NATIONAL FLUTE ASSOCIATION
THREE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
November 2009 - November 2012
OUR MISSION
Inspiring Flutists, Enriching Lives
OUR VISION
By 2012 the National Flute Association will be known as
a premier resource worldwide, valued by its members
and relevant to all interested in the flute.
OUR CORE VALUES
As a premier organization for the flute, the NFA:
- Honors, values, and respects the contributions of all members equally.
- Promotes collegiality and embodies integrity.
- Draws strength from our local roots and provides meaningful benefits.
- Promotes flute performance, pedagogy, and development by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas.
- Enriches the repertoire for the flute through commissioning, special publications, and related activities.
- Inspires and cultivates personal, professional, and artistic excellence.
We will fully serve the entire NFA membership and earn its enthusiasm by continually growing and improving our publications, commissions, technology, and conventions, and by expanding our outreach through educational programs and our support for and interaction with local, regional, and international organizations.
Strategies to Ensure Achievement of the Vision
• Education
NFA Convention 101
By August 2010, the NFA will expand the session for first-time attendees or those becoming reacquainted into "Convention 101." This series of orientation sessions, guided by experienced NFA members, will provide information on navigating the convention. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet guest artists and members of the NFA board, staff, and volunteer committees.
Baroque Flute Education
With the new triennial rotation of the Baroque Flute Masterclass Competition, Baroque Flute Artist Competition, and Baroque Flute Open Masterclass, the NFA has established a solid venue for historical performance participation and education. The NFA will continue to build a constituency for early music by nurturing and welcoming entry and intermediate-level flutists to this field.
Career and Artistic Development Committee
As convention workshops on grant-writing, arts management, and career development have been well attended, this new committee, to begin 2009-2010, will find ways to make these services available to members year-round. It will encourage dialogue and raise awareness of the need for arts education advocacy.
NFA Music Library
This collection is located at the University of Arizona Fine Arts Library in Tucson, Arizona. In 1974, the library started with approximately 1,000 items. With generous donations and music from the NFA Newly Published music competition the collection has grown to more than 15,000 scores, including both rare editions and out-of-print scores. Music from the NFA Library may be circulated to NFA members within the U.S. and Canada and to people enrolled in or employed by the University of Arizona, and new works are continually added to the collection.
Upcoming plans include:
- Creating downloadable PDFs of the Library Catalog and Special Collections;
- Beginning the digitization of rare, out-of-print (and out-of-copyright) music, which will be available online;
- Increasing the use of the library through convention and online tutorials;
- Raising the profile of the library among members with updates in The Flutist Quarterly;
- Listing recent acquisitions or featured titles in a space on the NFA Web site, with a link to the library page.
Competitions
The NFA sponsors 15 competitions to select outstanding flutists to perform at its conventions and to reflect the diverse talents of its members.
Five are solo competitions:
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Five are masterclass competitions:
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Four culminate in flute choirs:
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One selects an artist from an economically challenged country to attend the convention:
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One is for young scholars to present their work:
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One is for publishers:
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• Outreach, Accessibility and Relevance to all Members
Cultural Outreach Scholarship
Providing diverse cultural outreach activities has long been important to the NFA, and we will seek to provide more educational opportunities for populations with few musical resources. The NFA provides scholarships through music schools in 15 cities, supporting private flute instruction for underserved students year-round.
Convention Camp
The Cultural Outreach Committee hosts local minority or economically challenged students at the convention annually, guiding them through a convention day with the chance to meet flutists and teachers and hear inspiring performances. In 2009, this was expanded to include a Convention Camp in collaboration with local organizations and teachers.
Myrna Brown International Scholarship
The Myrna Brown Scholarship Competition is held alternate years, to provide assistance to international artists from developing countries to attend the convention. Part of the goal of the scholarship is to spread the word about the NFA to the flutists of the world, by asking the scholarship flutist to share information regarding NFA activities and services with the flute community of the recipient's country. Another goal is to provide an opportunity for the scholarship flutist to perform, participate in a panel discussion, or adjudicate at an NFA convention. Publicity for this competition will be included in NFA competition listings.
Regional Events
The NFA has 350 Affiliate Members—flute clubs or choirs throughout the U.S. and world. Members host events through these regional organizations, which provide performing, educational, and networking opportunities year-round. The NFA is considering partnering possibilities, seeking collaborations for mutual benefit.
