The information below is for historical purposes only. The decision to disband the organization was made at the membership meeting in 2009 (see minutes below)

2009 Jazz String Caucus Meeting

1:30 - 3:00 PM, Saturday, March 21

Marriott Marquis, Room L503

ASTA Conferemce, Atlanta, Georgia

Presiding: Renata Bratt, String Caucus President, Tanya Kalmanovitch, String Caucus Secretary, and Martin Norgaard, String Caucus Web guru.

1. Wecome (Renata Bratt)

Renata Bratt presented a history of the JSC and its relationship to ASTA and IAJE. The JSC started as an interest group under the auspices of the IAJE, an organization promoting jazz education that is now defunct. The JSC's origInal focus of the organization was promoting pedagogical materials for string players in jazz, and advocating for strings in jazz. We generally agreed that these goals, particularly the former, have been met.

2(a) Minutes, 2008 String Caucus Meeting

2(b) Financial Report (Martin Norgaard)

The JSC earns between $200 and $300 in annual revenue from donated royalites from the publication "Jammin' Jazz Standards" (Latham). The JSC website costs about $25 monthly. The website has not been used as much as the email list. Since "Jammin' Jazz Standards" will continue in publication, we discussed disbanding the website and forwarding the revenues from the publication to the contributing authors.

3. IAJEStrings: Yahoo email list (Tanya Kalmanovitch, moderator with Renata

Bratt)

We agreed that the IAJEStrings email list serves as a valuable resource for performers, students and educators active in non- classical string performance. Given the demise of the IAJE, we agreed that the email list needs a new name, and will be migrated to Google Groups.

Members can conitnue, or opt out. Renata Bratt and Tanya Kalmanovitch will continue as moderators.

M/S/C (Martin Norgaard) We change the name of the IAJE String Caucus email list to a more general name to be determined at a later date.

Motion to Table (Norgaard) We change the name of the IAJE String Caucus to the String Improv list.

4. Jazz String Caucus (Renata Bratt)

In light of the demise of the IAJE we discussed the viability of the IAJE String Caucus. Given that Alternative Styles are built into the the administrative structure of ASTA, we agreed that there is no need for a parallel organization within ASTA. Some people present indicated interest in continuing a separate stand-alone body that advocated generally for non-classical string performance. Paula Zeitlin raised her concern that jazz, specifically, be well represented in non- classical string performance and pedagogy.

M/S/C (Tanya Kalmanovitch) We disband the Jazz String Caucus.

5. String Caucus Website (Martin Norgaard)

In light of the dissolution of the Jazz String Caucus, we resolved to disband the JSC website. The information will be transferred to another site, and can be hosted on the Google Groups page.

6. Reading Sessions (Paula Zeitlin and Christine Harrington)

Paula suggested using a rhythm section for the ASTA alt styles reading session only during those years that the rhythm section will also be hired by ASTA to support the Alternative Styles Competition awards. So that would be every other year. On the off years (starting with next year) we would use only a string section. This will remove two problems, paying the rhythm section and locating them, from the alt style reading section chair. The alt style reading chair will have to work closely with the alt style award chair in future to make sure that there is coordination with this rhythm section.

This suggestion did not need a motion to pass - as it is simply informative.

Also, Paula stated that the alt style reading chair needs to work closely with ASTA to make sure that all publishers are informed about the alt styles reading session. Somehow, this year, Alfred was not aware of the session, and had to send in their titles late, after discovery of the problem.

7. College Level String Education (Tanya Kalmanovitch)

Tabled for future discussion online.

8. New Business

No new business.

Tanya Kalmanovitch