group or organisation, but only amateur groups are eligible for the insurance scheme.
211
associate members at the end of 2013
3. Affiliate membership Open to any network organisation wishing to purchase Making Music services for its own members.
116
Fig. 1 Our members by level of income
Above £100,000
£7,200 or under 51.6% of members
£21,000 – £31,000 7.5% of members
£7,200 – £14,500 22.1% of members
£31,000 – £100,000 7.9% of members
£14,500 – £21,000 9.6% of members
Above £100,000 1.3% of members
groups represented by our 3 affiliate members
4. Corporate membership Open to self-employed individuals and businesses wishing to establish partnerships with Making Music and promote their services to amateur music groups.
15
corporate members at the end of 2013, (the launch year for the scheme)
For details of all types of membership and how to join, see www.makingmusic.org.uk/join-us. 6
£31,000 – £100,000
£ – £ 14,5 21 00 ,00 0
00 1,0 00 £ 2 1,0 3 – £
Open to any amateur music group which has charitable objectives, does not pay its members and which provides for the disbursement of its funds, should it wind up, to another similar charitable organisation.
2,685
£7,200 – £14,50 0
You do everything you do very well. I would recommend becoming a member to any amateur music organisation.
l
50% of all groups describe themselves exclusively as classical. The other half have a varied programme or specialise in one type of repertoire, including: • contemporary • light classical • early music • sacred • traditional jazz • musicals • opera • cabaret/revue • pop • rock • brass • percussion • wind • Chinese classical • folk • Indian classical • samba • steel pan
tr Ins ot e rs ro m
O t he r
um
en ta
Fig. 2 Our members by repertoire
431 promoters (14%) • Voluntary promoters, presenting concerts or festivals of professional artists
l Voca
Classical
Fig. 3 Our members by group type
P
830 instrumental groups (28%) • symphony orchestras or large ensembles • bands (eg big bands, pop, rock, brass, wind, samba) • chamber orchestras or small ensembles • specialist instrumental groups (eg drum/percussion, flute, harp, recorder, string, woodwind, steel pan) • youth orchestras • handbell ringing
… the Musicians’ Union for amateur music groups – providing support, advice, representation, and generally helping groups to run themselves in a more organised and effective way.
1,751 vocal groups (58%) • adult mixed voice • chamber • adult male/female voice • barbershop and a capella • youth • opera • music theatre/cabaret • gospel • community
Individual membership In 2013, plans were also put in place for a new category of membership aimed at individual amateur music makers. This category launched in April 2014, and is open to any individual interested in music or wishing to support Making Music and its work. 7
Services We support and connect our members. We also influence on their behalf. Services reviewed in 2013
New services in 2013
Support
Support
Our insurance scheme Now simpler and still competitively priced.
Online resources
Criminal Records Bureau Became Disclosure and Barring Service, leading to overhaul of our information resources. Concert promoters’ guide Redesigned in 2013 as Selected Artists, this brochure recommends professional artists for engagement by members at special rates, including winners of the Award for Young Concert Artists.
Funding blog Directory of funding opportunities specific to music or voluntary groups. Music Bank Including programme notes, repertoire search and a music exchange allowing members to lend sheet music to each other.
Connect Professionally led training courses
Connect Conferences Redeveloped into two annual one-day conferences.
Reaching new people: Developing your members and audiences How to use social media
‌ and there is a persistent difficulty
90% felt confident about putting their skills into action
Many services are accessible via the website which is slow, for reasons beyond our control. We are planning a replacement for 2015.