Flute Choir and Flute Club Start-up Resources
The Flute Clubs Coordinator has appointed a committee to update materials, by 2010-2011, on starting and maintaining flute clubs and choirs, including information on grant-writing and fundraising.
Amateur Flutists
Among the 6,500 members of the National Flute Association, a significant number identify themselves as amateurs. For these members, the NFA is a valuable resource, offering open Amateur 30+ masterclasses and "Tips for Amateurs" workshops at the annual conventions. In the next three years, continued emphasis will be placed on developing a "curriculum" for these players, to include technical exercises, solos, instrument purchasing, and other relevant topics.
Networking Events
Camaraderie and mentorship are often listed as the most invaluable aspects of an NFA membership. Convention events such as the Myrna Brown dinner, Volunteer Welcome Meeting, and Amateur Resources Committee's Flute-Lover's Lunch offer opportunities to network and build long-term relationships. Initiatives such as free cocktail events before concerts and gatherings for college students, past presidents, and life members are other member-driven suggestions for networking. Members interested in social networking are encouraged to join the NFA Facebook group.
Commercial Members
Commercial members have a valuable presence within the NFA membership, serving on committees and the board and offering unique contributions to the organization. The NFA is inviting more visible involvement by commercial members, with initiatives such as increased editorial coverage in The Flutist Quarterly.
• Technology/Web site and Publications
Web site
The NFA Web site is becoming a hub of information for flutists for receiving and posting up-to-date news and announcements. Goals for 2009-2010 include:
- Making the NFA Web site more compatible with evolving technology;
- Establishing a presence on networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter;
- Including rich media content, such as audio and video performances of NFA performances and masterclasses;
- Featuring an interactive Web page devoted to NFA commissions;
- Posting up-to-date activities of NFA committees;
- Giving priority to services serving NFA member needs, such as a mentoring match system or a performance health care "Ask the Doctor" section.
Special Publications
The NFA will seek to fund two new CD projects by 2011-1012, which will also be offered on iTunes.
The Pedagogy Committee has plans to produce a sequel to the successful Pedagogy Anthology. Volume 2 will be available in 2012.
Flutist Quarterly
The NFA's scholarly periodical, The Flutist Quarterly, will include information about Web site links where readers can go for further information.
Past issues of The Flutist Quarterly will continue to be offered in pdf format on the Web site and as archived DVDs for purchase.
Communication Benefits
Through increased use of the Web site as a place to go for news and information, members will benefit by being more aware of the operations of the NFA.
• Administration and Governance
The NFA Nominating Committee will continue to identify and recruit board members who represent a broad constituency of the organization and will oversee a survey of the membership to identify those with outside expertise who could assist the NFA as volunteers or potential board members.
The NFA board will continue in its role of providing regular administrative and staff assessment and development.
• Public Relations and Marketing
Marketing Plan
The NFA has contracted with a nationally known public relations firm for promotion of the 2009 convention. The Board of Directors will continue to discuss marketing as a priority, with the additional goal to create a comprehensive Marketing Plan.
National Flute Association Commissioning Program
The NFA has been a leader in creative commissioning for more than 20 years. Our legacy to flutists of tomorrow is through the masterpieces we initiate today, created by the leading composers of our time. The NFA New Music Advisory Committee will continue to provide the board with ideas for future commissions.
In an effort to gain awareness of this significant contribution by the NFA and its members, our goal for 2010 is to gather recordings and scores of these commissioned works and to place short audio and score excerpts on the NFA Web site, accompanied by, as available: publisher information, program notes, links to composer Web sites, and Performance Guides.
• Fundraising and Development
Development efforts are led by the Development Committee, which include completed and continuing initiatives:
- The revision, in 2008-2009, of the NFA Endowment Policy, now in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, donor designations, and ethical standards;
- Periodic listing of donors in The Flutist Quarterly and up-to-date listing of recent donors on NFA Web site;
- A Capital Campaign to follow the "37" Campaign, with the goal of increasing the Endowment to $2 million by 2012;
- Opportunities for sponsoring of commissioning music;
- Increasing overall development support, both within and beyond NFA membership;
- Opportunities for businesses and individuals to sponsor NFA competitions;
- Rebuilding operating reserves;
- Researching and seeking appropriate grants for commissioning, scholarships, and other projects.
