Mission and Goals

Rochester Theater Organ Society Mission Statement

Mission: To establish and maintain a non-profit independent organization, which shall:

  1.  Promote the understanding of the theater organ and its musical tradition through concerts, technical discussions, recordings, educational instruction, tours and written articles regarding its history, construction, operation, repair and maintenance.
  2. Promote the preservation and restoration of theater organs, their sounds and memorabilia.

Goals for 2021

Goal One:  Obtain revenue to support the mission

  1. Talk to other groups – find out what they are doing to be successful in fundraising
  2. Continue with a yearly fundraising program
  3. Let people know other ways to contribute, i.e. Amazon Smile, PayPal
  4. Approach area colleges for student intern projects for fundraising/publicity
  5. Encourage will bequests
  6. Check on RMD rollover bequests

Goad Two: Expand Participation in RTOS events

  1. Offer a variety of programing more focused on silent films, familiar popular music and utilizing one or more themes
  2. Utilize artists that commit to this goal’s item 1 in advance to that that commitment can be advertised
  3. Market/Publicized information to potential event participants which will provide the attendee with a program content expectation
  4. Research and cross promote with other organizations RTOS event information such as date, location, artist and event content
  5. Create a Marketing Plan to include utilizing someone to assist with event publication

Goal 3:  Support/Provide Education

  1. Create opportunities/outreach for all youth
  2. Create an outreach package to introduce the organ
  3. Support Eastman School Learning Objectives – Professor William Porter

Enrich the education of organists at ESM with the opportunity to learn about and perform on the RTOS theater organ at the current level of human support and resources.

  • Students become skilled in adapting to different types of instruments, requiring a different technique from that of the classical organ, and a different way of managing sound.
  • Students become more skilled in improvisation by the practice of arranging popular songs for the theater organ, particularly in the practice of harmonizing by ear.
  • Students become conversant with various musical styles which are unfamiliar to many classically trained musicians, leading to an increased depth of overall musicianship.
  • Remove the barriers between the classical organ world and the theater organ worlds – and discovering the commonality of the traditions
  • Setting an example for the wider community on the benefits of such collaborations

Goal 4: Create a High-Performance Team (Board) Dedication to customer service excellence

  1. Communication flows openly
  2. Each team member has the other member’s best interests in mind at all times
  3. Team members are treated with respect
  4. Differences of opinions are welcome
  5. Team members share responsibility working toward RTOS goals
  6. Dedication to customer service excellence and quality is apparent in all the team’s work