CONSTITUTION
AND RULES
(Adopted
May 1994 and modified September 2004 and May 2005)
1.
The name of the Choir is the GLASGOW PHILHARMONIC MALE VOICE CHOIR.
2.
The objects of the Choir shall be to advance the education of the
public in the art of male voice choral singing through study and the
presentation of public performances and other activities, and the undertaking
of engagements approved by the Committee for the purpose of the promotion of
charitable causes.
3.
Ordinary membership of the Choir shall comprise:
(a) Chorister Members;
and (b) Life Members.
Chorister Members are applicants who have passed an
audition and have been accepted as members by the Committee.
Life Members are Chorister Members with 25 years
uninterrupted membership of the Choir.
4.
The Choir in General Meeting may confer the privilege of Honorary
Membership on any person who in its opinion merits the honour.
Honorary Members shall not have the privileges
granted to Ordinary Members by the Constitution, nor be subject to the
responsibilities of such members imposed in this Constitution and Rules. In
particular, Honorary Members may not vote at General Meetings.
5.
The Choir shall, in General Meeting, appoint a person to be the
Conductor of the Choir, such appointment to be renewable on an annual basis at
the Annual General Meeting.
6.
An Annual General Meeting of the Choir shall be held each year on or
before the 31st day of May, on a date to be fixed by the Committee, when an
approved statement of the Choir’s financial transactions and its position, made
up to the 31st day of March immediately preceding will be submitted for
approval. The meeting shall be called by a circular notice to which shall be
attached a copy of the said financial statement. Such notice and statement
shall be made available for collection by each member at a rehearsal at least
seven days prior to the date of the meeting
At the Annual General Meeting there shall be
appointed a Committee comprising a President, Vice-president, General
Secretary, Choir Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity Officer and one Steward from
each of the four Choir sections. The Conductor shall, ex officio, be a member of the Committee but shall have no voting
rights.
A Librarian shall also be appointed at the Annual
General Meeting who shall not be a member of the Committee.
At the Annual General Meeting the members shall
appoint two persons to examine the Treasurer’s accounts and to report thereon.
A Special General Meeting shall be called whenever
the Committee deems it necessary or on a written requisition being presented to
the General Secretary stating the matter to be discussed, signed by at least
fifteen members, and such meeting shall be held within thirty days from receipt
of such requisition. The General Secretary shall give at least seven days prior
notice to all members of such a meeting.
1.
At all General Meetings sixty per cent of the ordinary membership roll
shall form a quorum.
The President, or in his absence the Vice-president,
shall be Chairman at all General Meetings. In the absence of both the President
and the Vice-president any member may be appointed Chairman.
Each ordinary member of the Choir shall be entitled
to attend and vote at any General Meeting of the Choir.
Unless otherwise provided for all questions arising
at General Meetings of the Choir shall be decided by a majority vote of
two-thirds of those present and entitled to vote.
2.
The affairs of the Choir shall be managed by the Committee.
Committee members shall hold office till the
conclusion of the following Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for
re-election. Section Stewards may not hold office for more than four
consecutive years but shall be eligible for re-election after an interval of
one year. Any casual vacancy shall be filled by a majority vote of members as
soon as possible after the vacancy arises. In the case of an equality of votes
the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
The Committee shall meet as often as it may judge
necessary and, in general, at two monthly intervals.
Seven Committee members shall form a quorum.
The Committee may form Sub-committees with powers to
deal with any matter requiring urgent or special attention. Such Sub-committees
may include non-members as may be considered expedient.
Any such Sub-committee shall act strictly in
accordance with the instructions of the Committee and shall not incur
expenditure except as expressly authorised by the Committee.
The Committee, or a Sub-committee, may at its
discretion invite other persons to attend Committee meetings as it may deem
appropriate. Such persons shall not have any voting rights.
The Committee shall also appoint a Concert Manager
who shall be responsible for the good practical management of Concerts.
The Committee shall cause to be kept a record of the
attendance of each member which shall be scrutinised by the Choir Secretary
after each rehearsal and the Committee advised of any matter for concern
Committee decisions shall be by a majority vote of
those present and entitled to vote.
