Thankful

My last blog entry was a general thanks to the singers and board members of the Camerata. If you want to know why, read the next item down. But there are a few people that I wish to thank more specifically, so here goes.

First, Linda Shaw. (That's Linda dead center in the photo.) Linda joined the board of directors of The Pittsburgh Camerata in, I believe, 2000 or so. A few years later she took over from the President-for-Life, Susan Barclay. Linda continued the tradition of fiscal conservatism under which the organization has always operated, brought a calm presence to meetings, and has always been incredibly supportive of me. It's hard to put a price on that, and I won't even try. 

Linda probably feared that she would end up being the President-for-Life next, but thanks to her clever management, she was able to retire after only 2 and a half terms of office or so, leaving the organization in good shape and good hands. The "good shape" part was scarcely a given, despite any amount of fiscal conservatism, considering the tough times that most non-profits have gone through in this century.  The "good hands" would be that of our new president, Jeff Mansell. Thank you, Linda!

Next, Susan Barclay.  (That's Susan in the upper left hand corner.) I first met Susan when I interviewed with the search committee back in 1998 for the open position of Artistic Director. Susan was the head of the search committee. Susan was the head of everything, pretty much. She had been the president of the board of directors for some time. I looked through the file of old programs dating back to the early days of the Camerata (thanks to a former singer who donated them) and Susan's name appeared on the list of members of the board of directors at the same time they began listing a board of directors, which was in the 1980s. She wasn't identified as the president until the mid-90s, but neither was anyone else, and I believe that she had been the president for some time at that point. (I could just ask her, but that would spoil the surprise...)

In 1995, Susan was a WQED VITA (Volunteer in the Arts) awardee for her tireless efforts for the Camerata. She was not only the president of the board, she was the de facto administrator. During the 1990s the Camerata greatly expanded its budget and its reach. It began paying some "core" singers for the first time, raised the director's salary from a token of appreciation to something reasonable, and expanded its influence with regional touring. Susan was the main person who made those things possible, by securing foundation money and seeking new revenue sources, among other things. 

The credit for the artistic state of the organization by the time I came on the scene in 1998 of course goes to Gayle Kirkwood, the previous Artistic Director. But the fact that Gayle had the resources to work with is due in large part to Susan, in conjunction with the other board members and volunteers that she persuaded to assist her. And Susan is an excellent persuader. Thank you, Susan!

And finally, Gail Luley. (Gail is in the upper right corner.) When I interviewed with the Camerata, I asked if they had a paid administrator. The search committee said that no, they didn't, but that funds had been raised and set aside to hire a part-time person. The funds would cover two years of the modest salary they proposed to pay for two days per week of administrative support. They hadn't looked for such a person yet because they felt they should hire the director first and let that person be part of the selection process.

As you might imagine, I was happy to hear this. In my previous experience the lack of a paid administrator meant that in fact the Artistic Director had to absorb a great many of those functions, more than I felt I was prepared to take on at that point in time. (I hadn't run across anyone quite like Susan ever before, either. But even Susan admitted that she was getting pretty burned out.)

I was duly hired and we advertised the admin job. Along with Gail, a long-time singer with the group, we had outside candidates. After talking to everyone, looking at their resumes, and pondering, I felt that Gail was the best person for the job, and happily the board agreed with me. In hindsight, we were all geniuses.

Gail very soon began giving us far more time than the "two-day-per-week" designation of the job warranted. She quickly organized some of the things that had been done by volunteers other than Susan. (Trust me, if Susan did it, it didn't need to be organized.) She regularized our database, our publicity mailings, our printed materials, and so on. In fact, she has made certain for the past 13 years that things happen when they need to and that I don't have to worry about that sort of stuff. That makes a huge difference to my ability to do my own job, believe me!

We soon realized that the administrative requirements of the Camerata were well beyond what could be done in two days a week, and voted to increase the hours and the salary to something a bit more in line with the work. Gail's efforts, although they went largely unheralded, were not unnoticed by another local organization, and when the Renaissance & Baroque Society needed someone to come in and sort them out, they came to Gail. I talked with members of their board, and between all of us (Gail was included in these discussions, you'll be happy to hear) we came up with a plan that we felt was workable for all of us. 

So somehow or other Gail now keeps both of us running smoothly, and we are even collaborating on our benefit event in February. "Shared resources" is a great concept on paper, and funders love to see it, but actually making it work requires integrity, good will, and loads of work. Gail is the glue that makes this stick, and it is just another star among the many stars in her Camerata crown. Thanks, Gail!

I am so thankful to everyone who has made the Camerata what it is through the years. And I am especially grateful to God, who I believe has put me in this place, given me these wonderful people to work with, and given me the gifts and abilities that I have to make something out of these incredible resources. I am indeed blessed.

P.S. I am also thankful for the photographic talents of John Fillipone, who took the picture above (and many more) at our concert last weekend. (John is the proud father of Ben Fillipone, one of our baritones, who is on the front row.) Thanks, John!