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This month Music Notes features RI Convention News, the Global Chair's Annual Report to the IFRM Membership, Agenda for the Annual General Meeting, and an article of the fabulous work of IFRM partner MUSIC MENDS MINDS. 

Annual Report: "This is my second Annual Report to the Membership of IFRM.  It has, again, been a challenging year, but Covid-19, has also brought about some exciting opportunities for our IFRM Community. The most exciting new enhancement is the development of  “Lift Your Voice”  Rotary Musical Database which will be available to members.  It will be introduced at the Conventions, actual and virtual.  I believe you will find it an incredible resource for music appropriate to Rotary  Meetings and gatherings, with the ability to drill down by country of origin, style, where to find the music and even video resources, if they are available.   This has been a massive under-taking led by Susan DuPree, a past Global Chair of IFRM and her committee and our web architect.  It is designed to grow, but we will need your help in finding music and the requisite permissions..."

Houston Convention: "Rotary International has decided to run parallel conventions.   An on-site Convention and a Virtual Convention.    You must register for the Convention of your choice, in order to attend. We are all very excited that there is also a Virtual Hall of Friendship that registrants can access 24 hours/day..."

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Convention Details
• Annual Report
• Keeping the Beat... Music Mends Minds
• Vice Chair Memos

Year-End Recap: It has been both a challenging and gratifying year for IFRM. Covid-19 shut down the Rotary Convention scheduled for Taiwan, the virtual Rotary Convention we created a virtual booth in the virtual House of Friendship, we formed the IFRM Virtual World Choir with members from around the world meeting on Saturday Mornings, the IFRM Board has been meeting periodically via Zoom to carry and others have "virtually" attend Installation Programs for new IFRM Chapters in various regions of India. The International Fellowship of Rotarian Musicians now has more than 1,000 active members and is growing with new memberships coming in almost every week.

2022 Convention News: Rotary is still finalizing plans around the Convention scheduled for Houston in early June. It may be a hybrid convention with both components of live and virtual events. If there is a live aspect and travel permits IFRM will have a booth in the House of Friendship. Indications are that there may not be a Rotary World Choir, but that decision has not been finalized by Rotary International nor IFRM.

IN THIS ISSUE

• IFRM in the September 2021 Rotary Magazine
• IFRM says "Thanks Judy" and "Bye, Bye"
• RI Song Book and Music Resource Database: Helper needed
• Keeping the Beat… Ada Kahn

Virtual Rotary Convention: The BIG news is that we have a “virtual” booth at the House of Friendship at the Virtual Rotary Convention. We have put together more than 30 minutes of singing and inspirational and informational talks about various aspects of IFRM including our plans for a new song book and our partnership with Music Mends Minds. Our booth is interactive, so that you will be able to select what you want to view. You will need to be registered for the Rotary Virtual Convention for access to the House of Friendship and our booth. IF you are attending the “virtual” convention, I hope you will visit our IFRM booth.

Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place during the Convention, but you will not need to register for the convention. Our AGM will take place on zoom at 8 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (West Coast US and Canada). Here is the zoom link for the meeting.

IN THIS ISSUE: 

• IFRM Drop-in meetings
• IFRM Website News
• NEW RI Song Book Work Continues
• Keeping the Beat… Barry Oxford

IFRM, stronger despite Covid - March 2021, it has been one year since Covid-19 began to really impact and change our lives. It has not been the happiest year of my life, and in fact probably has been one of the most difficult. The difficulty comes as one of my great joys, corporate and choral singing in person was unceremoniously taken away from me. All of the choirs I participate in stopped rehearsing in person and all performances ceased. Bummer! Ah, but a bright spot appeared: ZOOM . . .

IFRM is NOT just about Singing - At IFRM we want to encourage all types of musical expression and forms. Instumentalists are also a very welcome and appreciated part of our Fellowship. What can we do for you? As your Global Chair, I want to hear from you with your ideas. You can reach me by email at globalchair@ifrm.org.

IN THIS ISSUE:
Drop-In Meetings
New IFRM Songbook Continues
Keeping the Beat...
IFRM Goes Around the World

At IFRM, We sincerely hope that you are able to enjoy a health-filled and joyous Holiday Season. As IFRMers, we bring a grand variety of cultural traditions to this season around the world, Christmas, Diwali, Festivals of Lights, Kwanza, Hannukah and many more. We all hope that 2021 will bring us toward a more “normal” world.

It is now official. Rotary international broadened entry to the World of Rotary by incorporating Policies that allow ANY Interested person to join Rotary Fellowships. IFRM has agreed through the approval of its membership to open IFRM membership to any interested in person, not just Rotarians. We are excited and hope to broaden our niche in the world of Rotary, to help more people learn about and enjoy the benefits that being a part of Rotary International provides.

IN THIS ISSUE

• Let’s Do This! Plans for a NEW RI Song Book, Continues! By Susan DuPree
• Keeping the Beat……with Carol Rosenstein and Music Mends Minds by Ada Kahn
• IFRM Goes around the World
• Reports

IFRM in the World of Covid-19 by Rod Fivelstad, IFRM Global Chair
(RC of Grass Valley, CA)
 Well, 2020 has certainly presented it challenges to all of us. IFRM is weathering the storm and continues to be a strong fellowship, even in these challenging times.
On July 1, Rod Fivelstad became the Global Chair of the International Fellowship of Rotarian Musicians, which has been most admirably led by Lee Denlinger for the past 10 years. Part of the Global Chair responsibiilies include becoming the editior of MUSIC NOTES. So here we go. There will be some changes, so here is my vision, as Global Chair, for MUSIC NOTES. You can see in the masthead that this is Volume 47.1. I am hoping to publish MUSIC NOTES, three times a year. Later August/Early September, Late December/Early January, Late April/Early May. I expect they may be smaller in size, but hopefully will be a way of increasing communications and fellowship among the members. I will continue to publish “Staccato” on a Monthly Basis, intended to provide the most current information about IFRM.