Internet video-conference on Skype

Sunday, 6 February 2011, 10:00am-1:00pm US ET / 4:00-7:00pm Italy 

I. Call to order, roll-call, thanks, obituaries

The president Aloma Bardi calls to order and performs the roll-call. There are 7 present members (Aloma Bardi, Chiara Sintoni, Dorothea Gail, Roberta Prada, Paolo Somigli, Marta Poggesi, Lorenzo Puliti), 1 excused absent (Margherita Boccini, Florence, Outgoing Treasurer) and no proxies.

Aloma Bardi thanks on behalf of ICAMus the Department of Music and Performing Arts (DAMS) of the University of Florence and the Doctoral School for the Performing Arts of the University of Florence, for allowing ICAMus to pursue its scholarly projects within a university structure. She also expresses thanks to the Non-Profit Organizations I Fiori Musicali and Vocal Images, and to Vox Mentor, LLC, whose presidents Roberta Prada and Chiara Sintoni are on the ICAMus Board, for keeping up the collaboration and joint projects.

The president remembers her late mother, Ms Manola Grassini Bardi (22 November 1925 – 19 Jan 2010), subscriber of ICAMus from the beginning; she leaves a financial legacy, part of which may be donated and used for future projects of the Organization.

II. Donations and goals

Aloma Bardi leads a discussion of donations and financial matters, introduced by a brief description of the bequest of Ms. Manola Grassini Bardi, as primary investment for the ICAMus Web site.

The Board logs on to the hyperlink of www.icamus.org temporary hosting: http://www.icamusprova.netsons.org/ Roberta Prada expresses appreciation of the new Web site and asks whether this effort implies major investments. Aloma Bardi replies that additional funds will not be necessary. President also specifies that the Web site will be directly managed by the ICAMus Board.

Aloma Bardi proposes that an honorarium be provided to professional contributors/collaborators (lectures, papers, presentations); students not included. A flat fee should be established around $/€ 200. Reimbursements will be paid to scholars invited to conferences/lectures abroad. President, vice-president and treasurer may not receive honorarium, but just cost refunds. The Board unanimously agrees on the proposal.

The president reminds that all Board Members are requested to subscribe to the Organization in order to maintain their role and position on the Board. The current yearly subscription fee is € 40. Only members who have regularly subscribed in the current year may receive an honorarium by the Organization. Payment of the subscription fee will also guarantee access to the Subscription Area of the Web site. There are no objections.

The president calls for a specific meeting on financial matters to be held in mid-March. Suggested dates are Sunday, March 13, 2011, or Sunday, March 20, 2011. No agreement is reached on the suggested dates. President proposes a new date, Sunday March 27. No objections. However, the date remains to be confirmed.

III. 2010 Achievements

Aloma Bardi presents a summary of 2010 achievements and completed projects, as well as the updated ICAMus Directory of Events 2003-2010 that she has compiled and written.

Last year’s achievements and completed projects focus primarily on the continuing exploration and teaching experience of American music original sources, on Early American music, and on the diversity of the American music experience.

Of great prominence was the ICAMus Seminar Com’era nuovo il Nuovo Mondo (Doctoral School, University of Florence, April 23, 2010). The event was entirely accomplished through the achievements of the first 3 teaching years at the University of Florence – DAMS; live premières were performed in collaboration with 2 music schools (Fiesole and Prato).

Other 2010 events include: M.A. Theses at the University of Florence, studying in depth original sources; Lecture, Bologna, May 22, 2010, Aloma Bardi, La musica del ‘700 rivoluzionario americano, with results of original research on the Andrew Law Papers, The “Amazing Grace” Collection, LC, and other archives, within the ICAMus tradition of research in Early American Music. The groundbreaking ongoing research and discovery of American sources in Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West, Barbara Boganini: Doctoral Seminar; Radio program Rete Toscana Classica in 3 parts, podcast on the Web, total of 5 hours; paper at Palermo international conference on the centenary of La Fanciulla. Scuola di Musica di Fiesole, performance of unpublished versions of Gershwin’s Songs; Lorenzo Puliti, coordinator; Marta Poggesi, pianist: April 23 University performance; June 7, 2010, Lezione aperta Scuola di Musica di Fiesole: Gershwin, Il Song in scena, Aloma Bardi, Lorenzo Puliti, Lucia Mazzei; June 24, 2010, Fiesole, Festa della Musica, Gershwin, Il Song in scena. Versioni inedite; un progetto ICAMus a cura di Lorenzo Puliti, with the class of vocal technique of Lucia Mazzei.
Scuola di Musica di Prato April 17, 2010, Presentation of projects and premières of Gershwin (unpublished piano version of The man I love) and Carlos Troyer (1837-1920), Traditional Songs of the Zuñis; Aloma Bardi, Marta Poggesi, Lorenzo Puliti, Elisa Prosperi, Monica Benvenuti. Scuola di Musica di Prato, April 23 Doctoral Seminar: première Troyer, Traditional Songs of the Zuñis.

