1. Auditions
   
   
   1. Auditions for initial placement in the Youth Orchestras of Prince William will be held in the spring after the concert season or in the fall before rehearsals begin. Students must re-audition to move to a different YOPW ensemble. Auditions to move to a more advanced ensemble will be held only in the spring, unless a vacancy must be filled during the season.
      
      
   2. Policies for seating and seating auditions will be established by the conductor of each ensemble. These policies will be distributed in writing at the first rehearsal. The conductor of each orchestra shall make the final determination of all seating assignments.
   
   
2. Responsibilities
   
   
   1. Section Leaders will be selected by each conductor based on auditions and will have leadership responsibilities beyond those of section members. Principal players of each string section are responsible for checking bowings on individual parts and marking them if missing.
      
      
   2. All members of the orchestra are responsible for knowing their assigned part to the best of their ability and should confer with their private teachers and/or section leaders whenever necessary.
      
      
   3. Members are responsible for bringing their instruments (including mutes, extra strings, etc.), their music, a pencil with an eraser and a folding music stand to all rehearsals. Instruments should be in good working order. All items should be clearly marked with the student's name.
   
   
3. Rehearsals
   
   
   1. All rehearsals will take place at Gar-Field High School, unless otherwise notified.
      
      
   2. The regular rehearsal schedule is as follows:
      
      

      Preparatory Orchestra	6:30-7:30 p.m.
      Primo Orchestra	6:30-7:45 p.m.
      Repertory Orchestra	6:45-8:00 p.m.
      Concert Orchestra	6:30-9:00 p.m.
      YSO	6:30-9:00 p.m.
      Wind Symphony	6:30-8:15 p.m.

      
      All rehearsals will begin promptly at the scheduled time. Musicians should arrive at least ten minutes before the start of rehearsals to be seated and tune.
      
      
   3. A short rehearsal break will be scheduled for the Primo, Concert, and Youth Symphony Orchestras and the Wind Symphony. All musicians are expected to remain in the general rehearsal area and return to the rehearsal room on time.
      
      
   4. Rehearsals will conclude at the scheduled times, provided that the rehearsal begins on time. A conductor may on rare occasions extend a rehearsal for several minutes. When rehearsing pieces that do not require full instrumentation, those musicians not playing may be released early. In most cases, the conductor will schedule the rehearsal order to allow these dismissals. Whenever possible, these musicians will be notified at a prior rehearsal, by e-mail, or by phone.
      
      
   5. Absolutely no food or drink is allowed in any rehearsal room.
      
      
   6. Musicians will not be permitted to do school work or any other activity during a rehearsal that will affect their concentration or that will distract other orchestra members.
      
      
   7. Musicians should place their instruments in their cases when they are not in use. Students should not touch each others' instruments without permission. Instruments are fragile, and students are to avoid running or horseplay to reduce the risk of damage to instruments.
      
      
   8. Behavior that interferes with concentration during rehearsals - such as talking or doing homework - is inappropriate and will be addressed by YOPW. If a musician is inadequately prepared or engages in inappropriate behavior, the conductor or coach will speak to the musician and will notify the Executive Director. If the musician does not correct the inappropriate behavior at subsequent rehearsals, the parent or guardian will be notified by phone. If a student continues to misbehave, the Executive Director will schedule a meeting with the musician, parents, and the conductor. Failure to correct behavior after this meeting may result in dismissal from the program.
   
   
4. Sheet Music Policy
   
   
   1. YOPW will provide practice copies of music for each student. No original parts may be taken home by any student unless the Executive Director has given permission.
      
      
   2. Due to copyright restrictions, students must use original printed parts at performances, not photocopies.
      
      
   3. There will be a fine for lost or damaged music. The fines will be set at the replacement costs of the music plus postage and any late charges assessed to YOPW f or rental music.
   
   
5. Attendance Policy
   
   
   1. An ensemble cannot properly prepare for a performance unless all its members work together at rehearsals. For this reason, attendance at all rehearsals and concerts is required, except in cases of illness or family emergencies. Musicians are expected to be punctual and to remain for the duration of all rehearsals and concerts.
      
      
   2. Students are to be in their seats, ready to tune ten minutes before the start of rehearsals and at the specified time following breaks. Two (2) late arrivals will equal one absence for purposes of determining participation in concerts and the YOPW program unless arrangements have been made prior to the absences.
      
      
   3. All absences must be called into the YOPW office (703-590-7083) by the student's parent or guardian, prior to, or on the day of the rehearsal. A written note prior to the absence will be acceptable.
      
      
   4. If you must leave rehearsal before your normal dismissal time, you must present to the Executive Director a note from a parent or guardian asking for an early dismissal. Leaving rehearsals early disrupts the orchestra's preparation, is strongly discouraged, and should be done only in the event of illness or family emergency.
      
