Attendance Policy
As a part of the orchestra, you must commit to attend our Monday night rehearsals and sectionals from 7:00 – 9:30 pm each week, and the dress rehearsals as scheduled. Full attendance enables our music director and assistant conductor to prepare the entire ensemble to perform together, and allows us to make the best-combined use of our rehearsal time. While the music director expects everyone’s regular attendance for music preparation, each member relies on one another to hear every part in the repertoire at every rehearsal.
We expect all orchestra members (including substitutes and guest artists, as appropriate) to attend all rehearsals and concerts. That said, we all miss a rehearsal, a dress rehearsal, or even a concert cycle from time to time. If you have a conflict with a Monday rehearsal, whether due to illness or job commitments, please let Sydney Von Wilson (personnel coordinator) and your section leader know as soon as possible. If you have a conflict with a dress rehearsal, please let Peter Wilson (music director), Sydney Von Wilson (personnel coordinator) and your section leader know as soon as possible. With plenty of advanced notice (i.e., before a concert cycle begins), the music director will generally work with you for known dress rehearsal absences. In some instances, we might ask you to step aside for a concert cycle due to an absence or series of absences. These decisions take into account what is best for the orchestra overall while also considering each member’s unique circumstances.
We expect brass and woodwinds to have their parts covered by a substitute if an absence occurs. The section leader and the personnel coordinator arrange substitutes from the substitution list for each instrument. Unless directed by the personnel coordinator or section leader, please do not arrange a substitute yourself, and especially one who is not already on the substitution list.
We understand that life happens, so please communicate as soon as possible with your section leader, personnel coordinator, music director, or Board so that we all understand any absences and can work with you appropriately. Clear expectations and a common sense approach from the music director, section leaders, personnel coordinator, and Board are preferable over a prescriptive attendance policy!