2010-2011 TYO Member Handbook

Attendance
The success of the TYO is dependent upon the cohesion of the ensemble, and therefore attendance at rehearsals is critical. Because TYO ensembles rehearse only one day per week, and for a limited time, all members of TYO orchestras are expected to make every effort to regularly attend rehearsals. All of the members of the ensemble will therefore experience the positive rewards of their time commitment and talent.

TYO members are high-achieving individuals who participate in various activities throughout the school year and who have, most importantly, family obligations.  It is, therefore, the goal of the TYO to provide a flexible attendance policy that simultaneously encourages a firm commitment on everyone’s part.

Attendance Guidelines
The following guidelines are intended to help students, parents, and the ensemble directors to provide the best possible experience for everyone:

• Schedules for all rehearsals, concerts, and required special events will be distributed to all members at the beginning of the year.  Please review the schedule as a family in a timely manner and compare those dates with school obligations, extracurricular activities, and family obligations insofar as that information is available.  If conflicts are noted, advise your ensemble director immediately so that a solution can be found.
• If unexpected conflicts occur, please give your ensemble director as much prior notice as possible so that alternate plans can be made with sufficient lead-time. 
• Absences will be considered “excused” only if prior notification is given to the ensemble director.  Exceptions, such as emergencies, will be considered at the discretion of the director on a case-by-case basis.
• In the rare case that a member of an ensemble is repeatedly absent, or absent from dress rehearsals or performances, then the ensemble director, in consultation with the TYO Executive Director and the TYO Music Director, may pursue one of a variety of remedies, including consultation with the student and parent leading to probation or, in the most egregious examples, dismissal from the organization without tuition refund.

Concert Dress
Concerts serve as periodic end-goals for the weekly rehearsals of TYO ensembles and give members the opportunity to perform publicly.  Uniformity in dress contributes to the professional presentation of the youth orchestras.

• Orchestra Fundamentals:  Sunday dress.

• Symphonic Strings & Philharmonia:

Ladies: White blouse or tuxedo shirt, black pants or full or tea-length black skirts, black hose, and black shoes.  No bare arms, bare legs, or mini skirts.  Black cummerbunds are optional. 

Gentlemen: White shirts, black pants, black socks, black shoes, and black bowties (Philharmonia only).  Black cummerbunds are optional.

• Chamber Orchestra:

Ladies:  All black attire: long black dress, or black long-sleeve top with long skirt or slacks, black hose and shoes.  No sleeveless dresses or tops, bare backs, bare legs, or bare arms.

Gentlemen:  All black attire with a dress tie: long-sleeve black shirt, black pants, black shoes and black socks.  Criteria for choice of tie will be discussed in class.

• TYO Symphony Orchestra:

Ladies: Long black dresses or long black skirts and black tops giving the appearance of a long black dress, black hose, and black shoes.  No sleeveless dresses or tops, bare backs, bare legs, or bare arms.

Gentlemen: Black tuxedo jackets and pants, white shirts, black bowties, black socks, and black shoes. Black cummerbunds are optional.

• Tallahassee Fiddlers:  TYO T-shirts and blue jeans, unless otherwise indicated.

Concert Procedures
The following guidelines are intended to help students, parents, and the ensemble directors to provide the best possible experience for everyone:

• For the 2011-2012 season, concerts will be held at a variety of venues throughout Tallahassee, including Opperman Music Hall, Ruby Diamond Concert Hall, and Westminster Oaks. Orchestra members should arrive at the concert hall, in concert dress, at the “call time” set by their conductor.  Call times will be announced 1-2 weeks in advance of each concert.  Members may be asked to sit out if inappropriately attired.
• Family and friends should be seated before the start of the concert. Walking in aisles should be kept to a minimum and preferably during applause only.  Walking around the concert hall during the performance is inappropriate unless due to an emergency.
• No applause between movements please.  Use your concert program as a guide.  The conductor will usually face the audience at the end of a multiple-movement piece, at which time it is appropriate to applaud.
• All TYO concerts are recorded and copies of them are made available for purchase.  If young children or infants become restless, please take them out immediately.
• Flash photography is permitted only during applause.
• TYO performances are open to the public and may be recorded.  From time to time, pictures of musicians may appear in newspaper and television for the purpose of informing the community about our orchestra, or in TYO promotional materials.  TYO performances may be shown on public television and/or aired on public radio in their entirety.

