As the conference cyclone blew itself out at around 4pm on Friday afternoon and the team breathed a sigh or two of relief, it was difficult to react to the debris and detirus that was strewn about us, the splintered trees of our conference sessions testament to the swathe of discussion that had battered the delegates across 18 sessions for the best part of 48 hours. However, the emergency services have now left, the site has been declared safe and the reflection can begin.
It was a slightly surreal experience being interviewed by Classic FM's Bob Jones literally just minutes after the final session had ended and Simon Woods had declared the conference closed. And indeed it took much of the weekend and a rather enforced day off yesterday to get any perspective on the fact that it had all finished. It really is a massive undertaking that ABO puts itself through each year on what is little more than a skeleton staff. And I say that with a huge amount of respect and gratitude to a team that was in all matters professionally perfect. Everyone pulled and pushed and guided the ship of the conference on its way. Special mention should be made to the staff from WNO who joined us and who were fabulous in every way, so thank you to Becky, Ruth, Siobhan, Caroline, Hannah and Joss and especially Sara. Huge thanks girls - you were all total stars.
So, here we are back in Soho clearing the decks, writing reports, designing surveys, paying the odd bill and recovering. Handovers have begun as we prepare to say goodbye to Hester after her six months of internship. She will be missed and did a great job at conference. A very capable and inventive member of staff and she could not come more highly recommended!
So, with March comes some breathing space with pretty much most of the team off on holiday for a bit. So as we pack our suntan lotion and sunglasses we will leave you to the fabulous memories of Cardiff 2009. But fear not, for in just one months time Mark and Keith are jumping on a plane and flying to Glasgow to kick off planning for next year.
Its been a blast.
K
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Twas the night before conference
The team is back in town. As Frank Sinatra might have sung "Cardiff is my kind of Town" and we could not have had a better start. I realise i am tempting fate by writing this (incidentally, i am writing this on my tv in my hotel room - how cool is that) but the troops arrived in town at 3:30 and after a quick orientation session got straight into getting all the delegate bags packed, and a task that ws supposed to take forever only took a moment and with Chris in charge and Mark dancing to the Bollywood music (don't ask-really don't. i think i my need therapy) it was a bit like an episode of the A Team. A quick music break, an oxyacetalene torch and Mr T shouting "I ain't gettin' in no plane fool" and we were done. For Mr T I would ask regular delegates to imagine Mr Harrap in this role.
But hark, the hour fast approacheth when merriment and bonding shall begin. The ABO is off to paint the town a fetching shade of vermillion.
But hark, the hour fast approacheth when merriment and bonding shall begin. The ABO is off to paint the town a fetching shade of vermillion.
Monday, 23 February 2009
Photocopiers a-go-go
It is a sad fact of conference life, whatever the theme, but especially this year, that it inevitably involves a lot of paper. It is currently well after the time that any sane person would have left the office and the photocopier is still manfully (or womanfully I suppose, I am trying not to be too genderist about this) chugging its way through speaker biography sheets and the full conference delegate list. We are all crossing our fingers and sacrificing chickens to the gods of office stationary in order to keep it going and trying not to think about the fact that at some point we have to go home and pack, or in Keith's case, go home, iron many shirts and then pack.
The team rolls into Cardiff one day before the main delegates to ensure that bags are dutably stuffed, signs and rooms are prepared, registration is set up and the bar well stocked, so this is the last missive written from the organised chaos of my desk (actually if you have seen my desk you would be hard pressed to discern any obvious organisation...) and whilst it is terribly satisfying to cross things off the big list on the whiteboard, it doesn't actually seem to be getting much shorter...
So, to the Valleys, to the land of song. Lock up your grandmothers, and leave a note for the milkman, its Conference Time...
The team rolls into Cardiff one day before the main delegates to ensure that bags are dutably stuffed, signs and rooms are prepared, registration is set up and the bar well stocked, so this is the last missive written from the organised chaos of my desk (actually if you have seen my desk you would be hard pressed to discern any obvious organisation...) and whilst it is terribly satisfying to cross things off the big list on the whiteboard, it doesn't actually seem to be getting much shorter...
So, to the Valleys, to the land of song. Lock up your grandmothers, and leave a note for the milkman, its Conference Time...
