3. Rehearsals
Rehearsals provide a supportive and informal atmosphere for learning the music and gaining new musical skills. The rehearsals are held weekly each session, with one additional rehearsal held the Saturday or Sunday prior to the concerts; they typically last a little over two hours. Each rehearsal has a break, and once a month there is a celebration of birthdays and anniversaries with dessert.
a. Schedule. There are three sessions: Spring, Summer, and Fall/Winter. Concert weekends are typically at the end of April, in August, and in early December, respectively.
b. Rehearsal Times. Regular weekly rehearsals are typically held on Wednesday evenings.
c. Attendance Requirements. All members are expected to try to make all rehearsals. Attendance at the last three rehearsals prior to each concert, called the Òtech weekÓ rehearsals, is considered mandatory. A member who misses any of these rehearsals will need approval from the Choral Director to perform in the concert. For the rehearsals prior to the tech week, a member may miss up to four rehearsals only, unless approval has been obtained from the Choral Director. Members arriving at or leaving after the break will be credited only for a half a rehearsal . A potluck, additional performances or fundraisers may be scheduled during the year. Participation in these is recommended but not required.
d. Music Purchase & Distribution. The Music Library Committee purchases the sheet music and distributes it to the membership. This sheet music should not be marked or holes punched until the Choral Director has made a final determination on the list of songs. All members will have original pieces of music unless permission to photocopy has been authorized by the music publisher.
e. Practice Materials. Practice materials will be provided to the membership. They include rehearsal CDÕs and on-line website music files and web-based instructions.
f. Guests and Prospective Members. Members are welcome to bring out-of-town guests to rehearsals rather than miss practice. Prospective members may visit occasionally to determine if they wish to join the chorus, but "auditing", i.e. regularly practicing with the chorus, is not allowed.
g. Membership Behavior. Members should be attentive, quiet and respectful during the rehearsals, and especially when individual sections are rehearsing. Perfumes and other strong scents should be avoided.