Membership Information, Policies, and Procedures

• The following policies and procedures are intended to supplement the Band’s charter and by-laws, and help make the administration of the Band understandable, consistent and fair.

Rights of Members:

• Participate in rehearsals, performances, events and activities.

• Run for or hold any Band office after being a member for one year.

• Vote at membership meetings.

• Participate in standing and ad hoc committees.

• Attend and participate in Board and committee meetings.

• Make nominations for any office.

Responsibilities of Members:

• Attend all rehearsals unless excused by the section leader.

• Attend all performances unless excused by the section leader.

• Take proper care of the music, and have the folder present for all rehearsals and performances, return music promptly.

• Prepare musically for all performances.

• Be on time and in proper attire for all performances.

• Notify section leader of anticipated absences.

•  Notify the section leader of current mailing address, email address and telephone number.

• Volunteer skills and non-musical work time for the benefit of the BSB.

Attendance:

• The Assistant Secretary will take attendance at every rehearsal and concert.

• Members may be dropped from the roster for excessive absences, unless they have notified the Board that they are taking a leave of absence.

• At the sole discretion of the Conductor, members may be excluded from a concert performance or principal players assigned to a non-principal part for excessive absences.

• The By-Laws define excessive absences as 3 consecutive absences or absence from 1/3 or more rehearsals for a performance. The Conductor or Assistant Conductor will give warnings as provided in the by-laws.

• Members are expected to have attended the last two regular rehearsals plus dress rehearsal if applicable prior to a concert or have been granted an exemption by the Conductor.

 

Performance Guests:

• The Conductor may invite or hire an individual who is not a regular member of the Band to participate in a specific performance. The Board of Directors must approve payment of performance guests in advance.

 

Parts Assignments:

• Parts assignment and seating within a section will be determined by the Conductor, taking into consideration musical ability, needs of the BSB and seniority. The Conductor may change part assignments for each concert based upon the requirements of the music, applicable musical interpretation issues and other criteria for placing members on part assignments. The Conductor may delegate this responsibility to the section leader, and where possible part assignment changes will be accomplished through the section leaders. Section members who have a concern about part assignment or seating may discuss their concern with the Conductor or any board member.

 

Instrumentation:

The optimal instrumentation of the Band is 70 musicians, allocated within each instrument section as follows:

– Flute (including picc) – 7
– Oboe – 2
– E flat clarinet – 1
– B flat clarinet – 15
– Bass clarinet – 2
– Bassoon – 2
– Alto Sax – 2
– Tenor Sax – 1
– Baritone Sax – 1
– Trumpet/cornet – 8-10
– French Horn – 6
– Trombone – 6-8
– Euphonium/Baritone – 3
– Tuba – 4-6
– Percussion – 5-6

 

Joining the BSB:

• Any person who is interested in joining the Band should email the BSB president at BSB President@gmail.com. The President will then contact you with more information about attendance, vacancies and musical background.

• If a vacancy exists in the section the person is interested in joining, and the Conductor determines that the person may be qualified for membership, they will be invited to sit in on one or more rehearsals.

• After attending at least two rehearsals, the Conductor may audition the prospective member, or use other means, such as asking people in the section, to evaluate the prospective member. If, in the sole discretion of the Conductor, the prospective member demonstrates sufficient musical competence to meet the requirements of the Band, the Conductor may invite the person to join the Band, and may place the person within the section.

• If the placement will displace any current member in the section, the Conductor will notify those people and the section leader and discuss any concerns they may have prior to making the placement.

• If a section is at or above the optimal instrumentation, no new member shall be permitted to join that section unless authorized by the Conductor. Current members shall not be required or asked to leave a section except as provided in the by-laws.

• A member may take a leave of absence from the Band for up to one year, and return to their section (but not necessarily the same position) by notifying the Secretary of their intent to return before they leave.

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Waiting List:

• If a section is full, individuals who want to join the Band, or out of town visitors, may join in a rehearsal as a rehearsal guest for up to 2 rehearsals, but are not permitted the last two weeks before a concert.

• Each rehearsal guest will be requested to fill out an information card. These cards, kept on file by the secretary, will comprise the BSB waiting list.

• When a vacancy in a section that is not full occurs, the secretary will give cards of all individuals on the waiting list to the Conductor. The Conductor and the section leader will discuss the potential new members and issue invitations based on musical benefit to the Band and other skills or contacts the individual may have which would be beneficial to the Band. Priority will be given to former members in good standing.

• Within one week after an invitation to join is accepted, the president will have a personal conversation with the new member explaining the philosophy, commitment and expectations of BSB members.

 

Student Membership:

• The BSB does not actively solicit or recruit high school or younger players but qualified individuals may be accepted at the discretion of the Conductor.

 

Music folders:

• Each member is responsible for seeing that the folder is returned for the next rehearsal and each concert, and turned into the Librarian at the end of each season. Any member who loses a music folder or any music will be assessed full replacement value for the folder and music lost.

 

Rehearsal and Concert Schedules:

• Rehearsals are held on Tuesday evenings, from 7:15 – 9:00 pm at May River High School.

• The concert season runs from September to early June, with weekly rehearsals except for two weeks in December and when rehearsal space is unavailable due to school closings.

• Our concert schedule normally includes three or four formal concerts a year. Venues, dates and times to be determined by the board.

• Admission to all concerts is free.

 

Concert Dress:

• Formal indoor concerts: Men: black tuxedos, or dark suits, white shirt, bow tie, black cummerbund, black shoes and socks; Ladies: black dress or black skirt (knee length or longer), pants and shirt or solid black suit with white shirt, black shoes.

• Pops or outdoor concerts: Men: black pants, white collared shirt; Ladies: black pants or skirt, white blouse. 

• Occasionally, specific performances will require deviations from this dress requirement.

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Substitute or Guest Conductors:

• If the Conductor is not able to attend a rehearsal or concert, he or she shall notify the president and arrange for a substitute or guest Conductor. Any Conductor other than the assistant Conductor or other Band member shall be subject to the approval of the board of directors. The Conductor will be responsible for preparing the assistant Conductor and any substitute Conductor for rehearsals and concerts. It is expected that the Conductor will make every effort to attend all concerts and rehearsals. If he or she is unable to attend a concert or more than 4 rehearsals during a season, the Conductor will discuss the reasons with the board.

 

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