Friday, 20 February 2009
Making Lists
As I write this, the office is covered in bits of paper of differing colours, questions and answers are being hurled back and forth, Orla is checking the data base, Hester is staring intently at her spreadsheets of delegates and hoping that divine intervention will make some bits of information appear, Mark is industriously sending final emails and checking speaker biography sheets, Chris (he is our marvellous man with the money in case you were wondering) is issuing invoices with the speed of summer lightning, and I am staring at the whiteboard, dry erase pens in hand like a twitchy western gun-slinger looking to cross things off The List.
The List is how today has happened. If it's not on The List, it hasn't been done. What terrifies me at the moment is the things that i have forgotten to put on The List. There is an enormous amount of printing still to be done (conference can only be so green) delegates are still booking on (though that will stop tonight) and phone calls are still being made. It is a well oiled machine, though the machine doesn't quite know what to make at the moment. Talking of well oiled machines (were we? -Ed) there was an omen this morning when Keith's scooter coughed its gear-box all over Balham High Road. But not one to look for evil portents of doom, it was hurriedly pushed into a side road, parked and the tube took the strain and allowed me a more or less timely journey to Rupert Street and since then, its fair to say, the day has got better.
The List also contains "things to pack" which is office based I am forced to say, rather than a reminder to do some washing. Inevitably things have been missed of this list too, but luckily there is time to correct this rather agregious oversight, and Monday morning will dawn bright and all to soon and the highlighted strip on my planner that I have stared at since I joined ABO last April will finally be here. The List says, "Monday is Conference Week"
KSM
The List is how today has happened. If it's not on The List, it hasn't been done. What terrifies me at the moment is the things that i have forgotten to put on The List. There is an enormous amount of printing still to be done (conference can only be so green) delegates are still booking on (though that will stop tonight) and phone calls are still being made. It is a well oiled machine, though the machine doesn't quite know what to make at the moment. Talking of well oiled machines (were we? -Ed) there was an omen this morning when Keith's scooter coughed its gear-box all over Balham High Road. But not one to look for evil portents of doom, it was hurriedly pushed into a side road, parked and the tube took the strain and allowed me a more or less timely journey to Rupert Street and since then, its fair to say, the day has got better.
The List also contains "things to pack" which is office based I am forced to say, rather than a reminder to do some washing. Inevitably things have been missed of this list too, but luckily there is time to correct this rather agregious oversight, and Monday morning will dawn bright and all to soon and the highlighted strip on my planner that I have stared at since I joined ABO last April will finally be here. The List says, "Monday is Conference Week"
KSM
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Mind your Table Plans
With Keith back in the office and the team re-united the day seems to have flown by in a whirl and a job that was scheduled for this morning not starting until 5:30 and even then being interupted several times, goes to show to some small measure why I am writing this some time after 7pm still in the office. The cause of this knotty problem - table plans!
And before anyone asks, no you can't influence the name selection - well you can try and cold hard cash is hard to turn down - but the overwhelming feedback from last year's "experiment" was positive and actually makes for a revitalised and interesting Conference Dinner. So this evening we are starting the process of putting some great tables together. And what is of course wonderful about ABO Conferences is the really diverse range of people and personalities and possibilities! Political, well inevitably, but actually not as much as you would think for most of the time. And I think it will be a great evening. But then I would say that I suppose.
What I definitely am looking forward to is the late-night entertainment in the Bar. I am not talking about the more vivacious members of the Board... I am in fact talking about the great Jazz trio, the singing and the like that we have lined up. Certainly better than a tinny stereo in a hotel bar we think you will agree. It started off as a possible classical club night and has spiraled from there. An orchestral managers conference that actually has music in it!
Right now though, I would settle for a couple of beers and an early night and the opportunity to dream about something else other than delegate bags.... Not much chance of that for at least another week though.
Oh, and if you are still tempted to influence your dinner table make up, then email Keith with your proposed bribe level and we will see what we can do... I am now off to research Twitter - so you can follow minutely how conference is going! Personally, I know how conference is going and cannot imagine why you would ever want to know that! To paraphrase a great man, there are two things one should not want to see made - sausages and ABO Conferences...