Comments by ICAMus Board members follow, regarding possibilities of expanding the scope of the Organization’s contacts. Dorothea Gail mentions the advantages of establishing a connection with the American Music Society. President suggests attempting this when the new Web site is online, in order to have full representation on the Web prior to seeking new connections. Roberta Prada mentions Jack Lee, pianist, arranger, musical director, conductor, American music and Broadway expert, who would be a valuable collaborator. Marta Poggesi and Lorenzo Puliti report their experiences with ICAMus in the past year, in particular the innovative combination of research on the original sources and performance. Roberta Prada and Aloma Bardi discuss the possibility of publishing yet unpublished musical manuscripts in the Subscription Area of the Web site. Roberta Prada points out that it is very important to have it understood that the Organization is not selling this material for profit, but just making it available for scholarly purposes.

IV. Current projects

The president reports on current 2011-2012 projects. Among them, new M.A. theses in preparation for defense in July 2011 at the University of Florence – DAMS; a S.C. Foster program in preparation at Scuola di Musica di Prato (Project description & listing of materials are provided); a Gershwin program being studied at Scuola di Musica di Fiesole (Selection of G. & I. Gershwin’s Strike up the band); Aloma Bardi’s proposal on American piano concertos to Camerata Strumentale “Citta’ di Prato”; ongoing research on Early American Music at the Library of Congress, Aloma Bardi and Florence Univ. graduate student Viola Shaula Valerio at LC, Feb.-Mar. 2011, working on Heinrich’s mss. and other materials; 2 articles on Fanciulla del West by Barbara Boganini almost completed for publication; ongoing research on Indianist composers by Barbara Boganini, Aloma Bardi. Ideas are currently being developed for 2012 Vespucci celebrations as continuation of April 2010 Doctoral Seminar on the discovery of America in its musical implications, as well as research on rare works by American composers on the subject matter of discovery and exploration of the New World.

President stresses that in the last year a conversation with the ICAMus audience has been maintained through mailing lists and newsletters providing information, updates and discussion on current topics. Important appreciative feedback has been received. Such exchange will continue through the Web site.

The Board discusses the Foster project at Scuola di Musica di Prato. An update is provided by Marta Poggesi. Issues of authenticity and voicing are raised by Dorothea Gail (with part. regard to the song Come where my love lies dreaming). Marta Poggesi is the musical coordinator for the Foster project, and a seminar will be offered by Paolo Somigli. Somigli and Poggesi set a tentative date for the seminar. Lorenzo Puliti reports on the state of the Gershwin project with Scuola di Fiesole. Paolo Somigli is interested in the Doctoral Seminar on the occasion of the Vespucci Celebration. Prada recommends that the Seminar be broadcast in various countries.

Further direct experience and discussion of the new Web site follows. President provides a site description-map. The site is arranged in 3 dimensions: 1) Organization Archive & Directory of Events; 2) Subscription area as online documentation resource; 3) Online office as private space for the Board and its collaborators. Aloma Bardi illustrates the basic texts for the site. Some real text is already uploaded, some is still dummy text for graphic purposes.

In Roberta Prada’s opinion the Web site has a good design and is easy to use. Dorothea Gail raises reservations about the expression “art music” in the Mission statement. The Board engages in a discussion on the opportunity to retain such terminology to identify the non-popular music production, and whether such a choice really corresponds to the ICAMus inclusive orientation towards American music. Further thought will be devoted to this complex matter. Aloma Bardi, Paolo Somigli and others will work at partial rephrasing of the Mission text.

A presentation and discussion of project proposals and collaboration topics submitted by/to the Board especially focuses on the following: Paolo Somigli, Foster-Prato, scholarly introductions and advising for teachers/performers and for the general audience, 2 lectures/seminars, spring 2011; Marta Poggesi, Foster-Prato, participation as pianist and musical coordinator; Lorenzo Puliti, Web site, as site coordinator; Roberta Prada, discussion of Web sites, subscription areas, vocal technique issues.

No other proposals or collaboration topics for the next 2 years have been submitted as of February 6, 2011.

V. Candidacies

Aloma Bardi submits the candidacies of Evan Rothstein (Paris) and Barbara Boganini (Prato) for discussion by the Board, to fill the 2 currently vacant seats. She reports on their résumé. The meeting participants express unanimous interest in and approval of the 2 candidates.

The meeting is adjourned at 1:30pm/19,30.

The President Aloma Bardi

The Note-taker Secretary Lorenzo Puliti