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 2025

Goal 1:  Obtain revenue to support the mission.

  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. Expand the theme to more than organ music.
  6. Create a unique and enjoyable presentation on theatre organs.  Offer presentations on theatre organ to local groups
  7. Create a Marketing Plan to include utilizing someone to assist with event publication

Goal 2: Expand Participation in RTOS events.

  1. Continue with a yearly fundraising program.
  2. Let people know other ways to contribute toward our goals
  3. Encourage will bequests
  4. Encourage sponsorships of scheduled artists

Goal 3: Inventory, Organize and Secure Organization’s Documents

  1. Inventory official documents held by Board and Membership
    • Locate/identify originals.
    • Create inventory list.
    • Make copies of documents /scan documents
    • Create manuals/computer file.
  2. Inventory historical materials held by Board and membership
    • Locate/identify originals
    • Create inventory list
    • Make copies of documents/scan documents
    • Determine safe location
  3. Create a Policy and Procedure Manual
    • Review, revise and distribute current policies
    • Create additional policies as needed
    • Create procedure manual for tasks done by each Board member which could be followed in their absence when needed.
    • Train and provide access to current policies and procedures to all board members.

Goal 4:  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 5:  Host the 2026 ATOS Convention

  1. Create a budget
  2. Get budget approval from ATOS
  3. Get artist commitments
  4. Add to committee
  5. Draft volunteers
  6. Create video
  7. Create brochure
  8. Create and populate Website
  9. Create support material