And before anyone asks, no you can't influence the name selection - well you can try and cold hard cash is hard to turn down - but the overwhelming feedback from last year's "experiment" was positive and actually makes for a revitalised and interesting Conference Dinner. So this evening we are starting the process of putting some great tables together. And what is of course wonderful about ABO Conferences is the really diverse range of people and personalities and possibilities! Political, well inevitably, but actually not as much as you would think for most of the time. And I think it will be a great evening. But then I would say that I suppose.
What I definitely am looking forward to is the late-night entertainment in the Bar. I am not talking about the more vivacious members of the Board... I am in fact talking about the great Jazz trio, the singing and the like that we have lined up. Certainly better than a tinny stereo in a hotel bar we think you will agree. It started off as a possible classical club night and has spiraled from there. An orchestral managers conference that actually has music in it!
Right now though, I would settle for a couple of beers and an early night and the opportunity to dream about something else other than delegate bags.... Not much chance of that for at least another week though.
Oh, and if you are still tempted to influence your dinner table make up, then email Keith with your proposed bribe level and we will see what we can do... I am now off to research Twitter - so you can follow minutely how conference is going! Personally, I know how conference is going and cannot imagine why you would ever want to know that! To paraphrase a great man, there are two things one should not want to see made - sausages and ABO Conferences...
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
View from the Bay
Join the ABO and see the world they said...
A remote missive for today's blog. Keith has left the green and pleasant pastures of Soho and landed in the welcoming embrace of the team at WNO and WMC. A last site visit before the conference circus rolls into town next week, meeting with people about dual language signs, whether to serve tea and welsh-cakes (yes), talking about the technical set-ups (yes we do need that many mics and which pit lifts are we using??) the security for the Senedd and the most important thing - what time the bar will close (worry not - if the WNO team have their way it probably won't ever close...)
As always with these things it is amazing just how many people it takes to put conference together and how many of those people are so incredibly accomodating. By its nature, Conference is a fluid and ever-changing beast and so it is very difficult to pin down exact numbers or times until the last possible minute. Everyone here takes it completely in their stride and they should be thanked and commended for the good grace with which they take the fact that I make's their life a misery. In particular the orchestral office at WNO should be given medals; Peter, Phil and most crucially Becky their marvellous assistant who actually makes the place run smoothly, have been great. Actually, after today I am smiling and looking forward to the whole thing. But then as the great saying goes, "If you can keep your head and smile whilst all about you are in chaos you clearly haven't grasped the gravity of the situation."
Meanwhile back in the office in London, deals are continuing to be struck with speakers about their presentations, sponsorship deals and the like are being followed up and the final emails are being drafted. The delegate badges are about to be produced and mail-merges are being tested to the full - along with Hester and Kirsten's patience no doubt.
And if Mark's Facebook status is anything to go by, it would still be very much ok to book your place if you haven't done so already...
A remote missive for today's blog. Keith has left the green and pleasant pastures of Soho and landed in the welcoming embrace of the team at WNO and WMC. A last site visit before the conference circus rolls into town next week, meeting with people about dual language signs, whether to serve tea and welsh-cakes (yes), talking about the technical set-ups (yes we do need that many mics and which pit lifts are we using??) the security for the Senedd and the most important thing - what time the bar will close (worry not - if the WNO team have their way it probably won't ever close...)
As always with these things it is amazing just how many people it takes to put conference together and how many of those people are so incredibly accomodating. By its nature, Conference is a fluid and ever-changing beast and so it is very difficult to pin down exact numbers or times until the last possible minute. Everyone here takes it completely in their stride and they should be thanked and commended for the good grace with which they take the fact that I make's their life a misery. In particular the orchestral office at WNO should be given medals; Peter, Phil and most crucially Becky their marvellous assistant who actually makes the place run smoothly, have been great. Actually, after today I am smiling and looking forward to the whole thing. But then as the great saying goes, "If you can keep your head and smile whilst all about you are in chaos you clearly haven't grasped the gravity of the situation."
Meanwhile back in the office in London, deals are continuing to be struck with speakers about their presentations, sponsorship deals and the like are being followed up and the final emails are being drafted. The delegate badges are about to be produced and mail-merges are being tested to the full - along with Hester and Kirsten's patience no doubt.
And if Mark's Facebook status is anything to go by, it would still be very much ok to book your place if you haven't done so already...
