Trustees Report Year Ending 31[ST] July 2024
Registered Charity No.: 1175404
The Trustees present their report for the period ended 31[st] July 2024.
Structure, governance and management
The charity was established as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 27 October 2017. The charity is registered with the Charity Commission, number 1175404.
The Trustees who served during the year were: Ben Jennings Christopher Block Christina Leigh Clive Block Alexa Shepherd
The charity has a minimum of three and maximum of eight trustees. The power of appointment and/or removal of a trustee is vested in the members of the organisation. The trustees liability is limited and there is no requirement to contribute any funds on winding up.
The day-to-day administration of the charity is carried out by trustees.
The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to major risks.
Public Benefit
ln considering the strategies and policies of the Charity, the trustees have had due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charities Commission, in accordance with the Charities Act 2006. ln reviewing and developing Magna Sinfonia’s activities and future plans, careful consideration is given to the public benefit arising from the organisation’s work. Magna Sinfonia core activities encourage the enjoyment of, and participation in music by the public at large. The ticket prices for public performances are purposely kept low though for regular venues they were increased for the 2022-23 season, this being the first increase since 2018. With the exception of larger venues such as Christchurch Priory and Lighthouse, prices remain at £12-£16 and reduced price for under 18s remains at £2. The Trustees maintain the aim that the Orchestra's live performances should be widely accessible to the public.
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Magna Sinfonia Trustees Report 2023-24
Orchestra Development
The trustees remain committed to the original objective for the orchestra, which was to provide an exciting platform for high-quality musicians (amateur through to professional) to experience top-quality conductors, varied repertoire, and a more focused, friendly setting in which to perform orchestral music. By maintaining this ethos, the orchestra has established a widely held reputation as the South Coast’s premier amateur orchestra and has thrived.
Responsibility for the running of the orchestra and ensuring legal and Charity Commission compliance rests with the trustees. Trustees are automatically members, but may or may not be players and a mix of playing and non-playing trustees is preferred. Trustees are appointed at the CIO’s AGM in accordance with the procedures set out in the Constitution.
Trustees may also co-opt members to assist with the running of the orchestra. To this end, there is now a committee, which takes on many of the roles associated with the running of the orchestra and the trustees are grateful to Amy Taylor, Chris Gray, Lucy Baish, Bärbel Glaser, Caroline Poon and Christine Perry, who, along with the trustees, form the committee.
Membership is open to musicians who meet the criteria set out in the CIO’s Rules and Regulations
Finance
The trustees are responsible for preparing the accounts in accordance with applicable law and UK generally accepted accounting practice.
Law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the charity to prepare accounts for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the charity’s financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year. In preparing accounts giving a true and fair view, the trustees should follow best practice and –
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select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
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state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the accounts
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prepare the accounts on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the charity and which enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Charities Act 2011 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the charity’s governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts
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Magna Sinfonia Trustees Report 2023-24
in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2015)”
Total unrestricted funds as at the end of the 2022-23 season were £12,551 and at the end of the 2023-24 season were £13,046.
The accounts are not required to be independently examined for Charities Commission compliance.
The orchestra’s season and financial year runs from 1[st] August to 31[st] July and the financial report, available separately, shows a total income of £15,381 and expenditure of £14,745, creating a surplus for the 2023-24 season of £636.
The trustees are aware that viability of concerts staged in large venues such as Christchurch Priory are financially dependent on good audience numbers and represent the highest financial risk. However, they are keen to continue providing both members and audiences with high quality experiences and to date all the large venue productions have been financially viable.
Sources of income are primarily membership subscriptions and ticket sales, but revenue also comes from bar sales (by donation) and raffles, which are held at many of the orchestra’s concerts. At the trustees meeting of 24[th] March 2024, it was agreed that subs payable by participating members be increased to £40 for the 2024-25 season, this being the first increase since the orchestra’s inception in 2016.