96% of attendees will try something new as a result of these courses
Website statistics for 2013
Information and advice sessions
607,841 8,960 1,323
Unique visits
Information sheets viewed
Programme notes viewed
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100% rated content as relevant to their group
Events held across the UK, typically on a weekday evening. Including a speaker, tour or mini-seminar plus opportunities for groups to get advice from the local Area Manager, volunteers and each other. 70% learned from other participants at the event 84% enjoyed meeting other groups and feeling part of a larger sector 90% learned something new of relevance to their group
Full services list 2014 Support
Connect
• Public liability, property and cancellation insurance
• Two annual conferences • Training led by professionals
• Advice and support via email, telephone and face-to-face
• Local information and advice sessions
• Disclosure and Barring Service checks
• Special interest groups based on members’ shared interests
• Over 60 information sheets on a wide range of topics • Publications: Highnotes magazine, iNotes e-bulletin • PRS collection scheme
Influence Lobbying and advocacy on behalf of members and voluntary music.
•O nline ticketing agreements • Making Music Mix: create your own CD •D irect mailing service and promotional opportunities • Website: Find-a-group tool, events, resources • Subsidised, discounted and recommended professional artists • Member discounts, eg with selected music publishers • Music Bank • Performance opportunities • Adopt a Composer: matching composers to members • Local and national participatory projects
I found the course very useful and inspiring! It was interesting to hear people from other similar groups grappling with the same issues and challenges. 9
Projects
Making Music’s project work aims to: • encourage more people to become involved in live music on a voluntary basis so they and their communities can enjoy the benefits; • s upport members’ artistic and practical ambitions and development. Here is a representative selection of our projects from 2013 Award for Young Concert Artists
Adopt a Composer
Funded by a legacy from the Philip and Dorothy Green Music Trust, these awards enable members to engage exceptional young professional musicians at subsidised rates.
Funded by the PRS for Music Foundation and delivered in partnership with Sound and Music, this project matches five emerging professional composers with member groups, leading to a piece being written for the amateur group and broadcast by BBC Radio 3. The 2013 pairings were:
The 2013 artists were: Anthony Brown, saxophone; Joseph Houston, piano; Adriana Kashefi, cello; Mario Mora, piano; Adelia Myslov, violin; Joseph Shiner, clarinet; Laura Margaret Smith, soprano.
It lessened the financial risk of putting on an unusual instrument and unfamiliar music … the concert was packed out and immensely successful and brought us new audience members. Wallingford Chameleon Arts
Soosan Lolavar with Tudor Orchestra James Wilson with Southwark Youth Orchestra Stephanie Conner with Renaissance Singers Sarah Lewis with Bristol Saxophone Ensemble Rebecca Dale with Music for Everyone
Sarah wrote a piece that challenged us yet also played to our strengths. We would love to work with other composers in the future. Bristol Saxophone Ensemble
I found an amateur music group had fewer preconceptions about ‘new’ music and living composers than some professional ensembles I’ve worked with. The enthusiasm and determination I experienced was heartwarming, and I can’t wait to work with another amateur group! Sarah Lewis 10
Learn to Sing
Carols for Everyone
We ran this singing course, hosted by Leicester Philharmonic Choir, in partnership with the British Association of Barbershop Singers. The six weekly sessions had average attendances of 65, and 22% of attendees expressed an interest in joining the host choir at the end of the project (they were also signposted to other local choirs).
We approached the Carnegie UK Trust in response to feedback from members about a lack of choral repertoire that allows children and adults to sing together. We were delighted when the trust commissioned Carols for Everyone, a songbook featuring this kind of repertoire, and then funded performances by Making Music members.
Bristol Wellbeing Choir
It was the best concert I’ve ever been to. My mum was one of the ‘oldies’ and it was fun to sing with my mum and my sisters.
This choir was set up in the Windmill Hill area, chosen for its mixed population including isolated older people and lack of other kinds of interventions for community cohesion. 187 people attended the choir, 102 of them regularly, with average weekly attendance of 60. The choir, with support from project manager Hannah Currant, has now set up its own committee and will continue to run after the project ends.
The clever new arrangements and compositions gave us some perfect pieces to show off with! The Carols for Everyone book really brought all ages together singing just as we wanted.