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
A slight hiccough
Conference has been in its planning stages for some 9 months and speakers have been lined up for up to 4 months. So for the last couple of weeks we have been on tenterhooks as we crossed our fingers and hoped that no speakers would fall by the wayside. Early in January we heard from one of our keynote speakers, that they could no longer make it. Whilst this was a little frustrating it was partly expected for a number of reasons. 1 - the speaker warned us it might happen; 2 - a major bbc correspondent is at the beck and call of the international news cycle and answerable only to the license payers, not the ABO. But it was early enough for us to quickly swing into action with plan B.
The problem comes when with 3 weeks to go all the speakers are booked and we then just wait and cross our fingers! Unfortunately, yesterday it happened. We spent much of the day hoping that the speaker would be able to make it, despite initial reactions, and as we left the office it was looking pretty good. Then at 10:00pm the news bleeped onto our BlackBerry screens and there was really very little we could do other than be completely understanding. It is part of the perils of conference organisation. And when you think about it, fielding 44 different speakers for a 48 hour conference would be pretty spectacular not to have anything go a little awry.
But we have looked at things, made some phone calls, sent some emails and re-worked a valuable session and like the paddling swan we hope it won't show!
In the meantime, Keith is off to Cardiff for a quick final site briefing and visits to various important people. (well that's what he says...) the office is a hum of industry as speaker biographies are put together, badges are starting to be compiled and printed, letters are drafted and the technical schedule is battered into shape. Apart from a short period of hysteria this afternoon, quickly calmed by Hester and Kirsten swinging into action with a well timed cup of tea, I think we are in good order.
The problem comes when with 3 weeks to go all the speakers are booked and we then just wait and cross our fingers! Unfortunately, yesterday it happened. We spent much of the day hoping that the speaker would be able to make it, despite initial reactions, and as we left the office it was looking pretty good. Then at 10:00pm the news bleeped onto our BlackBerry screens and there was really very little we could do other than be completely understanding. It is part of the perils of conference organisation. And when you think about it, fielding 44 different speakers for a 48 hour conference would be pretty spectacular not to have anything go a little awry.
But we have looked at things, made some phone calls, sent some emails and re-worked a valuable session and like the paddling swan we hope it won't show!
In the meantime, Keith is off to Cardiff for a quick final site briefing and visits to various important people. (well that's what he says...) the office is a hum of industry as speaker biographies are put together, badges are starting to be compiled and printed, letters are drafted and the technical schedule is battered into shape. Apart from a short period of hysteria this afternoon, quickly calmed by Hester and Kirsten swinging into action with a well timed cup of tea, I think we are in good order.
Monday, 16 February 2009
Countdown begins - 10 days to go
This years ABO conference is now only 10 days away and systems are now at full speed in the office. Emails are flying from Mark's computer, Orla is busy invoicing people (apparently we don't just do this for the love of it) and excitement in Intern corner - Hester is joined by Kirsten in ploughing through more lists than you can spill a cup of tea on. Keith is generally panicking about everything else.
This week sees an almost unheard of phenomenon in the ABO diary - a completely blank week - as things are held pending conference. The photocopier is working overtime too and tea and chocolate is fuelling the whole machine. Not the photocopier obviously, that would cause a breakdown of the photocopier, followed by a breakdown of Keith and Mark. No, it means the ABO machine... but of course you got that didn't you...
But what a conference there is in store. 3 days during which we see two peers, a member of the shadow cabinet, 2 senior civil servants, a battle of the think tanks, 44 speakers across 18 different sessions to 200 delegates.
And, unbelievebly, there is still time to book. A quick trip over to the website will give you all you need. All this, and the famous ABO Conference Delegate Bag.
See you in Cardiff!
This week sees an almost unheard of phenomenon in the ABO diary - a completely blank week - as things are held pending conference. The photocopier is working overtime too and tea and chocolate is fuelling the whole machine. Not the photocopier obviously, that would cause a breakdown of the photocopier, followed by a breakdown of Keith and Mark. No, it means the ABO machine... but of course you got that didn't you...
But what a conference there is in store. 3 days during which we see two peers, a member of the shadow cabinet, 2 senior civil servants, a battle of the think tanks, 44 speakers across 18 different sessions to 200 delegates.
And, unbelievebly, there is still time to book. A quick trip over to the website will give you all you need. All this, and the famous ABO Conference Delegate Bag.
See you in Cardiff!
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