Viola da Gamba Society of America

Grants Grants-in-Aid Private Lesson Subsidy Program Workshop Grants Chapter Start-up Grants Chapter Conclave Voucher Program Consort Loan Program GUTSY Grant The Consort Loan Program empowers teachers to begin viola da gamba programs by providing instruments for a two-year period with the possibility of renewal. Applicants for this program must have been members of the VdGSA for at least one year. For more information about the program and the application process, visit the Programs and Grants section in the Members' area, and refer to the Consort Loan Program title on the sidebar. A consort of five viols is available for loan for a period of two years (typically August-July). Renewal for additional years is possible at the discretion of the Consort Loan Program committee. Applications by letter or email to the Consort Loan Program Administrator are welcome at any time and a committee response may be anticipated within a month of receipt. Approval of any application is dependent upon the strength of the proposal and the availability of instruments at the time of application. The application should include: Name of the VdGSA member applying for the consort loan Brief resume of applicant's teaching experience, with emphasis on viol teaching preparation and experience Detailed description of program: type of venue, ages of students served, typical activities planned, how the year's work is organized, sample syllabus for a class Estimated impact of program Specific dates of program Sizes of viol required* *The typical consort in the Consort Loan Program is 2 trebles, 2 tenors and bass, appropriate for high school and middle school. For younger children, a consort of small viols may be available. Please discuss your needs with the Program Administrator. If your application is approved, you will be required to send in a signed copy of the Consort Loan Program Agreement . Costs and responsibilities involved in the Consort Loan Program: A security deposit of $500 is required, which will be refunded after the five viols are returned to VdGSA in the same playing condition as they arrived The applying teacher is responsible for all loss or damage to the viols VdGSA will pay for all viol shipping Periodic reports on the program by e-mail to the program administrator are expected semi-annually throughout the term of the loan, coinciding with the meetings of the Board of Directors Care and maintenance: Instruments will be sent in playing condition. It is the teacher's responsibility to replace any broken strings or frets before returning the consort. Any other problems must be reported to the program administrator to determine what action is to be taken. Teachers may apply to VdGSA for financial help in maintaining the viols; contact the Consort Loan Program Administrator with your request. Shipping: The VdGSA will pay for shipping the consort to the teacher and back to the VdGSA. The teacher is responsible for any costs incurred by the VdGSA in retrieving an instrument, case and bow, including legal fees, and costs of repair of any damage. VdGSA strongly recommends that the recipient save the packing materials for the eventual return of the instruments. Packing materials, including the correct size of box, can be expensive and hard to find, so reusing these items is both convenient and cost effective. The VdGSA will not pay for replacing these materials for return shipment. Before returning the viols, please contact the Consort Loan Program Administrator first for detailed packing and shipping instructions. Please contact the Consort Loan Program Administrator with any and all questions about this program.

Members' Area Grants Grants-in-Aid Private Lesson Subsidy Program Workshop Grants Chapter Start-up Grants Chapter Conclave Voucher Program Consort Loan Program GUTSY Grant The Society encourages and supports the formation of new Chapters by offering two $500 Chapter Start-up Grants per calendar year. These are awarded on a first come, first served basis. Visit the Chapters Info page for more information about the requirements for starting a Chapter and tips for successfully running a Chapter. Download the Chapter Start-up Grant Application . Submit applications to Chapter and Area Representative Amy Domingues .