9 10 730
performances adult music groups
Both of these projects were funded by Superact as part of Our Big Gig EXTRA.
total performers
24 1 265
schools
youth music group of which were children
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Advocacy
Our advocacy is both reactive, rallying support against a proposed measure threatening the wellbeing of the membership, and proactive, seeking to eliminate the barriers and difficulties members face.
Advocacy is rarely quick and it requires patience to build contacts, networks and respect. It needs persistence, and the ability to believe in the light at the end of the tunnel, even if it is out of sight around a corner.
To achieve results, Making Music engages with a range of stakeholders, including policymakers, other voluntary organisations, the professional music sector, other amateur music networks, influential individuals, funders, service providers, and more.
To support its advocacy work, Making Music collects data on its membership. Below are some of the 2013 survey findings.
Our 3,012 members … Promote
12,000 concerts, 5,000 workshops
Perform or promote to
1.5 million
audience members each year
and educational events and
Commission around
Spend
400 new pieces of music each year 66% of concerts contain at least
6,000 open rehearsals a year £18.8 million on 34,000 music
one piece of music in copyright
50
professionals each year,
% contain at least one piece by a living composer
£1.7 million with
Source
Mostly break even
music from music libraries
music publishers annually
73% do this, while 20% make a loss 7% make a profit 12
45% of their sheet Programme
90% of events in the evening,
mostly Saturdays at 7.30pm
Hallam Choral Society Š Alex Rumford
Campaigns In 2013 Making Music supported the following campaigns:
Started by the Incorporated Society of Musicians
Promoted jointly by UK Theatre, The Stage and Equity
Set up by a consortium of six leading UK arts trade organisations
Key issues we pursued on behalf of members
We strengthened our existing partnerships
• Early day motion on the importance of the arts and creative industries
Charity Commission, Music Publishers Association, Tˆy Cerdd, International Association of Music Libraries, Association of British Choral Directors, Voluntary Arts, Sound and Music, PRS for Music, Voices Now, Association of British Orchestras
• Consultation on National Insurance status of freelance musicians • Newspaper Licensing Agency action to enforce payment of royalties for use of quotes • Music Education Hubs: developing mutually beneficial ways for members and hubs to interact
We represented voluntary music on boards and committees including National Music Council, Music Education Council, TONSIL, National Alliance for Arts Health and Wellbeing, Music Forum Wales, Network of National Volunteer-Involving Agencies
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We attended Music Mark conference, European Music Forum, Music Education Expo, Music Show, Arts and Humanities Research Council Cultural Value event, and numerous local events
We had conversations with many other organisations Incorporated Society of Musicians, Youth Music, Orchestras Live!, Locality, Jazz Services, Platforma, British Composer Awards, Musicians Benevolent Fund, Concert Diary, Changing Tunes, Friday Afternoons/Aldeburgh Music, National Operatic and Dramatic Association, UK Music, Sinfini Music, Association of Teachers of Singing, Music for All, Classic FM, BBC Radio 3, British Academy of Songwriters Composers and Authors, Musicians’ Union, International Artist Managers’ Association, and more
Carols for Everyone concert Š Alex Rumford
About us
History
2014-16 business plan
Frederick Woodhouse of the Incorporated Society of Musicians and Sir George Dyson founded the National Federation of Music Societies (NFMS) on 23 February 1935, with the support of the Carnegie UK Trust. In 2000, the NFMS changed its name to Making Music. As well as supporting member organisations at a local level, Making Music has always maintained an important national presence through lobbying and hosting national events.
Vision We believe active engagement in music transforms lives for the better and enriches the communities in which we live.
Governance Making Music is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. Its governing document, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, states its objective as: ‘To maintain, improve and advance education by promoting the art and practice and public performance of music throughout the United Kingdom and in other countries.’ It is overseen by a nine-strong volunteer Board of Directors, elected from and by the membership. The directors are also the trustees of the charity.