      
   5. Any student leaving at break time without permission will be considered absent for the entire rehearsal.
      
      
   6. If a student accumulates absences, the following will apply:
      
      
      1. Missing two rehearsals for any concert will result in a warning and parental contact.
         
      2. Missing three rehearsals or the dress rehearsal for any concert will require the conductor to evaluate the student's preparedness and determine whether the student may participate in the performance.
         
      3. A cumulative total of six absences at any point in the season will result in an evaluation of whether the student may continue with the YOPW program.
      
      
   7. Letters will be sent to parents if an absence is not called in by a parent or guardian, if a student arrives late on two or more occasions, or if a student leaves at break without permission.
   
   
6. Concert Attire
   
   

   Students must wear the specified concert attire for all performances. If a student is not dressed appropriately, he or she may not be permitted to perform or may be reseated for the performance.

   Preparatory, Primo, Repertory, and Concert Orchestras:
   
   
   • Ladies - white blouse with long sleeves and appropriate neck line (no sheer sleeves), long, full black skirts, black hosiery, black shoes. Only cellists may wear slacks.
     
   • Gentlemen - long-sleeved white dress shirt, with black bow tie, black slacks, black socks, black dress shoes.
   
   Wind Symphony:
   
   
   • Ladies - white blouse with long sleeves and appropriate neck line (no sheer sleeves), black cummerbund (supplied by YOPW), long, full black skirts, black hosiery, black shoes.
     
   • Gentlemen - long-sleeved white dress shirt, with black bow tie, black cummerbund (supplied by YOPW), black slacks, black socks, black dress shoes.
   
   Youth Symphony
   
   
   • Ladies - long black dresses. (You may wear a long black skirt and a long sleeved-black blouse in place of the dress, as long as it looks like one piece.) Appropriate necklines, no sequins, no sheer sleeves. Only cellists may wear slacks.
     
   • Gentlemen - Black tuxedo or black suit with white dress shirt, black bow tie, black socks, black dress shoes.
   
   
7. Chamber Music Program
   
   YOPW will sponsor as many as five chamber ensembles (string quartets, brass uintets, woodwind quintets) to enrich the YOPW instructional program. These groups serve as YOPW representatives for a variety of community service and private events. YOPW supports these ensembles by providing coaching and loaning music for their use.
   
   
   1. Any musician interested in participating in this program should inform the Executive Director and prepare to audition for the Chamber Music Director on the date of fall auditions. Audition requirements are the same as those for the orchestra in which the musician participates, except students may select any two of the assigned scales, and a solo of comparable difficulty may be substituted for the assigned orchestral excerpts.
      
      
   2. It is recommended that Chamber ensembles rehearse twice a month. A coach selected by YOPW will work with each ensemble once a month.
      
      
   3. YOPW will loan sheet music to these ensembles, as selected by the coach and the ensemble.
      
      
   4. Each group will rehearse standard repertoire for that type of ensemble and is expected to perform annually at a minimum of two community service events that serve the Prince William area. Musicians will not be paid for these performances. YOPW often receives requests for ensembles to perform at private functions, and YOPW books the chamber ensembles for these events. YOPW charges such clients to recover administrative costs and to provide an honorarium for each musician who participates in these performances.
   
   
8. Smoking
   
   

   Smoking is not allowed at any time in the school building or on school grounds.

9. Boundaries
   
   
   1. Students must stay within the designated boundaries inside the school building on Monday nights.
      
      
   2. Students are not allowed outside the school building until they leave for home.
   
   
10. Arrivals, Departures, and Parking
    
    
    1. The designated area for discharge and pick-up of YOPW students is the bus tunnel on the side of the school facing Smoketown Road (next to the lower cafeteria). If you prefer to park and escort your child in and out of the building, you may enter the building using the doors adjacent to the auditorium.

       Please do not park, wait, discharge, or pick up students in the lanes outside the auditorium entrance (next to our red traffic cones). This area is poorly lit, and vehicular traffic here creates a hazard for our students. Vehicles stopped here block the view of oncoming traffic for students and parents who are walking between the building and the parking lot. Vehicles that discharge or wait to pick up students in this area will be reminded to move to the bus tunnel.

    2. Gar-Field High School prohibits parents or students from parking or standing in the area between the entrance road and the loading dock area. Please do not drive into the area inside our traffic cones unless:
       • You are dropping off or picking up materials required for rehearsal or concert support;
       • You have a handicapped permit;
       • You have received explicit permission from the Executive Director to enter this space; or
       • You are loading or unloading a bass or percussion equipment. (If you are carting a bass or percussion equipment, please enter the area only when you are ready to load or unload. When waiting to load, do not wait in this area; park your vehicle in the lot until your student is ready to depart.)
       