Members' Area Grants Grants-in-Aid Private Lesson Subsidy Program Workshop Grants Chapter Start-up Grants Chapter Conclave Voucher Program Consort Loan Program GUTSY Grant Overview Workshop Grants, and the optional Emerging Teacher supplement, support organizers and teachers who wish to put on a workshop. The Society awards these grants with the goal of providing the greatest number of teaching and learning opportunities for the greatest number of people, with special preference given to areas not regularly served by teachers. Workshop Grants can be awarded up to $750. Funding may be used for any reasonable expense associated with the event. Workshop Grant applications can also include an Emerging Teacher supplement of up to $500. To add an Emerging Teacher supplement, the organizer should identify a teacher who: Is a member of VdGSA Is reasonably local to where the workshop takes place Has attended a Conclave or other viol workshop Has not previously taught at Conclave Workshop organizers should be clear on the skillset they are seeking in an emerging teacher: consort coaching, solo repertory coaching, etc. If the position is to coach amateur consort players, then a coach will be more successful if they bring prior consort experience, are familiar with the consort repertory being covered at the workshop, play or can coach those playing several sizes of viol, and can articulate approaches to how they might work with a variety of playing skill levels. If you need help finding coaches, contact Sarah Mead . Application Instructions Applications should include: Name of the VdGSA member contact person for the event Workshop title Chapter or region holding the event, if any A short description of the event that includes the length, format, and audience Number of people expected to attend Workshop Schedule of events Proposed coach(es)/teacher(s) Expenses anticipated (e.g., coaching fees, travel expenses) Additional information: There are no deadlines and applications are accepted at any time during the year. We accept applications up to 18 months before a scheduled workshop to be fair to those planning workshops in advance while accommodating spontaneous workshop opportunities. A given workshop can only receive a single Workshop Grant in a calendar year. Recipients of workshop grants are expected to write a report afterwards for the VdGSA News which should be sent to the grant program coordinator and the Newsletter editors within 30 days of the completion of the workshop. Applications should be submitted electronically to Workshop Grant administrator Lucy Bardo . For other information or workshop organizational advice, please contact Alice Robbins .

