THE BEETHOVEN SOCIETY

CONSTITUTION & RULES

1. TITLE    

       The name of the Society shall be 'The Beethoven Society', hereinafter referred to as The Society.

1a. Status

             The Society shall be maintained as a Registered Charity and its affairs shall subsequently be governed as appropriate by the Rules and Regulations of the Charity Commission.

2. OBJECTS

       The objects of the Society are 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 through such other ways, principally through the maintenance of a symphony orchestra, as the Society through its Committee shall from time to time determine.

3. MEMBERSHIP

       The Society shall consist of a President, Vice Presidents, Honorary and Life Members, and Ordinary Members.

4. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE  

The Society shall be managed by a Committee consisting of two Officers, viz. the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer, and six Ordinary Members. Four, including one Officer, shall form a quorum. The President and Vice Presidents shall be ex-officio members of the Committee. The Committee may co-opt or invite other persons to the Committee as deemed appropriate.

The President and Vice Presidents shall be elected for three years at an Annual General Meeting. The Officers and Ordinary Committee Members shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. The Conductor and the Leader of the Orchestra shall be appointed annually by the Committee.

5. ELECTION TO MEMBERSHIP

Candidates for Ordinary Membership must complete a Membership Application Form. After consultation with the appropriate Section Leader approval of Membership will be made by the Conductor and the Hon. Secretary. Honorary and Life Members shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting. There shall be one Member proposing and two Members seconding such nominations.

6. FINANCE

(a) The Financial Year shall end on the 31st May.

(b) A Banking Account shall be maintained in the name of The Society and cheques shall be authorised by signature of the Hon. Treasurer or other person nominated by the Committee.

(c) An Annual Subscription for the following year shall be agreed at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee shall have power to remit or modify the Subscription in exceptional circumstances. Should any Member fail to pay the Subscription the Committee may deem the membership to have lapsed. Resignation, normally to be in writing to the Hon. Secretary, will not lead to any whole or partial refund of Subscription.

(d) There shall be no financial nor material benefits attributable to membership of the Society.

(e) The Society may receive donations, grants in aid and financial guarantees.

(f) 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 legitimate expenses incurred on behalf of the Society. Fees and expenses for players engaged to supplement the Orchestra for concerts shall be approved in advance by the Hon. Treasurer. The Honoraria paid to the Conductor and the Leader shall be approved at the Annual General Meeting.

(g) The financial accounts shall be audited and submitted to the Members at the Annual General Meeting.

7. ARTISTIC DIRECTION

Subject to approval by the Officers, the Conductor may engage any musician to play at rehearsal or in concert to supplement the Orchestra without payment of the Membership subscription. Any Member desiring to introduce a friend to play at rehearsal may do so subject to approval by the Conductor. The Conductor shall be responsible for the seating plan of the Orchestra and the allocation of parts. The Committee and the Conductor shall determine the programmes the Orchestra shall rehearse and perform.

8. GENERAL MEETING

Within six weeks of the end of the Financial Year there shall be held the Annual General Meeting of Members. At least fourteen days notice in writing shall have been given to all Members. The Hon. Secretary and the Hon. Treasurer will make their Reports on the affairs of the Society and the Officers and Committee Members for the following season shall be elected. The Committee can call an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting at any time. The Hon. Secretary shall summon an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting on the written requisition of not less than ten Members. The object of such a meeting shall be stated in the Notice given to and issued by the Hon. Secretary to all Members and no business shall be transacted at the meeting other than that on the Notice paper. Ten Members shall form a quorum for the above meetings.

9. RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROPERTY

Each Member shall be held responsible for loss of or damage to any music, instrument or other property which he or she may borrow from the Society. The Society shall not in any circumstances be responsible for any music, instrument or other property of any Member.

10. DISSOLUTION

The Society shall be dissolved only by a majority of two thirds of the Members attending a General Meeting. On dissolution, any assets belonging to the Society, following the payment of outstanding debts, shall not be distributed amongst its Members but shall be distributed to such charitable institution or institutions having Objects similar to some or all of the Objects of the Society as the Society may determine and if and insofar as effect cannot be given to this provision then to some other charitable purpose.

11. TRUSTEES

Any property the Society has or may acquire shall be vested in at least three Trustees one of whom shall be the Hon. Treasurer for the time being and the others Members of the Society. Any vacancy arising shall be filled at the Annual General Meeting.

12. ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES

Subject to the preceding Rules the Committee may establish procedures for the conduct of the Society.

13. AMENDMENTS AND REVISIONS

The Constitution and Rules may be amended by a two thirds majority of the Members present at an Extra-Ordinary or the Annual General Meeting provided that fourteen days notice of the proposed change has been given to all Members and provided that nothing therein contained shall authorise any change which shall have the effect of the Society ceasing to be a charity.

The above Rules were adopted at an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting of the Society on the 17th March 1992.