AIMS

1. The Orchestra shall be called the Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra Society.

2. The object of the Society shall be to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in and appreciation of the art and science of music in all its aspects by the presentation of public concerts and recitals and by such other ways as the Society through its Committee shall determine from time to time.

MEMBERSHIP

3. Membership shall be open to all those who pay such annual subscription as may be prescribed by these rules.

4. The Committee may confer Life Membership on any member in recognition of outstanding service to the orchestra. Any person so elected shall not be liable to pay any further subscription.

5. The Committee may appoint any person an Honorary Member of the Society for such period as it desires. Any person so appointed shall not be liable to pay any subscription nor shall he/she be eligible for any committee or office, nor shall he/she take part in any vote at any meeting of members.

6. Prospective members shall apply to the Committee. Election to membership shall be by the Committee.

7. Each person elected to membership other than those exempted by these rules shall pay a subscription on election and thereafter on 1st September of each year, unless the Committee waive such payment at its discretion.

8.The amount of annual subscription shall be decided by the Society in General Meeting.

9.Payment of a subscription on election shall be taken as a member’s acknowledgement of and acquiescence in the rules of the Society, a copy of which shall be supplied to him/her.

10.Every member whose subscription for the current year has not been paid by the last day of December shall be notified that the Committee may determine his membership forthwith.

MANAGEMENT

11. The affairs of the Society, in all matters not in these rules reserved for the Society in General Meeting, shall be managed by a Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer (who shall be the Officers of the Society), and four members of the Society. The Conductor and Leader for the time being appointed, shall be ex-Officio members to advise the Committee on all matters pertaining to the administration and artistic direction of the Orchestra. The N.F.M.S. Representative, an appointment if not already undertaken by elected members, shall be co-opted to the Committee (21-9-88). All members of the Committee may vote.

12. The Committee may appoint such sub-committees as it may deem expedient, and may depute to them such powers and duties as it may decide, provided that all proceedings of such sub-committees are reported back to the Committee as soon as possible.

13. The Committee shall decide the number of concerts and programme to be undertaken.

14. Soloists, professional or amateur, may be engaged by the Committee to perform with the Society, on the recommendation of the Committee. Suggestions for soloists may be made to the Committee by any member of the Society.

15. Except as hereinafter provided, all Officers shall be elected for three years, and all Committee Members shall be elected annually at an Annual General Meeting and, subject to resignation, death or removal from office as provided for in these rules, shall remain in office until the appropriate Annual General Meeting next following their election, except that the Officers shall remain in rotation so that only one of them shall vacate each year. All Members may be eligible for re-election.

16. Nominations for any office or for the Committee must be proposed and seconded by members of the Society, and may be made only with the consent of the nominee. All such nominations shall be submitted to the Honorary Secretary before the commencement of the Annual General Meeting of the Society.

17. Where there is only one nomination for a particular office or where the number of nominations for the Committee is the same as, or less than the number of vacancies on the Committee, the Members so nominated shall be declared selected. In any other case election shall be by secret ballot conducted at the A.G.M. Any vacancies remaining after an election under these rules may be filled in accordance with Rule 20.

18. All sub-committees must contain at least one member of the Society Committee.

19. The Society, in General Meeting, may at any time remove a Committee Member before the expiration of his/her period of office, provided that any resolution for this purpose shall be decided by secret ballot, and shall require three-quarters of the members to vote in its favour.

20. The Committee shall at their complete discretion co-opt Members on to the Committee from time to time.

MEETINGS

12. The Society shall hold, not later than 30th September each year, a General Meeting as its Annual General Meeting, which meeting shall be specified as such in the notice calling it.

22. Any Meeting of the Society, other than an Annual General Meeting, shall be called a Special General Meeting. The Committee may at any time convene a Special General Meeting and shall do so within 21 days from receipt of a requisition, in writing, stating the object of the meeting and signed by not less than 12 members of the Society.

23. Notice of every General Meeting of the Society, the time, date and place of which shall be determined by the Committee, shall be sent or delivered to each member not less than 14 days before the meeting. Such notice shall specify the matters to be dealt with at the meeting.

24. Meetings of any committee shall be held at such intervals as the members of that committee shall decide, Notice of every committee meeting shall be given to every member entitled, and shall specify the matters to be dealt with.

25. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, voting at all meetings shall be by a show of hands and resolutions shall be determined by a simple majority of votes cast by members entitled to vote. In case of equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

26. At the commencement of any General Meeting, the members shall appoint two scrutineers for the purpose of counting votes cast. Any count made by the scrutineers shall be accepted by the Chairman, who shall make his/her declaration of the result of voting in accordance therewith.

27. The quorum necessary for the transaction of business shall be

a) at a General Meeting of the Society, 20 members,

b) at a meeting of any Committee, not less than half its members.

28. At any General Meeting, the Chairman may refuse to put to the vote any resolution of which due notice under these rules has not been given.

29. At any sub-committee meeting, the members present shall appoint one person to be chairman of the meeting.

FINANCE

30. The Treasurer shall cause proper books of accounts to be maintained. A statement of accounts shall be made up annually to 31st August and laid before the members at the next Annual General Meeting. The Society’s books and accounts shall be audited annually by an auditor appointed by the Committee.

31. A bank account shall be opened in the name of the Society, and cheques shall be signed by two of three named Officers of the Society.

32. The Society may receive donations, grants in aid and financial guarantees, and tickets for any or all of its concerts and other events shall be on sale to the public.

33. The income and property of the Society whencesoever derived shall be applied solely towards promoting the objects of the Society as set forth above and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred either directly or indirectly to any member or members of the Society except in payment of reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred on behalf of the Society.

34. All members of the Society shall be indemnified out of the funds of the Society from and against all proceedings, issues, costs or expenses which may be paid or incurred in relation to their respective duties and no member shall be liable personally for any loss, damage or expense incurred on behalf of the Society, nor for any contract entered into, nor for any act done on behalf of the Society, which has been authorised by the Committee.

35. The Committee shall have the power at any time to appoint Trustees for the purpose of holding any property of the Society, and such Trustees shall deal with the property as directed by resolution of the Committee or of the Society in General Meeting.

36. The Society may be dissolved only by resolution passed by a majority comprising at least five-sixths of the members present and voting by secret ballot at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose of considering such dissolution. In the event of the Society being wound up any assets remaining upon dissolution shall be transferred to a charitable institution or institutions having similar objects to the Society.

37. The rules may be amended by a two-thirds majority at an Annual or Special General Meeting, providing that 14 days’ notice of the proposed amendment has been sent to all members and provided that nothing contained shall authorise any amendment which shall have the effect of the Society ceasing to be a charity in law.

38. The Society can accept no responsibility for loss of or damage to any property belonging to members of the Society.

PLAYER’S COMMITTEE

39. There shall be a sub-committee called the Player’s Committee. Its function shall be to advise and assist the Orchestra Manager on general matters concerning the playing members of the Orchestra. Any recommendation must be ratified by the Executive Committee.

40. The Player’s Committee shall consist of one representative from each of the following Sections: l. Violins I and Il. 2. Violas, Cellos and Basses. 3. Woodwind. 4. Horns. 5. Brass. 6. Percussion, under the Chairmanship of the Orchestra Manager.

Election – at the A.G.M.; only members of each Section may vote for the appropriate Representative.

Quorum, decision making, recording of minutes and other matters should be in accordance with the general terms of the Constitution and specifically rules I l, 12, 18 and 29.       

Approved 21-11-89