Members' Area Welcome to the Members' Area

Members' Area Legal Code of Conduct Copyright Privacy Policy Viola da Gamba Society of America Privacy Policy 1. Who We Are The Viola da Gamba Society of America (“VdGSA” or “we” or “us”) is a member-based nonprofit organization dedicated to activities and resources relating to the viola da gamba, other early stringed instruments, and music for these instruments. We have members (“you” or “your”) in the United States as well as in other countries. 2. Our Privacy Policy and Your Personal Information We are committed to protecting your privacy. This privacy policy tells you how we may collect, use, disclose, secure, and retain your personal information. We define “personal information” as information that personally identifies you as an individual. 3. The Information We Collect About You The type of personal information that we collect about you depends on the service or product involved. We collect only the personal information that we need to further the legitimate interests of the VdGSA. This includes but is not limited to the following: (i) For every service we provide for you, we have your name, postal address, email address, and telephone number; (ii) For any interaction through our website, we have information about your computer, including your browser identification string, your internet protocol address, the pages you have visited, and the dates and times of these visits. These are anonymous unless you supply your name when using the website, e.g., to become a member, or to register for Conclave; (iii) For payments you make through our website, we have only the information that the credit card processor sends to us, which currently includes your name, type of credit card, the last four digits of your credit card number, and the expiration date; (iv) For credit card payments you make other than through our website using our credit card processor, we have your name, type of credit card, credit card number, and expiration date. We shred the paper receipt; (v) For payments we make to you, such as grants, honoraria, or wages, we have your social security number; (vi) For Conclave registration, we have your dietary preferences, housing preferences, performing preferences, instruments you will be bringing, travel plans, contact information, and emergency contact information; (vii) For inclusion in the membership directory, attendee lists at Conclave, and workshops, we have your name, postal address, email address, and telephone number. 4. Privacy of Minors. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) protects the personal information of children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly solicit personal information from children. We collect personal information about children only with the express consent of their parents or legal guardians. When doing so, we notify the parents or guardians about the information we are requesting and how we plan to use it and ask the parent or guardian to give or deny their consent. Such consent may be revoked at any time. 5. Use of Personal Information The VdGSA may use your personal information that include but are not limited to the following purposes: (i) To process membership renewals; update membership records; record donations; process event registrations; pay you; process surveys; provide products or services you request; mail newsletters; contact you; and improve our website and services; (ii) To include in our membership directory and conference attendee lists, although you may limit what information is included in our membership directory and may opt out of being included in conference attendee lists; (iii) To publish photographs on the website and in the newsletter. You may opt out of having your likeness used by the Society on its website or in social media; (iv) To administer our website and to analyze user intent, using anonymous or aggregate records of access to our website; (v) To comply with our legal obligations, policies, and procedures. 6. Disclosures of Your Personal Information We will disclose your personal information to outside parties only as follows: (i) If you pay us by credit card other than through our website, we give the details of your credit card to our credit card processing company through an encrypted link and then shred our paper receipt; (ii) We give general aggregate numbers to staff, board members, catering services, or others who need to know this information for operation of our services; (iii) We will use your email address to answer your emails; (iv) We will provide your personal information to others upon your request; (v) We will use personal information as necessary to establish or exercise our legal rights or defend against legal action; (vi) We will provide personal information in response to a validly issued subpoena, court order, or other legal process; (vii) We will not collect your personal information for uses that are in violation of the law or unrelated to the uses discussed in this policy. 7. Information Security (i) We store your information on a secure server that only VdGSA and its authorized agents can access via an encrypted and secure channel. When your information is in transit to us via our website, it is encrypted to prevent unauthorized access by third parties; (ii) We perform periodic backups of our information, and we retain the last 60 days of backups. The backups will be used only in the event of a catastrophic loss of our database; (iii) When paying by credit card on our website, you must provide your name, credit card number, expiration date, and security code. Only the credit card processing company has access to this information, and we do not receive or see it. The processing company notifies us of the transaction. When paying with your credit card other than through our website, we will retain your credit card information only long enough to give to the processing company; (iv) We do not accept payments through unsecured emails. 8. Information Retention (i) Our computer retains certain personal information, including your emails, details of workshop registrations, your purchasing record, records of donations, payments, grant applications, and certain identifying information as required by tax laws and other governmental requirements; (ii) Our system does not automatically delete your information; (iii) You may request that we delete all information that we store, by emailing us through our website, vdgsa.org. Doing so may limit your participation in VdGSA activities, such as Conclave, and may have other consequences. Once deleted, the information cannot be restored. Any remaining traces of your identity will be made anonymous, to the best of our ability. Certain information required for tax and other legal purposes cannot be deleted. 9. Cookies The VdGSA uses cookies on its website only where strictly necessary to provide functionality, such as signing in to the Members’ Area. 10. Scope of policy Although this policy applies to all the information obtained by us for the purpose of accessing or using content controlled and owned by the VdGSA, it does not apply to third-party sites. 11. The European General Data Protection Regulation If you are a citizen of the European Union, our responsibilities regarding your data are laid out in the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We believe we conform to this regulation. However, if you have a complaint, you have the right to object. Our goal is always to do the right thing, but if we can’t reach an agreement you have the right to have your personal data deleted from our systems. You also have the right to examine, at no charge, the data we store related to you. If you believe that we have not complied with our obligation under the GDPR, you have the right to make a complaint to an EU Data Protection Authority. 12. Copies and correction of personal data. You may request a copy of all data we hold about you by emailing us. You are responsible for correcting the personal information in your member profile. 13. How you can contact us. We welcome all inquiries about this privacy policy. Please email us . 14. Revisions. The VdGSA reserves the right to amend the privacy policy without notice, at any time and for any reason, and the date of the most recent revision is listed below. The current version of the privacy policy is available on our website or by email. We adopted this policy on February 10, 2021. This policy can be downloaded here .

Journal of the VdGSA The Journal of the VdGSA is a biennial, scholarly publication containing articles and translations, as well as reviews of books, music publications and recordings—all relating to the viol. Back issues, an index, and information about submissions are posted on the public side of our website .

