Dear SASRIM members,
Much has happened in the few short months after our conference in August. This newsletter serves, along with the enclosed minutes of the AGM in Port Elizabeth, to keep you informed of recent developments.
Composition of Exco
Shortly after our gathering in Port Elizabeth, the Exco received, with regret but gratitude for their service, resignations from both Marianne Feenstra and Martina Viljoen. The Exco has decided to leave these positions vacant until the election of a new Exco at the 2009 congress. The remaining members of the Exco continue to work hard on their respective tasks, including conference arrangements, programme co-ordination, publications and recruiting new members. An updated list of the SASRIM Exco, with contact details, is included with this message.
Website
Since Marianne, who handled the initial negotiations in this regard, is no longer available, Brett and Marie have met with the company who is designing the SASRIM website and have clarified the Society’s needs in this regard. There are a number of issues that still need to be resolved, however, and we are negotiating with 05webdesign, with the assistance of Mark Brand of NMMU in order to ensure that SASRIM obtains the best and most sustainable website product for its needs. We expect our new website to be up and running early in the new year.
ICTM 2009
The Exco is in full agreement with the Programme Committee’s proposal of the following theme for next year’s conference: Postcolonialism and the future of music research in South Africa. After discussion with the ICTM Local Arrangements Committee, it was decided that the SASRIM conference will be held from 29 June to 1 July 2009 in Durban i.e., on the eve of the ICTM (International Council for Traditional Music) World Conference. This will give SASRIM members the option of staying on in Durban for the ICTM programme. The two conferences will, in other words, be organised back-to-back, with limited, if any, formal overlap.
IMS Regional Conference 2010
As Marianne was no longer available, Brett and Chris Walton have asked Stephanus Muller to assist with the arrangements for this joint conference, and he and the Department of Music at the University of Stellenbosch have kindly agreed. This event will thus take place in Stellenbosch, probably towards the end of August 2010, and not in Pretoria as previously discussed, and plans are proceeding smoothly.
SAMUS volume 28
We are pleased to announce that this volume of SAMUS will be available shortly. Unfortunately, due to the financial constraints of ever-rising postage costs, we are unable to mail issues of the journal to members who have not yet paid their 2008 membership fees. If you are unsure of your membership status, please contact our treasurer, Boudina McConnachie (boudinac@yahoo.com).
Grant from Samro
At the close of the year, we were very pleased to hear that Samro’s Endowment for the National Arts favourably considered our request that they continue to support our society’s work. They will make a contribution to the costs of printing the current issue of SAMUS, and another composers’ panel will be funded at next year’s conference.
School curricula
In the accompanying AGM minutes, it was noted that SASRIM should be involved in compiling a document about unsatisfactory aspects of the school curricula with respect to music education for submission to the government. We have received Mandy Carver’s document in this regard and this important advocacy initiative remains on the Exco’s agenda for 2009.
New members
With the recruiting of new members a top priority, Sylvia Bruinders, Alvin Peterson and Boudina McConnachie continue to work on contacting potential members and broadening the membership base of the Society. Please assist them in this regard by bringing SASRIM’s publications and activities to the attention of colleagues, students and other interested parties.
We thank you for your continued support for the Society and wish you a happy festive season.
Yours sincerely,
Brett Pyper, Marie Jorritsma and members of the SASRIM Exco