Contact Information
The TYO contacts families regularly by email and regular mail; please notify us promptly of any changes in email address, street address and/or phone numbers.

Fundraising
The TYO is funded through tuition, grants, and contributions.  One of the primary fundraising activities is the benefit concert, held in the spring of each year.  The TYO depends upon members and their families to help promote and sell tickets for this concert.  A second fundraiser for the 2010-2011 season is currently being developed. We encourage all families to help their TYO students “do their part” by facilitating their participation in these fundraising activities.

Instruments
All students are responsible for providing their own instrument. Please avoid buying an instrument online as the quality is not as good as our local dealers. In many cases, you will spend more money making an online purchase "playable" than you would have spent with a local dealer. So you get a return on your investment, many local dealers also have rent to own programs.

Membership
TYO’s performing ensembles are open to all music students who have the requisite background and skills necessary to participate at the expected level.  Placement of members within one of the ensembles is reliant on performance ability, balance of instrumentation, and personal qualifications. Orchestra members are expected to attend all rehearsals and concert dates as published.

Three Friendly Suggestions

1. Allow time for parking at FSU, which can sometimes be tricky.
2. Help your student remember to bring a music stand and sharpened pencils to each rehearsal.
3. Please use email to contact all staff/directors except David Pope, who will welcome your phone call (though email’s often quicker).

Tuition
Tuition is payable at fall registration. Families who wish to divide the payment into two parts (August and November) may do so without penalty. Members that split their tuition into two payments will incur an additional $10 fee with each payment. If tuition is not paid, parents will be given one notification before the student is removed from the roster.  If extenuating circumstances exist, it is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to contact the TYO Executive Director to arrange a payment schedule.  

• Orchestra Fundamentals tuition is $350 per year.  
• Symphonic Strings, Philharmonia, and Chamber Orchestra tuition is $350 per year.  
• TYO Symphony Orchestra tuition is $375 per year. 
• Tallahassee Fiddlers tuition is $110 per year in addition to the respective orchestra fee.  Tuition for musicians playing non-bowed instruments is $250 per year.

The TYO offers a 20% annual discount on the lowest tuition for each additional child in a family (except Fiddlers).

The TYO accepts cash and check payments. A dishonored check, regardless of reason for return, is subject to a $25.00 service charge.

Refund requests must be received in writing by September 18th. After that date, no refund requests will be honored. $50 of the tuition fee is non-refundable.

Who to Contact/Ask About What

Need to miss rehearsal:  your ensemble director

Anything logistical the day of rehearsals, including which room your sectional is in: parents at check-in table.

• Please, always check in at the “check-in” table, located in the hall near Housewright 114.
• Please remember that the parents at the check-in table are volunteers—ladies and gentleman who are generously giving our organization their time and attention.  They appreciate a smile, positive attitude, and expression of thanks from students and parents.

Anything logistical in advance of Sunday rehearsals/concerts: weekly email blast.

• Before emailing the office about something logistical, please check the email blast to make sure your question hasn’t been answered already.  It will save you valuable time.

Personnel issues for Fundamentals, Symphonic Strings, Philharmonia, or Chamber Orchestra (issues regarding coaches or directors):  Mr. Miller

Personnel issues for TYO Symphony:  Dr. Jiménez

Musical issues (your child’s progress, etc.) for any ensemble:  your ensemble director

Anything administrative, including tuition, contact information, etc.: David Pope