Members' Area Circuit Rider Program Apply here . Applications due by October 15th. In 2008 the VdGSA initiated the "Circuit Rider Program" to provide support to communities that do not have a local viol teacher and wish to set up an ongoing relationship with a viol teacher by covering the cost of travel for a teacher to visit the community. The purpose of the program is to provide an opportunity for players in such communities to have ongoing lessons that will give direction to practice time and help set goals. The application deadline for the Circuit Rider program is October 15 of each year with award decisions announced by November 1. The contact person must be a VdGSA member in good standing. See below for full information, including the "piggy-back option" (for a group close enough to an established Circuit to be able to offer their teacher another partial Circuit with coordinated dates). The Circuit Rider program has expanded to include both 2- and 4-visit Circuits within the calendar year. The Full Circuit consists of 4 visits completed between January and December. The Half Circuit consists of 2 visits to be completed within 6 months, and is offered on a one-time basis as an enticement for new groups to try out the program and hopefully get ready for a Full Circuit the next year. Contact the Circuit Rider Coordinator, Isabel Hendry for more information. Program Guidelines: Ready to apply? Here are the steps you'll need to take: Consult with other local players and assemble a group interested in having lessons and willing to make either, a one-year commitment to the program for a Full Circuit of 4 visits, or a six-month commitment for a Half Circuit of 2 visits (The Half Circuit is a one-time only, introductory option to the Full Circuit Rider program) Agree to guarantee the teacher a minimum of 10 hours of teaching at a rate of $60/hour for each visit (Canadian subsidies available). These teaching hours may be private lessons, group coachings, master classes, or beginner sessions. Your group may decide to divvy up payments as they see fit but must provide the teacher with a minimum of $600 per visit. Select a teacher from the list of participating teachers (below) and contact that teacher directly. Along with their professional statement, each teacher’s ‘home airport’ is provided. It’s hoped that you will use this information to select a teacher who is geographically closer to you such that their travel expenses are kept as affordable as possible and also that the carbon footprint of their travel is as small as possible. Contact the teacher and set up a preliminary schedule of 2 (Half Circuit) or 4 (Full Circuit) visits. Arrange to provide housing, food, and local transportation (as needed) for the teacher during each visit. The teacher's airfare, taxis, shuttles, and possibly rental car, can all be included in the travel budget paid by the VdGSA, as long as the total falls within the $500 per trip allowance. If your area is too small to guarantee 10 teaching hours per visit and is geographically close to an existing Circuit, you may apply to "piggy-back" on the existing Circuit. Piggy-back groups must guarantee 5 hours of teaching ($300) and may apply for a travel stipend of up to $125 per visit. Here are two examples of successful programs that may be used as a model to help guarantee the success of your new program. Here's what you'll get from the program: Coaching for any size or level of group, on music chosen by you or provided by your instructor. Continuity: personalized lessons from the same teacher with time to practice in between. A choice of teachers who are committed to the goals of the program. A special hourly rate below the national average. Because of the Circuit Riders’ generosity and desire to reach as many interested players as they can, the teaching rate for a Circuit is discounted by the teacher and set at only $60* per hour. The Private Lesson Subsidy can be used for Circuit Rider lessons Full Circuit: A stipend (paid directly to the teacher by the VdGSA) of up to $2,000 for 4 visits per year ($500/visit) to cover the Circuit Rider's travel; OR Half Circuit: A stipend (paid directly to the teacher by the VdGSA) of up to $1,000 for 2 visits over 6 months ($500/visit) to cover the Circuit Rider's travel. Additional funds are available for communities that can "piggy-back" their visits so that the teacher can make one multi-destination trip. *Canadian applicants may submit a request with their application for a subsidy to cover the difference between CAD$60 and USD$60. Circuit Rider Teachers: You must choose a teacher from amongst the VdGSA teaching members who have agreed to participate in the program. To browse the list of participating teachers and read about them, please visit the Circuit Rider teachers page. How to apply: Click here to fill out the application form . Deadline: The deadline for applications for each calendar year is October 15 of the previous year. For information about applications or general information about the Circuit Rider Program, contact Coordinator Isabel Hendry .

