The Musicians’ Answering Service

Service Newsletter February1996

For Fixers & Orchestral Managers

 

173 High Street Dorking Surrey RH4 1AD

Diary Service: 01306 880669 Accounts: 01306 880404

Fax: 01306 888041

 

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The Service That Does As It’s Told

 

MAS Staffing

 

Due to an ever increasing client base we are pleased to say that we have taken on two new members of staff this year. Helen, who started at the beginning of this year, graduated at Colchester with a music degree and is, I understand, a singer of some merit.

 

Rachel is returning to the fold after spending the past 4 years as assistant to the Orchestral Manager of the LSO. She has recently had a baby girl and so will be working on a job share basis with Ann who rejoined us last year after starting her family.

 

We would like to welcome both Helen and Rachel to the team. You may not have spoken with either as yet but I am sure you will be delighted when you do.

 

As a result of the increase in staff, Isobel will be able to take a more supportive role covering for sickness, holidays and excessively busy patches when they occur alongside her managerial duties.

 

To recap: Staff coverage and names are as follows:

 

Mon - Fri          8 am - Midnight            3 Operators on at any given time

Sat & Sun          8 am - Midnight            2 Operators on at any given time

 

Current staffing is as follows:-    Isobel - Manager

                                                Alison               Karen

                                                Ann                  Louise

                                                Danielle            Madeleine

                                                Gill                  Rachel

                                                Helen

 

 

 

 

 

CV Listing

We are pleased to enclose with this newsletter the second edition of our C.V. listing. Our clients' C.V.s are listed in alphabetical order within instrument headings. We have had such good feedback from both clients and fixers since we launched the C.V. listing service we have decided to issue regular updates on a quarterly basis along with the quarterly 'Fixers" newsletters. Please let us know if there is anyway in which you think we can improve this part of our service to you. Full print outs of the C.V. Listing will accompany the March and September newsletters whilst a "new additions" list will accompany the June and December newsletters.

 

Messages To Fixers

Just a reminder that our "messages to fixers service" i.e. answers to work offers we have had to refer for our clients decision, is still in place. We will, however, still only implement this if we are specifically instructed to do so by our client, or, if the message you leave for our client requests them to leave their answer for you with us. If you or the client don't specifically instruct us on each occasion - we will assume you do not want us to do it. This policy is intended to safeguard both clients and fixers and leave you both in control of how the service works for you.

 

New Client List

We are pleased to include our latest client list for your records. As you can see there is a very impressive increase in the client base. All new clients since our last issue are indicated with a '. Please note that, following a suggestion by some of our clients we are now including mobile phones as well as pagers in the a indicator. It was pointed out that the idea of indicating clients who are pageable was to indicate clients who are contactable urgently. It is therefore logical to extended this indication to those clients with mobile phones as well as those with pagers.

 

The Service Continues To Grow

A big thank you to you all. It is thanks to you that the service continues to grow. It is a direct result of your recommendations and those of our clients, that musicians are continuing to choose MAS for their diary service which in turn is helping to give a more comprehensive service to you, the fixers, and people searching for deputies etc.

 

Help Us To Help You

Many of the developments we have made to the service are based on suggestions that you, the fixers, have made. Please keep those suggestions coming in. Without your help we cannot continue to improve.

 

 

 

 

 

Please Come And Visit

Don't be shy - come and say hello. It is great for us to meet in person the fixers we usually only talk to on the phone. Dorking may seem the other end of the universe but it is only 44 minutes away from Waterloo or Victoria or about the same in the car from central London. If we know you are coming we will do you proud with wine and food in abundance.

 

Please contact me on 01306 880669 to arrange the date, or just call in on the off chance. You will not be disappointed I assure you. We really enjoy meeting the faces behind the voices.

 

Mobile News

You are all, no doubt, aware of the dynamic discounts and free accessories with Orange that PMC are now offering to clients and fixers associated with MM.

 

Prices have dramatically dropped since Christmas so don't miss out. Ring PMC now whilst stocks last and get the latest information on prices. PMC will advise you of the least expensive route to your mobile requirements. Their strict policy is that honesty comes before sales. Contact PMC on Tel No. 01306 740077

 

Bulletin Board

 

Warted: Violin - Rubio, HJsden, Guido or similar

Contact Yannick Dondelinger on 0181 861 6356

 

Musical Instruments Appeal - South Africa

Warned: Abandoned. battered, forgotten, neglected, dun laden

instruments of any denomination welcomed to support a project

part sponsored by Mercedes South Africa, to introduce

children from deprived backgrounds to music.

For further information oc instrument donations coact

Katy Jones, et, Crocken, 10 Gough Square, London. ECIA 3N1

Tel: 0171 353 0311 extension 220

 

Emma Pritchard has recently moved house.

Jackie Hanley has moved

 

 

Reminder

 

Please don't hesitate to contact us if there is anything you require listed on our Bulletin Board. Such things

as instruments for sale, change of telephone cumbers, lost instruments or any other information that you may feel

would be of interest or useful to our members or In yourselves the fixers.

 

 

 

 

 

Financial Tips – On the move

GRAEME BLAIR FINANCIAL PLANNING (GBFP) ARE ON THE MOVE. GBFP are pleased to say that on 1st April 1996, due to their rapidly increasing client base, they are having to move to larger premise in order to accommodate the build up of paper records which will now be able to be kept on site.

 

Despite the fact that their base is on the increase the Managing Director, Robert Turrell, still looks after in excess of 500 musicians, actors and dancers personally. Their portfolio of advice includes Pensions, Investments, Mortgages, Life Assurance, Critical Illness Cover and Tessa's etc.

 

The new address and telephone number will he: Bradbourne Farm, Bradbourne Vale Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3DH. Tel No. 01732 743092.

 

Graeme Blair Financial Planning is totally "independent" and regulated by the Personal Investment Authority.

 

Tax Tips – End of Year

The end of the tax year is now approaching. It is important that a full review of the tax situation should be undertaken in conjunction with your financial advisor and accountant, in order to maximise potential relief available before the end of the tax year on the 5th April 1996. The principal areas which should be reviewed can be summarised as follows:

 

Income Tax

Care should be taken to review all personal investments to ensure maximum advantage is taken of tax efficient investment vehicles. Areas which should he looked into include Tax Exempt Special Savings Account (Tessas) and Personal Equity Plans (PEP's).

 

Inheritance Tax

Careful consideration should be taken of the inheritance tax position. Most lifetime transfers (other than discretionary trusts) are potentially exempt, only becoming chargeable where death occurs within seven years. Transfers of value made in any one year are exempt up to the value of £3,000. If no transfers were made in the previous tax year, this amount becomes £6,000.

 

Capital Gains Tax

An investment review should be undertaken with a possible view to "bed and breakfasting" shares to utilise the annual exemption, currently £6,000. Other gains made during the year will, of course, need to be taken into account.

 

For further information call:-

Mike Harding

Harding Whiteman

36 Rose Hill, Sutton, Surrey, SMI 3EU

Tel: 0181 641 0102 Fax: 0181 641 4002