South Shore Band
Membership Information
Commitment, Consistency,
Communication, and Working as a Group
Dues and Membership:
Membership in our Band is free; we charge no
dues. What we do ask for is your
commitment to consistent participation.
We understand that all members can not be at
every rehearsal and every performance, but
consistency in attendance and good
communication with us when you need to be
absent is expected. According to our long
established by-laws, in order to maintain
"active" membership status you must attend at
least 75% of rehearsals and 75% of
performances. For a group who by definition is
co-dependent upon one another that is not a
lot to ask.
Member candidates under age
18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian at
the initial rehearsal meeting to review all
membership requirements, audition,
expectations, and responsibilities of
participation.
Our annual holiday concert is our largest
single fund raising event of the season. While
we enjoy a regular audience following, and we
do some modest advertising for the concert,
the fact is that most of our ticket sales are
those sold by our individual members. Each
member is given 4 tickets in October and asked
to sell them for the December concert as a
condition of participation in the band. Each
ticket sells for $15.
Weekly Rehearsals:
Weekly rehearsals allow us to come together as
a group and participate in the experience of
working and playing together – with the goal
of sufficiently mastering music that is both
appealing to our targeted audience as well as
challenging and interesting to us as
musicians.
Rehearsal Hall doors open at 7:30 to set up
the chairs, music, and equipment. At 8:00
members should be in their seats prepared to
tune up and start the rehearsal.
It is understood that not everyone will enjoy
every piece we play – but we strive for
overall balance as best we can.
It is important to use rehearsal time to work
on our collective presentation of the piece
and that we progress week to week toward
that end. Individual attention to
specific challenges can be aided by the group
rehearsal but may very well require that the
individual member “wood shed” during the week
in order to individually progress.
Individual attendance is recorded at every
rehearsal. Frequent member absences create
“set backs” in the overall group progress
through (a) missing parts as the rest of the
band rehearses, and (b) needing for that
particular member to “catch up” on what they
missed upon their return. Consistent member
participation is essential for the overall
progress of the Band. We ask that you let us
know by phone call, text, or email if you need
to miss a weekly rehearsal so that we can
adjust our rehearsal set up and planning
accordingly.
Performing as a Band:
In order to survive as a community band we
always need to have a fair mix of talent
within the group. As a matter of policy and
preference we welcome interested musicians of
all playing skill levels to the band – as long
as they have fundamental performance ability
and are willing to work to musically “fit”
within what we do (fundamental performance
ability means: knowing the basics and able to
read music, to be able to control your
instrument for volume, intonation, rhythms,
etc), to be able to follow the conductor, and
to have the presence to play within the
ensemble (play what you can, sit out parts
that may be over your head, and blend within
the overall concept of what we are working on
such that we can all make progress as a band).
By definition, the music that we produce is
our collective sound – as arranged and
composed for band and as interpreted through
our Music Director.
The role of the members is to play what is on
their music, follow the Conductor’s
instructions closely, and to perform within
the context of the overall band.
We’ve got to work as a single unit; not 40+
individuals.
Scheduled Performances:
Virtually all performances are booked many,
many months in advance giving everyone ample
advance notice. New or updated activity
schedules are handed out frequently at
rehearsals and each member is asked to take it
home to keep handy as a commitment reference.
All updates are announced on Monday
rehearsals. In addition, our website at “Schedule of
Events” contains a complete activity
schedule as well.
Individual attendance is recorded at each
performance.
From time to time members will need to miss an
event due to a schedule conflict. We
understand that. For the sake of the whole
band, it requires everyone’s commitment and
clear and early communication with us if a gig
will be missed. With advance notice – we can
often arrange alternate coverage and rebalance
things in your absence. Without notice, we are
left little option and our performance may
well be negatively impacted.
Also, members playing a performance after
having missed rehearsals is harmful to the
Band overall. As a matter of policy – members
must have attended 4 rehearsals before being
able to join for a performance. This ensures
that all performers know of the adjustments to
cuts, holds, dynamics, tempo, and other
“pencil markings” our Conductor has instructed
as we prepared for the performance itself.
Performance timeliness:
Our activities schedules, detail information
flyers about a gig, and our website each
indicate both the required arrival time and
the performance start time.
Be on time – or better yet – early.
Communication:
With a large group of individuals like our
band – communication is critical.
The leadership of the band
tries to be as clear and specific as possible
regarding the activities of the band (earliest
possible event scheduling, polling the band
for consensus on controversial or close dates,
written schedules, website, bulletin board
posting, announcements, etc.)
We try to adhere to a schedule of periodic
member/administrative meetings regarding band
planning, etc. All members are invited to
attend. We also provide verbal highlights of
those meetings/decisions the following Monday
at rehearsal.
Member communication to the band leadership is
equally critical. We ask for your support and
cooperation in keeping us well informed of
your plans, needs, and/or conflicts.
Music Handling:
Our music library – collected over 70+ years -
is a treasured asset that needs to be
protected carefully.
Concert band music is to be put in each red
band folder – one per part, for every part for
which a folder has been established (we
strongly suggest keeping it in alphabetical
order). Concert music is stored in the marked
cases.
Marching music in the march books is stored in
the red metal box.
Members who wish to take the music home to
practice should alert us that they are doing
so, and with the understanding that is must be
available the following week (i.e. don’t leave
it home). If you have music at home and you
are going to miss a rehearsal or event – it is
your responsibility to contact us and to
arrange to get the music back to us.
It is suggested that member’s arrange for a
take home copy if they regularly want to have
a home copy to work on.
Uniforms:
Our appearance in public is an important part
of what we do.
We’ve recently tried to adjust our dress to
make it both easier for band members to
comfortably conform – yet still maintain an
appropriate degree of “image”,
“professionalism”, and “conformity” in
appearance.
The detailed gig information flyers always
contain specific information as to uniform
dress for that particular event.
In general – members need to be prepared with
their own black dress slacks, white dress
shirt (long sleeve for formal concerts, short
sleeve for warm weather parades/outdoor
concerts), black bow tie (men), black socks,
and black shoes. For formal concert
performances, Ladies may elect to wear a black
skirt. For parades and informal concerts, red
South Shore Band windbreakers are provided by
the band or available to be purchased if the
member so elects. The band will supply each
member with a black military style beret with
the band name/logo attached. Members are
responsible for maintaining the band owned
jackets and berets and returning them
promptly if they leave the band.
Due to the increased cost of
uniform berets and increasing experiences with
members losing them, the Band Committee agreed
on 4/25/08 that our policy of issuing one
uniform beret to each member will continue as
is, however in the future, should the member
lose it and we need to supply them with a 2nd
one, we will ask for reimbursement to the band
for $20 to cover this added expense.
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