       
    3. There is a great deal of pedestrian traffic all night at rehearsals, and the lot is poorly lit beyond the loading dock area. When you are entering or leaving the parking lot, please drive slowly to protect the safety of our students. As an additional precaution, we urge parents of younger students to escort their children to and from the building.
       
       
    
    
11. Fees
    
    
    1. Base tuition for the 2006-2007 season is $380 for the Concert and Youth Symphony orchestras, $355 for the Wind Symphony, $330 for the Repertory and Primo Orchestras, and $145 for the Preparatory Orchestra. There is a $50 discount for the second child enrolled from each family and a $100 discount for each additional child. (This discount does not apply to students enrolled in the Preparatory Orchestra.) There is an additional $100 charge for each student participating in the Chamber Music Program.
       
       
    2. A $50 deposit must be paid by June 1 for each current member who wishes to retain a place in the YOPW program for the following season. Deposits for new students who audition for admission to the program are payable at the time of acceptance into YOPW. The deposit is non-refundable and is credited towards the student's tuition fee.
       
       
    3. Any remaining tuition balance is due by the first rehearsal in September. Checks or money orders should be made payable to YOPW (Youth Orchestras of Prince William). Fees may be mailed to P. O. Box 2127, Woodbridge, VA 22195 or submitted at the first rehearsal.
       
       
    4. No refunds of tuition will be issued after the second rehearsal. Unless prior arrangements are made, failure to remit tuition fees by October 1 may result in suspension from YOPW until fees are paid.

All seating policies are at the discretion of the conductor. The following are some basic policies that may apply:

The conductor determines the rotating seating in the Preparatory and Primo Orchestras. The seating for each concert changes, and often violinists alternate between First and Second Violin, so that they can experience both parts. Principal players are selected by exhibiting solid playing technique and musical leadership as well as a positive attitude in orchestra rehearsal.

Orchestra seating policy within the Repertory Orchestra will be one that benefits the group as a unit and not individual players. It is imperative that each section consists of strong performers throughout the section. However, it is also important for the first stand of each section to have good leadership qualities. Performance, musicianship, responsibility and maturity all play a significant part in choosing principle players. The first two stands of each section will be members with the highest audition scores (second violins will be scores 5, 6, 7, 8). Again, it is necessary to have strength and leadership at the front of each section. Third stand and beyond will be seated accordingly by score.

Seating auditions will take place twice a year. Members of each section will perform selected excerpts from the current concert program. Students will retreat to a private room to videotape or audition for a coach for their seating auditions during rehearsal. The director will review the audition scores and comments and provide results at the following rehearsal. Performances will be rated according to six aspects of music: Note and rhythmic accuracy, intonation, tempo, style and musicality.

Members of the orchestra can lose seating privileges due to sparse attendance and consistent tardiness.

Seating for the Concert Orchestra will be determined by audition, during the rehearsal period for the fall concert. All students will be required to perform a short excerpt from the concert program as assigned by the director. This performance will take place during a rehearsal, most likely in front of the ensemble. Violins auditioning for the First Violin section should be prepared to perform the Second Violin excerpt as well. The First and Second Violin sections need to have a balance of performers. Not everyone will be able to play in the First Violin section.

All seating is at the discretion of the conductor of the Concert Orchestra. The conductor reserves the right to re-seat or re-audition a section with prior notice. Seating may be affected by other YOPW policies such as attendance, behavior and productivity. Questions about seating should be directed to the conductor of the Concert Orchestra after rehearsal.

Seating assignments at the first rehearsal of the year will be based on previous audition scores. Subsequent seating assignments will be based on audition results derived from section auditions held during the first three weeks of the concert year.

The director reserves the right to reassign student seating based on attendance and behavior at rehearsals, spot checks of musical passages, the sustained ability to play the assigned music, and the ability level of students auditioning for the Wind Symphony during the year.

Seating for the first two YSO concerts will be determined by live audition. Musicians will receive a designated excerpt to prepare for this audition. Section leaders will be chosen through display of musical competence, leadership, commitment and dedication to the orchestra.

It is the responsibility of any musician absent when excerpts are distributed to obtain this material from the office before the audition. It is not feasible to provide make-up auditions for musicians who are absent on the night of seating auditions. Any musician absent for the audition will be seated behind those musicians who were present for the audition.

In January, another seating audition, following the same guidelines, will take place on a date to be announced.

For Wind Players: seating will be determined by September and January auditions, with possible change of parts at the director's discretion for the December and May concerts.

Seating changes will take into consideration the musician's adherence to all other YOPW policies, especially attendance, musical preparation and level of musician professionalism. All correspondence regarding seating should be directed to the conductor of the Youth Symphony Orchestra after rehearsal.

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