In addition, to the income sources stated above, the trustees are grateful to those who support the charity by making donations and becoming Friends of Magna Sinfonia Also, many members Gift Aid their subscriptions and this has enabled a claim for £796.24 to be submitted and the amount received will appear in the 202425 season accounts.
Reserves Policy
ln accordance with best practice and Charity Commission guidance the charity maintains reserves in order to provide for contingencies that may arise in the future and to act as a buffer. The trustees define free reserves to be unrestricted funds which have not been designated for specific purposes. The Magna Sinfonia policy is to have in reserve an amount equivalent to the total cost of an average production. In line with this, the reserve amount is set at £7.000. At the end of the financial year 202223 the actual figure held was £12,551. At the end of the 2023-24 financial year the reserves held by the CIO amount to £12,816.31.
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Magna Sinfonia Trustees Report 2023-24
Summary of the Orchetra’s 2023-24 Programme
AGM and Season Launch
Sunday 3rd September 2023 Parkstone Grammar School, Sopers Lane, Poole, BH17 7EP.
Season Launch
The season launch was an opportunity for the orchestra to have a taste of what was to be performed in the coming season. Price Symphony No. 1 and Dvorak American Suite were chosen to be rehearsed.
As is normal practice, members do not pay a subscription for this and so there was no income. Costs associated with this event were £216.20
AGM
The meeting began at 3.15 pm and closed at 4.00 pm and was attended by 20 members and 4 trustees. The meeting was chaired jointly by Ben Jennings and Chris Block, who gave a summary of the 2022-23 season and provided a report on the orchestra’s financial position.
As required by the Constitution, trustees are required to resign in rotation, but are eligible for re-election. In compliance, Christina Leigh and Tom Kidman resigned, and Christina Leigh was re-elected by a unanimous vote. Tom Kidman chose not to be re-elected.
The remaining trustees wish to express their thanks to Tom for his contribution to the development and running of the orchestra.
Autumn Concert: Symphonic Spirituals
Saturday 14 October 2023 7:30pm All Saints Church, Southbourne, Bournemouth, BH6 5EH
Antonin Dvořák American Suite Antonin Dvořák Slavonic Dances Florence Price Symphony No. 1 in E minor Conducted by Ondřej Soukup
This concert was the second most expensive event of the season with expenditure totalling £4200.12. With low ticket sales and income of £3093.48, a deficit of £1,106.64 was incurred.
Audience: 99
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Magna Sinfonia Trustees Report 2023-24
Christmas Concert: A Very Magna Christmas Saturday 16th December 2023, 3.00pm. All Saints Church, Southbourne, BH6 5EH
A family- friendly celebration featuring seasonal music and carols:
Christmas Overture - Coleridge-Taylor Nutcracker (March, Trepak) - Tchaikovsky Christmas Concerto (first two movements and Pastorale) - Corelli Polonaise from Christmas Eve Suite - arr. Krogstad Sleigh Ride - Anderson Hansel and Gretel Overture - Humperdinck Christmas Waltz - Tchaikovsky Christmas at the Movies - arr. Krogstad Christmas Carol Singalong - arr. Goeller
Conductor: Kevin Smith
This was a light-hearted, low-cost production which yielded a surplus of £994.41. Production costs were higher than last season due to the engagement of a professional conductor. However, ticket sales were higher than last year at 135 compared with 88 last season.
Spring concert: Famous Fifths
Saturday 3rd February 2024, 7.30pm. Parkstone Grammar School, Poole, BH17 7EP
Ludwig Van Beethoven | Symphony No. 5 Jean Sibelius | Symphony No. 5
Conductor: Cayenna Ponchione
This concert required expenditure of £3,050.45. But with an income of £3,290.68 the event produced a modest surplus of £240.23.
Audience: 118.
Summer Concert: The Mighty Organ Saturday 25th May 2024 7.30pm Christchurch Priory, Quay Road, Christchurch BH23 1BU
Johann Sebastian Bach | Toccata and Fugue in D minor (orchestral version) Francis Poulenc | Concerto for Organ, Timpani and Strings Camille Saint-Saëns | Symphony No. 3, "Organ"
Conductor: Peter Stark Soloist: David Beeby (organ)
This was considered by members to be the best event staged by the orchestra to date, in terms of both performance and enjoyment. There were also many favourable comments from those in the audience, which reflected the view that this was indeed an outstanding performance.
