Youth Orchestras of Prince William Membership and Seating Policies

YOPW POLICIES
2010-2011 SEASON

Membership Policies
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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. Move-up auditions will be held only in the spring, unless a vacancy must be filled during the season. Students may only audition to move up one level per season.
2. If a student wishes to remain in the same ensemble for the next season, no audition is required.
3. No audition is required for Introduction to Preparatory or Preparatory Orchestra unless the musician joins after the official start date. After the official start date, the conductor may ask the musician to play a very brief audition to determine placement.
Responsibilities
1. Section Leaders will be selected by each conductor based on auditions, participation, and leadership skills. Each section leader 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.

Rehearsals

All rehearsals will take place at Gar-Field High School, unless otherwise notified. (Please refer to the Season calendar and weekly announcements.)

The regular rehearsal schedule is as follows:


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

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.
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.
Absolutely no food or drink is allowed in any rehearsal room.
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.
Musicians' cell phones should be turned off. Texting or calling during rehearsal is prohibited except in an emergency situation.
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. For information about insurance, please visit the Insuring Your Instrument page on our website.
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.

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. All practice copies must be returned to YOPW no later than the day of the concert.
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 for rental music.
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) or emailed (yopw@yopwva.org) 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.
Fees
1. Base tuition for the 2010-2011 season is $415 for the Concert and Youth Symphony orchestras, $390 for the Wind Symphony, $360 for the Repertory and Primo Orchestras, $300 for the Introduction to Prep Orchestra, and $165 for the Preparatory Orchestra. YOPW offers a family discount for additional children, although, this discount does not apply to students enrolled in the Introduction to Prep or Preparatory Orchestra.) There is an additional $125 charge for each student participating in the Chamber Music Program.
2. A $50 deposit must be paid by May 1, 2011 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.
5. YOPW offers a Tuition Installment Payment Plan for families who wish to pay for tuition over time. Please contact the office for details.
6. Some scholarships are available. Contact the YOPW office or the Executive Director to apply.
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.
Youth Symphony Orchestra and Wind 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.
Selection and Sources of Clothing

Please visit the Bulletin Board page on our website for guidance on how to find and select performance garments.
Chamber Music Program
YOPW will sponsor at least six 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 on September 20. 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. The chamber ensembles rehearse once a week with coaching from a professional musician 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 the YOPW Solo and Chamber Recital and 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.
Smoking

Smoking is not allowed at any time in the school building or on school grounds.
Boundaries
1. PARENTS AND STUDENTS MUST STAY WITHIN THE DESIGNATED BOUNDARIES INSIDE THE SCHOOL BUILDING ON MONDAY NIGHTS. Designated boundaries include rehearsal spaces, the auditorium, restrooms, and the hallway with the YOPW concessions and information table. Parents and students should not use any equipment or property of Gar-Field H.S., or any other facility that might be hosting YOPW, without proper authorization. YOPW strives to allow all parents to observe rehearsals if they wish to do so. Any family members or guests found in an unauthorized area or utilizing school facilities without authorization will be asked to leave the school building. Repeated infractions may result in banning from the school building.
2. Students are not allowed outside the school building until they leave for home.
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.
Audio/ Video Recording of Concerts
1. Audio and video recording of performances is prohibited. This policy is based on the current copyright and privacy laws and YOPW�s licensing agreements. While we seek to enforce this policy, we are committed to providing high quality recordings of our performances at affordable prices as allowed by these restrictions.
2. Still photography is also prohibited. This policy is based on the current privacy law and the fact that flash photography during a performance is distracting to the performers. �If you want to take photographs, you may take them after all performances are over.�
Inclement Weather

If Prince William County public schools fail to open or if they close during the day on a scheduled rehearsal day, then that evening's rehearsals will be canceled. However, weather conditions may change during a day when schools are open and make it necessary for us to cancel a rehearsal. In such cases, a bulletin will be placed on the office voice mail system, and notification via email will be sent out about 3 p.m. You may assume that the scheduled rehearsal will take place, if we have not provided a notification of cancellation by that time. (Please make sure we have an email address for you that you will be able to check during the day.)

We recognize that our families come from a variety of locations and that many of you travel long distances to attend YOPW rehearsals. We try to learn as much as we can, but we cannot always be aware of road and weather conditions on all your routes. If you feel it is dangerous to attend a rehearsal, please stay home! Your safety is our primary concern.

Seating Policies
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THE CONDUCTOR OF EACH ENSEMBLE WILL MAKE THE FINAL DETERMINATION OF ALL SEATING ASSIGNMENTS.
If a musician misses seating auditions due to an excused absence and has the prior approval of the conductor, he/she may submit a CD recording of their audition before auditions begin. This ensures that the same adjudicator reviews every seating audition.
Policies for seating and seating auditions will be established by the conductor of each ensemble.
1. Preparatory and Primo Orchestras: The conductor determines the rotating seating in the Preparatory and Primo Orchestras. The seating for each concert often 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.
2. Repertory Orchestra: 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 principal players.
  
  Seating auditions will take place a maximum of 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 an adjudicator 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.
3. Concert Orchestra: Seating auditions for the Concert Orchestra will held 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. 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.
4. Wind Symphony: 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.
5. Youth Symphony Orchestra: YSO will hold a minimum of two seating auditions. 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.
  
  For Wind Players: seating will be determined by a minimum of one audition at the director's discretion.
  
  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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