Sonneck Society for American Music
Bulletin, Volume XXV, no. (Fall 1999)
News of the Society
Letter from the President
Greetings! The committees and the Board of the Society have been very busy over the summer (yes,
we did take breaks to travel, do our own research, and rest). I am delighted to be working with
so many wonderful people. There is no shortage of ideas and, while our energy is not limitless,
there is a clear commitment to the work, continued growth, and prosperity of the Society for
American Music. The following is a brief summary of some of the activities with which we have been
involved over the past few months.
Long Range Plan: The Long Range Planning Committee met 24-25 September in Kansas City to draft a
plan that will take the Society through the next several years. Because of the myriad of activities
with which the Society is currently involved, the LRP committee has expanded and currently includes
the following people: Officers of the Board; Executive Director; Chairs of the Membership, Development,
Finance, and Public Relations committees; Interest Group Chair; American Music Network Chair, and
Deane Root, who is serving as the liaison between the last LRP committee and the current one.
A sub-committee of this group met in January of this year to draft ideas about the future of the
Society. These ideas were submitted to the membership for comment, expansion, or deletion. Mark
Tucker recieve twenty-one responses. Although that number is small, the suggestions made were excellent
and will prove very valuable in our discussions. When the committee meets again, we hope to
articulate both short-term and long-term goals by which the Society will be guided into the
millennium.
Web sit Redesign: One of the most important avenues for people to reach us and find out what we are about
is through our Web site. SAM members have a wealth of expertise among us and we should be more accessible
and more easily located on the Internet. The Board, with the expert assistance of Kitty and Bob
Kellery, Cheryl Taranto, and Larry Worster have been actively engaged in a lively discussion regarding
a redesign of our Web site. Mark Maxey, Director of Association Service for American Technology
Services (ATS), has offered to design professionally our Web site with accessible links describing
our history, many activities, and services. He has offered his company's assistance for a nominal
fee, for which we are grateful, because he believes in the importance of the Society and in the
dissemination of American music. We will continue to discuss the merits of photos of Elvis Presley,
the saxophone, a silhouette backdrop of a United States map, how many links there should be and what
side of the page they should be on, and just what is "American music" anyway. Let's hope to come
to some agreement about our design before the century ends!
Executive Director: We are making great progress in our search for a new Executive Director. Nym Cooke,
committee chair, has received several applications and even more inquiries. A few universities have
offered institutional support to provide our Society with a permanent home, an option we are pursuing
vigorously. The committee will meet with the final candidates in November and a decision will be made
shortly thereafter.
Charleston Conference: Although it may be a bit premature, I would like to announce that this year's
Honorary Members will be the Georgia Sea Island Singers. Foundy by the late Bessie Jones, the
Georgia Sea Island Singers (Frank and Doub Quimby) have toured the world. The Singers are known
for their preservation of the richness of African American culture -- the customs, the songs, dances,
and Gullah language -- found on the isolated islands of the Georgia coast. The Quimbys will
perform for us and, in turn, encourage us to sing and dance. Can you all sing and perform the
"hambone?" If not, come to Charleston! The program, chaired by Paul Wells, is shaping up to be
a memorable one.
There are so many enthusiastic and devoted "worker-bees" in this Society and I am enjoying the
opportunity to be a part of an organization that is embracing the challenges of change. Here's
to the new millenium!
Letter from the Editor
I am both happy and sad to announce that William Kearns has announced his retirement as the Bulletin
Bibliographer after nearly 20 years of service. The Society applauds Bill for his invaluable
contribution and his tenacity to this oftentimes tedious task. In reading Alan Buechner's account
of the early days of the Society, I am reminded that only a few years ago American music scholarship
was not valued in some circles. Bill's 20-year documentation of publications concerning American
music is not only a valuable research tool for scholars, but also a strong statement about the
widespread and varied interest in this vital area. Thank you, Bill! (Please ;note that Joice Gibson
will take over as Bibliographer. Please email her at JoiceGibson@Colorado.edu
with citations for inclusion.)
I don't seem to receive as many announcements for the Members in the news Department as I feel are
justified by the numerous accomplishments by our members. Please don't be shy. Your colleagues want to
know what you are doing. Please remember that inquiries concerning research topics and other
speculative matters may be published in the most underused department of the Bulletin, Hue and Cry.