Strategic Plan Participants — August 2009
| STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE | ||
| Patti Adams Lori Akins Joanna Bassett Beth Chandler |
Debbie MacMurray Leonard Garrison Christopher Krueger Hal Ott |
Phyllis Pemberton Paul Taub |
| NATIONAL FLUTE ASSOCIATION STAFF | |
| Phyllis Pemberton, Chief Executive Officer Madeline Neumann, Convention Director |
Maria Stibelman, Membership Director Anne Welsbacher, Publications Director |
| OFFICERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Leonard Garrison, Chair Jonathan Keeble, Vice Chair Shelley Collins, Secretary Sandra Saathoff, Assistant Secretary Debbie MacMurray, Chair of the Finance Committee Mark Thomas, Honarary Life President |
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Bickford Brannen Robert Dick Adrianne Greenbaum Christopher Krueger Paul Taub Clifford Tretick |
| COMMITTEE CHAIRS | ||
| Advisory Committee | Patti Adams | New Orleans, LA |
| Amateur Resources | Lisa Fahlstrom | Gaithersburg, MD |
| Archives and Oral History | Nancy Toff | New York, NY |
| Cultural Outreach | Horace Alexander Young | Houston, TX |
| Development | Katherine Borst Jones | Powell, OH |
| Endowment | Zart Dombourian-Eby | Seattle, WA |
| Forum/Web site | Brian Luce | Tucson, AZ |
| Historical Flutes | Linda Pereksta | Oxford, MS |
| Jazz | Ali Ryerson | Brookfield, CT |
| New Music Advisory | Molly Barth | Eugene, OR |
| Nominating | Jonathan Keeble | Urbana, IL |
| Pedagogy | Rebecca Hovan | Elkhart, IN |
| Performance Health Care | Stephen A. Mitchell | Nashville, TN |
| Piccolo | Mary Kay Ferguson | Cleveland Heights, OH |
| Planned Gifts | Gwen Powell | Tucson, AZ |
| Special Publications | Patricia Harper | Centerbrook, CT |
| COMPETITION COORDINATORS | ||
| General Coordinator | Lisa Garner Santa | Lubbock, TX |
| Baroque Flute | Nancy Schneeloch-Bingham | Boone, NC |
| Collegiate Flute Choir | Dorli McWayne | Fairbanks, AK |
| Convention Performers | Sally Humphreys | Salt Lake City, UT |
| DMA/PhD Dissertation | Michelle Cheramy | St. John's, Newfoundland |
| High School Soloist | Ruth Ann McClain | Memphis, TN |
| Jazz Flute Masterclass | Holly Hofmann | San Diego, CA |
| Jazz Flute Big Band | Ali Ryerson | Brookfield, CT |
| Masterclass Performers | Jill Heyboer | Springfield, MO |
| National High School Flute Choir | Virginia Schulze-Johnson | Reading, NJ |
| Newly Published Music | Jennifer Robin Lau | Albuquerque, NM |
| Orchestral Audition & Masterclass | Jennifer Parker-Harley | Columbus, SC |
| Piccolo Artist | Rebecca Arrensen | Carmel, IN |
| Professional Flute Choir | Diane Boyd Schultz | Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Young Artist | Donna Shin | Seattle, WA |
| ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES | ||
| NFA Librarian | Bob Diaz | Tucson, AZ |
| OTHER APPOINTMENTS | ||
| Director of Public Relations | Ann Rosenblum | Summit, NJ |
| Flute Choirs Coordinator | Kelly Via | Lawrenceville, GA |
| Flute Clubs Coordinator | Christine Cleary | Grapevine, TX |
| Flute Research Coordinator | Michelle Cheramy | St. John's, Newfoundland |
| Grants Committee | Danielle Hundley | Moscow, OH |
| International Liaison | Matej Zupan | Slovenija, Europe |
| Legal Advisor to the Board | Linda Mintener | Madison, WI |
| Masterclass Reporter | Lee Chivers | Phoenix, AZ |
| Myrna Brown International Liaison | Angeleita Floyd | Cedar Falls, IA |
| Myrna Brown Society | Eva Amsler | Tallahassee, FL |
| NFA Library Liaison | Sandy Schwoebel | Tucson, AZ |
The Strategic Plan was adopted by the National Flute Association Board of Directors
on August 13, 2009, in New York, New York.
