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16 November 2000

Re: Meetings to Launch the Analysis/Review

Dear Colleagues,

The Music Section of The Canada Council for the Arts is undertaking a series of meetings in November and December to inform members of the new music community, of the extent and nature of the review of the Classical Contemporary New Music Program (CCNMP) and analysis of the issues facing the milieu at the current time. The meetings will take place in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. The dates, times and location are:

Toronto
November 23
1:30-5:30 P.M.
Bloor Street United Church
300 Bloor St. W. (at Huron)

Montreal
December 1
1:00 - 5:00 P.M.
CACUM
3450 St. Urbain

Vancouver
December 8
1:00 - 5:00 P.M.
T.B.A.

These conversations will include regular program applicants from the CCNMP, as well as contemporary music artists funded in other programs - i.e. Grants to Professional Musicians Program, Commissioning Program, etc. In other words, artistic directors, administrators, composers, performers, (board members) - in short, those who work in the practice of new music - are welcome.

As you read in the 'yellow' paper letter of October 25th, this is a process designed to incorporate the voice of the community. The Strategic Plan of the Council, while it does not fully reflect the spectrum of the needs of the new music community, nevertheless provides a reasonable framework within which to position the vision of the milieu. This meeting will explain the process, provide the working objectives of the review/analysis and begin documenting your concerns and your articulation of the issues.

Your participation is essential. Through the course of the upcoming year there will be many consultative exercises and documents produced to capture the essence of your concerns - beyond financial resources - and the state of your current environment. It is important to be aware of how the process will work. Lendre Kearns and Judy Harquail will facilitate the meetings in the three cities.

As part of the process we are doing some homework. One of the many pieces of homework identified includes attaining an accurate picture of the infrastructure resources available in each city. For this purpose, three researchers - one in Toronto, one in Montreal and one in Vancouver - will begin contacting the clients of the program to obtain this data. The researchers are:

Vancouver - Diane Kadota /// Montreal - Richard Simas /// Toronto - Lauren Pratt

As an organization's internal infrastructure impacts directly their capacity to be effective in many other areas of this discussion, this issue has been identified as one of the primary topics for the first Advisory meeting. (This meeting initially scheduled for December has been moved to January.) The researchers will be contacting you in and around the time of the launch meeting in each city. Please make your organization available to participate, as more complete data will advance the discussion at the Advisory meeting and leave room for other issues.

Thank you for sending me your suggestions for Advisory meeting members. For those who have not yet responded, I would encourage you to have a voice at the table by doing so.

It is difficult to capture everyone with a mailing so please spread the word through the community. It is necessary to R.S.V.P. however to Julie Farant or myself to confirm your attendance - a minimum of 2 days prior to the meeting in your city. Refreshments will be served.

Again, for clients outside these three major centres, opportunities to participate will be provided through conference calls and through direct consultation with researchers throughout the year.

I look forward to meeting with you soon. This is truly an exciting opportunity for all!

Shannon Peet

Officer, Classical Contemporary/New Music Program

shannon.peet@canadacouncil.ca

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