Membership Expectations & Rehearsal Guidelines

Rehearsal Attendance and Time

Please make the time to attend every rehearsal that you can.  Your time in rehearsal isn’t just for you, it’s for all of us.  Each individual contribution enhances the group overall.  If we don’t have critical mass, we can sing notes but we can’t make music.
Rehearsal starts at 7:00.  Please come a few minutes early so we can get settled in and we can start on time.  It would be good to have a few people coming by 6:45 to help set up chairs.

Perfume

Please do not wear perfume, cologne, or fragrances to rehearsals.  Some folks are very sensitive to these products, and we’re in a relatively small space for the size group we have.  Appropriate use of deodorants is fine.

Hydration

Your vocal chords need appropriate lubrication, and that means lots of water.  We encourage you to bring a re-usable water bottle to rehearsal, and drink freely.

Pencils

Have one with you, sharpened and at the ready.  When Alice tells you to mark something in your music, do so!  If you think you’re going to remember it, you’re probably fooling yourself.

Talking During Rehearsal

Please don’t.  Actually, this one takes a bit of judgment.  When Alice is working with just one section, please be polite.  Quietly discussing the music within a section is reasonable, but keep your voices down.  Having a loud chat & doing social catch-up when other folks are rehearsing is rude and disrespectful of both your director and your peers.  Please save that for before & after rehearsal and during the break.

Asking Questions

Please do!  If you have a question about the music, chances are someone else has that same question.  Do go ahead and ask it.  We all learn more about the music in the process.

Folders

Please take care with your music and your folder.  In consideration of the cost of the folders, the music, and the effort needed to procure replacements, we will be assessing a $75 fee for any folders not returned at the end of the session.  (The fee will be waved if the folder and music make their way home instead.)  Some people have used their own folders in the past; we encourage everyone to use the standard-issue numbered folder, as this significantly simplifies tracking the music.

Some singers use digital copies of the music on a tablet.  If you are interested in this, speak with Chris Manly for details.

Cancellations

While weather-related cancellations are rare in the fall session, they’re definitely a risk over the winter.  If we are going to cancel a rehearsal, we will do our best to make the call before 6:00 PM.  If the weather looks iffy, please check your e-mail before you leave home.  If we don’t cancel rehearsal by 6:00, it probably means that we will at least have someone there and we’ll do some singing.  Certainly, if you ever don’t feel safe driving to rehearsal, stay home.  We’ll understand.