Circuit Rider Examples Two locations who participate in the Circuit Rider Program have contributed the following narratives about how they run their program. Example 1: Florida We use a formula for distributing the $50/hour among those who participate; e.g. $10/hour each for 5 part—there are a few 6 part consorts, but we use $10 per hour for that too. Anything extra goes to the teacher, either as tuition or covering extra expenses not covered by the grant. Since the sessions (except for private lessons) tend to be 1½ - 2 hours, we can prorate, but we don't do change any more. Too troublesome. Some people put in extra, anyway. Sample Schedule: Teacher arrives in the evening Day 1 -First Consort gathers at around 10 a.m. and has coaching on prepared pieces. -Lunch -More coaching of the consort and/or private lessons in the afternoon -Dinner and social playing (others join the consort, sometimes tag-team) Day 2 -Both Consorts & anyone else who wants joins for Technique Class around 10 a.m. (This session is $10 each per hour, no matter how many are present--this gives us a cushion to cover extra expenses that the grant may not cover.) -After Lunch, Consort 2 gets coaching on prepared pieces; followed by private lessons if any. -Dinner and social playing Day 3 (morning only) -Consort 2 or whatever is left of it (usually a trio) gets coaching. Could also be a private lesson -Quick lunch and teacher is taken to the airport by 2 p.m. If there is only one consort things are considerably more relaxed (what we had the first 2 years). The 2 years we "shared" our teacher with a group in Bradenton/Sarasota, I drove to a half-way rest stop to collect her after her sessions in Sarasota. I believe she came Weds. eve. into Tampa, taught some lessons there Thursday, then was taken to a host Thursday night and taken to Sarasota to teach people from about a 40 mile radius on Friday morning & afternoon, before being brought to the rendezvous. This year we are fortunate to have 2 consorts (with 2 of us in both consorts). It is more complicated to do the scheduling, but it has worked so far. In addition to putting up the teacher, the local host(s) provide sleeping accommodations for out of town participants: this sometimes means their bringing along air mattresses. For more information regarding the Florida model contact Kathleen Merfeld . Example 2: Mississippi Since we were trying to draw players from an approximately 500 mile radius, we began by sending out a "study with" letter to all prospective players. We had five beginner viol players and charged them $25 for the weekend. We borrowed viols for them and loaned them for free for the entire program. This is not including the family of four from Nashville who came once, and six regulars at varying levels. In the end we had players from such diverse loactions as Carbondale, Birmingham, and Memphis. We really worked our teacher hard and think, in hindsight, that it was too big. We just didn't realize we'd have quite so many say "yes." Especially beginners. Sample schedule: Oxford Circuit Weekend, November 12-14, 2010 Friday morning -- private lessons with Ron and Susan Lunch on the town afternoon - private lesson(s) Dinner and general play-in (include newbies — easy pieces) Saturday 9:00 - 9:30 Intro for newest newbies 9:30 - 10:30 Coach newbies, informal experibies consorts 10:30 Coffee break 10:45 - 11:45 Coach experibies, Newbies practice and/or recuperate 12::00 - 1:00 Lunch in-house 1:00 - 2:00 Newbies group session & more self-coached consorts 2:00 - 3:30 Break for naps, gabbing, or consorts 3:30 - 4:30 Technique for all levels - tutti 4:30 - 6:00 Smaller ensembles, all levels, with teacher rotating and coaching 6:00 Dinner with all, including local family member(s) or friend - in house 8:00 More playing, with libations - or perhaps stargazing Sunday morning - private lessons & informal consorts 11:30 lunch 1:00 Coach newbies or perhaps continue smaller coached ensembles 3:00 tearful departures For more information regarding the Mississipi model contact Susan Marchant .

Members' Area Grants Grants-in-Aid Private Lesson Subsidy Program Workshop Grants Chapter Start-up Grants Chapter Conclave Voucher Program Consort Loan Program GUTSY Grant The Private Lesson Subsidy is a program that subsidizes private viol lessons for VdGSA members who need financial assistance to be able to afford them. It reimburses students $40 per lesson for up to nine private lessons in a 12-month period with a teaching member of the VdGSA. This program is designed to enable viol players to be able to afford the expense of private lessons, which can improve consort and solo playing skills and facilitate more beautiful music on the instrument we love. Details and application are below. Guidelines The student is a VdGSA member who applies for and is accepted into the Private Lesson Subsidy Program. The teacher is a teaching member of the VdGSA. Teaching members are listed both by name and by geographic region in the directory. Usually, but not always, the student will take all nine lessons from the same teacher. We encourage students to seek out a local teacher for in-person lessons whenever possible, but students may take online lessons when it is best for them. There is a partial list of teachers willing to teach online. Please also check the directory for an updated list of those who can teach online and/or check with the teacher. Applications are taken on a rolling basis and there is no deadline to apply. They will be reviewed within about two weeks of submission until the program is fully subscribed. The program coordinator will send an acceptance by email, which generally will be effective as of the date of the application. The student may take up to nine lessons during the 12-month period, and the VdGSA will reimburse the student $40 per lesson. The student will pay the teacher their going rate directly and then submit evidence of payment via the website; the processing should take a month or less. The requests for reimbursement should be submitted within the 12-month period if at all possible. Students may reapply for the Private Lesson Subsidy after the end of the 12-month period. Renewal is not guaranteed. Apply Submit Receipts Questions? Please email Ann Barclay Rovner, the Private Lesson Subsidy Coordinator .