In the case of an equality of votes the Chairman
shall have a second or casting vote.
3.
Proper Minutes shall be kept by the General Secretary of the
proceedings of all General Meetings of the Choir and all meetings of the
Committee. Proper Minutes shall also be kept of the proceedings of all meetings
of any Sub-committee and a copy thereof shall be furnished to the General
Secretary as soon as practicable after such meetings.
4.
Members of the Choir are not entitled to any remuneration for services
rendered.
The Choir shall, in General Meeting, be entitled to
approve Honoraria, reasonable in the circumstances, to non-Members for services
rendered to the Choir.
The Treasurer shall open and maintain a bank account
or bank accounts in the name of the Choir with such bank or banks as the
Committee shall from time to time determine. Cheques must be signed by any two
holders of the office of President, General Secretary and Treasurer.
The Committee shall approve the payment of all
expenditure necessary for the management of the Choir including reasonable fees
and expenses to Guest Artistes.
Proper books of account shall be maintained by the
Treasurer who shall be empowered to make payment of appropriate expenditure
incurred by the Choir in the conduct of its affairs.
5.
An Annual Subscription shall be fixed by the members at the Annual
General Meeting and shall be payable to the Treasurer at the beginning of each
session. Members who are in arrears of payment of their Subscription for more
than four weeks may have their name removed from the Membership Roll.
Members joining the Choir after 31 December in any
year shall pay one half of the Annual Subscription for that session year.
Payment of the Annual Subscription shall be waived
in respect of Life Members.
The Committee may, for suitable cause, waive the
Annual Subscription of any Chorister Member.
6.
The musical direction of the Choir shall be the responsibility of the
Conductor in consultation with the Committee.
Rehearsals shall take place regularly on dates and
at places to be specified by the Committee.
Any member unable to attend a rehearsal or
performance must inform his Section Steward or any member of the Committee at
the earliest opportunity stating the reason; such person shall then advise the
Choir Secretary.
Members are required to attend sufficient rehearsals
prior to any performance as will enable them properly to sustain their part.
Absences in excess of four, whether consecutive or not, will generally preclude
a member from taking part in the performance in respect of which the rehearsals
have been held.
A member who is not considered by the Conductor and
the Committee competent to sustain his part shall be debarred by the Committee
from taking part in a performance.
7.
Members are required to conform to the dress laid down by the Committee
for participation in performances.
8.
The Conductor shall audition prospective members, appraise their
musical ability and potential and report thereon to the Committee.
The Conductor or the Committee may require any
member to be re-examined at any time and the Conductor shall hold auditions at
such intervals as are deemed necessary to maintain the choral standards of the
Choir.
After any re-examination the Committee will consider
the report from the Conductor and will then decide whether a Chorister should
remain a member of the Choir.
9.
Leave of absence from the Choir shall only be granted by the Committee
in special circumstances and any member granted such leave may, at the
discretion of the Committee, require to be re-examined.
10.
Choir members are obligated to support the Choir in all its
undertakings to the best of their ability and, where possible, to give priority
to the needs of the Choir.
11.
All music is the property of the Choir and must be returned to the
Librarian at the end of each session or as required. The concert folder is also
the property of the Choir and must be returned on cessation of membership.
12.
A member may resign by written notice to the General Secretary.
Any member who has been absent from rehearsals on
four consecutive occasions without notification of reasonable cause may be
suspended or have his name removed from the membership roll. Such a decision
shall be given in writing by the General Secretary and the member shall have
the right to have the decision reviewed.
The Committee shall have the power, after warning in
writing, to dismiss any member who, in its opinion, is a hindrance to the
progress of the Choir.
13.
The Choir may be dissolved by a resolution in General Meeting passed by
a majority of at least three-quarters of the members present and entitled to
vote.
In the event of dissolution of the Choir any assets
remaining after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities shall be given or
transferred to a charitable body having objects similar to those of the Choir.
14.
Alterations to the Constitution and Rules may be made at any General
Meeting provided that notice of the proposed amendment is given to the General
Secretary not less than three weeks prior to the General Meeting but no
alteration shall be made which would result in the Choir ceasing to have
Charitable status.