Each issue of the Bulletin is placed online approximately three weeks after it appears in your
mailboxes. Please note that the Society's web address has changed to American-Music.org. If you
have suggestions as to how the Bulletin may be best presented in its Web configuration, please
address them to me.
The Bulletin is your voice to the world and the world's window on the Society. Don't forget that the deadlines
for Bulletin submissions are announced on page two of the publication. Please expect a two-month
lag time between the submission deadline and the publication date. Plan ahead so that your announcement
may be published in a timely fashion.
--Larry Worster
Sonneck Socity 1998 Budget Analysis
INCOME
FUND & DESCRIPTION PROJECTED ACTUAL +/-
F01: General Fund
Dues $42,687 $44,881 $2,197
F01 Interest from 1997 $ 5,300 $ 5,978 $ 678
F02 Lifetime member interest $ 1,800 $ 1,800 -
F03 Unexpended contengency in 97 $ 3,303 $ 3,303 -
F01 Gifts to 7/1/97 $ 1,710 $ 1,710 -
Membership label sales $ 500 $ 713 $ 213
Directory ads $ 300 $ 200 -$ 100
GENERAL FUND TOTAL ACTUAL INCOME OVER PROJECTED INCOME $2,988
F04 Student aid fund interest $ 100 $ 113 $ 13
F04 Silent auction income $ 1,019 $ 1,605 $ 586
F05 RILM fund gifts to 7/1/97 $ 35 $ 35 -
F06 Lowens fund interest $ 1,100 $ 1,241 $ 141
F06 Lowens fund gifts to 7/1/97 $ 460 $ 460 -
F07 Non-print subvention interest $ 1,600 $ 1,805 $ 205
F07 Non-print sub. gifts to 7/1/97 $ 170 $ 170 -
F08 Johnson fund interest $ 6,700 ? ?
F10 Dissertation prize fund interest $ 40 $ 113 $ 85
F10 Dissertation prize gifts to 7/1/97 $ 215 4 215 -
EXPENDITURES
REQUESTED FOR BUDGETED ACTUAL +\-
Treasurer $ 425 $ 271 $ 154
Exec. Dir. Office expenses $ 3,800 $ 3,852 -$ 52
Board Expenses $ 3,000 $ 2,657 $ 353
UI Press -- American Music expenses $28,312 $30,464 -$2,152
Academic Services $ 3,850 $ 3,690 $ 160
Fees and Memberships $ 875 $ 1,048 -$ 173
RILM support $ 837 $ 837 -
American Music Week Committee $ 200 - $ 200
Interest Group Liaison $ 200 - $ 200
Membership Committee $ 200 - $ 200
Minority Issues Committee $ 200 - $ 200
Public Relations Committee $ 200 - $ 200
Student Travel to annual conference $ 500 $ 500 -
American Music $ 5,050 $ 2,435 $ 2,615
Bulletin $ 5,694 $ 5,787 -$ 93
Directory $ 1,755 $ 1,904 -$ 149
TOTAL ACTUAL EXPENDITURES LESS THAN BUDGETED: $ 1,552.95
The actual income from dues over the projection [$2,197] was almost entirely expended on the
increased costs of subscriptions [$2,151.87] effectively cancelling one another out. Again,
we can be pleased with the results of the budgeting process for fiscal 1998.
Approved & Revised Budget for Fiscal 1999
GENERAL FUND
Treasurer, Bill Everett $ 450
Student Committee Liaison $ 300
Interest Group Liaison, Jean Geil $ 900
Executive Directors Office, Kitty Keller $ 3,500
Board Expenses, Kitty Keller $ 3,700
Long-Range Planning Committee Meeting $ 1,228
UI Press, American Music Subscriptions $27,000
Academic Services Fees $ 3,450
Fees and Memberships (revised up from $ 1,140
Board approved budget due to $40 increase in
ACLS dues)
Membership Directory $ 1,950
US-RILM Support $ 850
Membership Committee $ 1,655
Minority Issues Committee $ 100
AMerican Music Journal $ 4,800
SS Bulletin $ 5,734
Buchner publication subvention $ 1,750
TOTAL $58,352
RESTRICTED FUNDS
Student Travel Fund $ 2,335
Lowen Fund Award $ 424
Johnson Fund Merrill-Lynch Fee $ 65
Johnson Fund Subvention Committee Expenses $ 200
--William Everett, Kitty Keller, Homer Rudolf, Chair
Updated 12/15/99