Professional Development Initiative The Professional Development Committee of the VdGSA offers a weekend retreat for our self-identified Teaching Members approximately every two years, taking place in various regions of the country. The Professional Development Initiative (PDI) is aimed at broadening our horizons, strengthening our connections with far-flung colleagues, and helping us gain new perspectives on our work. Room and board are provided, and travel is subsidized by the Society to make this opportunity accessible to the broadest range of our teaching members. The PDI has been a valuable cross-generational opportunity for viol player/teachers, providing input and inspiration for those starting their careers and a source of renewal and fresh ideas for more experienced professionals. The Society recognizes that this investment in connections among our teaching members is important to the future of the VdGSA. For more information about upcoming PDIs, please contact Sarah Cunningham , Chairperson of the Teacher Development Committee. Next PDI: November 1-3, 2024: Redwood Glen Retreat Center, Loma Mar, CA Previous PDI’s: October 28-30, 2022: Pendle Hill Conference Center, Wallingford, PA March 4-6, 2016: Prindle Pond Retreat Center, Charlton, MA April 6-8, 2018: Slovenian Cultural Center, Lemont, IL Feb 28-Mar 1, 2020: Redwood Glen, Loma Mar, CA A list of presenters and topics at past PDI’s can be found here .

Members' Area Private Lesson Subsidy Application Apply here to participate in the Private Lesson Subsidy Program. Private Lesson Subsidy Program Application Are you currently renting a viol from the VdGSA? * Yes No How did you hear about the PLS program? I confirm that I am a VdGSA member in good standing and that I will renew my membership if it expires during the span of my participation in the Private Lesson Subsidy Program. I confirm that receiving a Private Lesson Subsidy will make private lessons financially possible for me. I confirm that I have arranged with an eligible teacher to take up to nine subsidized lessons on a schedule the teacher and I agree on within 12 months of receipt of the Private Lesson Subsidy. I understand that I will pay up front for lessons, and that I will receive a reimbursement of $40 per lesson within one month of submitting evidence of lesson payment. Thank you for applying for the Private Lesson Subsidy Program. You'll hear from us soon! Submit

Members' Area Grants Grants-in-Aid Private Lesson Subsidy Program Workshop Grants Chapter Start-up Grants Chapter Conclave Voucher Program Consort Loan Program GUTSY Grant The VdGSA Chapter Conclave Voucher program provides each Chapter with one $300 voucher per year, which may be used by one or more Chapter members towards their Conclave fees. All Chapters are encouraged to publicize the voucher’s availability to their members. Interested in a voucher, but not a Chapter member? Find your nearest Chapter and join today! Requirements Each Chapter may award one $200 Chapter Conclave Voucher per year. The Chapter may choose to split the voucher amount among multiple recipients but the total may not exceed $200. Each recipient must be: a member of the VdGSA a member of that local Chapter registered to attend Conclave that year Choosing the Recipient(s) The method used to select the recipient(s) is determined by the Chapter. This financial boost can be made available to anyone with more enthusiasm than financial resources: this includes the young, the un- or underemployed, and retirees. Each Chapter should determine need as fairly as it can. Larger Chapters might ask for letters of application; smaller Chapters might vote for candidates who express the desire to attend. These are but two of many possible methods. How to Redeem the Voucher The Chapter officer or a designated representative must send, before Conclave begins, the voucher award information to the VdGSA Treasurer. The email must include: the name of the Chapter the name and contact information of the selected recipient(s) the amount for each recipient, if the Chapter has chosen to split the award Contact the Treasurer . The Treasurer will deduct the specified voucher amount from the Conclave fees of the recipient(s).