Mission As the membership organisation for voluntary music in the UK, Making Music brings together musicians and music groups of all genres and abilities. Through this combined strength, we support, connect and champion everyone who makes, performs and presents music on a voluntary basis. Objectives In 2014-16, the vision and mission of Making Music will be realised by: 1 Providing excellent membership services that enable members to develop and thrive 2 Extending our membership in order to strengthen our voice 3 Representing members at a local and national level so that voluntary music has the best possible conditions to flourish 4 Encouraging more people to become involved in music so that more individuals and communities can experience and enjoy the benefits
Making Music plays a vital role in encouraging people of all ages to take up music, and in supporting music groups up and down the land. Without Making Music and its members, Britain would not be one of the most musical places in the world to live. They make our communities more harmonious, in every sense of the word. Howard Goodall, composer and broadcaster 16
Financial summary
Making Music’s accounts comprise of income from unrestricted funds, mainly membership subscriptions, member services and core grant income, alongside restricted funds, mainly grants for specific projects and the interest from the endowment fund which supports the Award for Young Concert Artists.
Income Core grant income
On the expenditure side, Making Music’s costs – as with most membership organisations – are its staff, the provision of membership services and associated costs, marketing, and office costs. Below is a summary of the financial information for 2013. The full accounts can be found at www.makingmusic.org.uk/2013-accounts.
£ £ 2013 2012 152,589
183,715
346,6983
371,870
Donations and legacies
32,924
38,408
Advertising and merchandising
37,586
30,751
Membership subscriptions
Investment income and interest
10,534
15,876
183,109
195,735
Special events
19,105
11,857
Member services
37,005
16,204
Grants, sponsorship and fees
Total
819,460 864,416
Expenditure
2013 2012
Costs of generating funds
29,208
23,725
360
2,450
Grants payable (AYCA) Events Marketing Staff costs
179,463 187,748 16,500 15,464 517,368
503,748
Office costs
91,735
97,575
Other
26,125 27,703
Governance
37,076 40,336
Total
897,835 898,749
Net movements in funds for the year
(78,375)
(34,333) 17
Staff and board 2014
Board Chair
Peter Lawson
Vice Chair
Linda Young
Honorary Treasurer
Jim Johnson
Directors
John Darker Rod Grealish Quentin Maxwell-Jackson Ken Scott Julia Shaw Seth Williams
Staff Executive Director
Barbara Eifler
Head of Operations and Development
Ralph Kennedy
Head of Finance
Workineh Asres
Office and Finance Assistant
Alex Sogunle
Senior Membership Manager
Ben Saffell (from May 2014)
Membership and Services Manager
Cindy Truong
Projects and Membership Coordinator
Sally Palmer
Marketing Manager
Sarah Hayward
Digital Communications Manager
Ollie Mustill
PR and Publications Manager
Henry Bird
IT Manager
Stuart McPherson
Area Managers Emma Campbell Scotland until April 2014 Madeleine Hewlett Scotland from May 2014 Stuart Isaac West, Yorkshire and the North of England Cheryl Bennett East Kate Allen South West Sharon Moloney London, South East Vacancy Wales (previously Stuart Isaac) Project Managers
Mijanou Blech Music Forum Wales Alexandra Scott Award for Young Concert Artists
Volunteers Making Music is fortunate in being supported by a large and growing group of volunteers in a variety of roles. A heartfelt thank you to them from Making Music and its members for their help and contribution. 18
2013 Award for Young Concert Artists winner Anthony Brown Š Stuart Pearson
Making Music The National Federation of Music Societies 2-4 Great Eastern Street London EC2A 3NW 020 7422 8280 info@makingmusic.org.uk www.makingmusic.org.uk Making Music is the trading name of the National Federation of Music Societies, a registered charity in England and Wales no. 249219 and in Scotland no. SC038849. A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales no. 308632. VAT registration no. 239 0186 63.