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Magna Sinfonia Trustees Report 2023-24
As expected, this concert generated the highest income of all the season’s productions, but also incurred the greatest expenditure. With income of £5,903.54 and expenditure of £4,360.62 the event left us with a surplus of £1,542.92
Audience: 300
Summary of planned programme for the 2024-25 season
Season Launch – Mahler 6 September 6[th] – 8[th] 2024 Bournemouth School for Girls, Bournemouth, BH8 9UJ Mahler | Symphony No. 6 Conductor: Maxime Tortelier
Informal weekend workshop event incorporating AGM. Members are able to invite friends and relatives to the playthrough on Sunday afternoon.
AGM
Sunday Sept 22nd 12.45pm Bournemouth School for Girls, Bournemouth, BH8 9UJ
Autumn Concert: The Sea
Saturday 19th October 2024 7.30pm Magna Academy, Ashdown Close, Poole, BH17 8RE
Mendelssohn | Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage Britten | Four Sea Interludes Glazunov | La Mer Wood | Fantasia on British Sea Songs Arnold | The Padstow Lifeboat
Conductor l Sam Scheer
Bournemouth Symphony Chorus concert
Sunday 10 November 2024 Concert Hall, Lighthouse, Poole Brahms | Requiem
Conductor: Gavin Carr
Christmas Concert: A Very Magna Christmas
Saturday 14th December 2024 3.00 pm All Saints Church, Southbourne
A family-friendly celebration featuring seasonal music and carols.
Conductor: Kevin Smith
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Magna Sinfonia Trustees Report 2023-24
Winter Concert: Musical Magpies Saturday 8th February 2025 7.30m
Rossini | Overture to The Thieving Magpie Korngold | Violin Concerto (soloist Rose Gosney) Shostakovich | Symphony No. 1
Conductor Ondřej Soukup
Summer Concert: A Night at the Opera Saturday 24th May 2025, 7.30pm (provisional)
Christchurch Priory
A mixed programme of overtures, arias, duets and chorus numbers from a selection of operas.
Conductor: Leo Geyer
Report prepared by Clive Block (trustee) Approved at trustees meeting on 01/09/2024
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Magna Sinfonia Trustees Report 2023-24
| 2023-24 Season Accounts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGM 2023 | |||||
| EXPENSES: | 216.20 £ |
INCOME: | - £ |
END: -£ 216.20 | |
| October Concert | |||||
| EXPENSES: | 4,200.12 £ |
INCOME: | 3,093.48 £ |
END: -£1,106.64 | |
| Christmas Concert | |||||
| EXPENSES: | 994.41 £ |
INCOME: | 2,051.22 £ |
END: £ 1,056.81 | |
| February Concert | |||||
| EXPENSES: | 3,050.45 £ |
INCOME: | 3,290.68 £ |
END: £ 240.23 | |
| June Concert | |||||
| EXPENSES: | 4,612.62 £ |
INCOME: | 5,903.54 £ |
END: £ 1,290.92 | |
| Administraton | |||||
| EXPENSES: | £ 1,671.22 | INCOME: | £ - | END: -£1,671.22 | |
| FoMS & UR Donatons | |||||
| EXPENSES: | £ - | INCOME: | £ 1,042.50 | END: £ 1,042.50 | |
| Gif Aid Claimable | |||||
| Total: 796.25 £ to claim |
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| Magna Sinfonia Account | |||||
| Total Expenses: | 14,745.02 £ |
Total Income: | 15,381.42 £ |
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| OVERALL +/- 636.40 £ |
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| OVERALL + GIFT AID 1,432.65 £ |
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| HSBC Account | 12,816.31 £ |
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| PetyCash | 230.00 £ |
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| TOTAL CAPITAL | 13,046.31 £ |