ENSEMBLE HANDBOOK 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook 1
ESYO relies on the most up-to-date medical information available and governmental guidance to make informed policy decisions about our COVID-19 protocols and vaccination requirements. Due to the ongoing evolution of the pandemic, ESYO’s policies are subject to change. To protect the health and safety of ESYO members, all ESYO employees and volunteers are required to be fully vaccinated. Additionally, the following measures will be taken: • Vaccine Requirement: Members ages 12 and older are required to be fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson) prior to their first rehearsal. Members will be able to upload proof of vaccination at the time of registration. • Mask Requirement: All persons are required to be masked while indoors at any ESYO sponsored rehearsal or event. WELCOME TO ESYO! WELCOME TO THE 2021-2022 ESYO SEASON! We are looking forward to an outstanding year of making beautiful music together at in-person rehearsals and performances around the Capital Region. We invite you to dive in, challenge yourself, make new friends, and enjoy some “serious fun” with your fellow musicians. The purpose of this handbook is to outline programs, policies, expectations, and offerings for the 2021-2022 season. The success of our programs demands a high level of commitment from each student and their family. Please take time to read this handbook and locate important information about your membership in ESYO. If you have any questions not answered in this handbook, please contact your orchestra or ensemble manager for assistance. You may also email Sue Lascoe, Operations Director, at slascoe@esyo.org. Here’s to a great season for making music with friends! • Wind/Brass players are required to use instrument PPE and Musicians’ Masks. • Members will be seated at appropriate distances during rehearsals. • ESYO will abide by the safety policies set by the performance venues where ESYO concerts take place; such policies may include mandatory vaccinations for persons 12 and older. Rebecca Calos Executive Director Kurt Bratten Co-Chair Patty Michaelson Co-Chair • Parents/Caregivers must provide proof of vaccination in order to remain indoors during ESYO sponsored rehearsals or events. Parents/caregivers who are not able to provide proof of vaccination may enter the rehearsal or event venue only to drop off or to pick up their child and must exit immediately afterward. Masks are mandatory. Questions? Please contact Rebecca Calos, Executive Director at rcalos@esyo.org. 2 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook 3
COVID-19 & Vaccination Policy ....................................... 02 Overview ............................................................................... 05 The Team ............................................................................... 07 Programs .............................................................................. 10 Member Expectations & Policies ...................................... 13 Contacts & Communication .............................................. 20 Rehearsal Schedules .......................................................... 24 Additional Information for ESYO Member Families ..... 25 OVERVIEW ESYO has provided outstanding music training and performance opportunities for young musicians from across New York’s Capital Region and Western New England since 1979. Beginning with a single orchestra nearly forty years ago, ESYO has grown to include 13 performing ensembles, a youth chorale, and a free, community-based music program called CHIME. ESYO players are afforded exceptional learning opportunities with elite musicians, renowned conductors and passionate Teaching Artists. ESYO’s performing ensembles engage in over 600 hours of rehearsal per season and, combined, offer more than 30 public performances each year. ESYO has received three prestigious awards for its adventurous programming from the American Society of Composers, Artists, and Publishers (ASCAP) and has had 8 international tours, including participation in the World Association for Symphonic Band Ensembles Festival in Hungary in 2018, and a tour to Asia sparked by an invitation to perform at the 2012 World Expo in South Korea. MISSION ESYO challenges and inspires young people to achieve excellence through music in a rigorous learning environment leading to high-level performance opportunities. VISION ESYO aspires to create tangible and lasting benefits for our community. Together we strive to: • Facilitate skill development for the 21st century • Nourish a new generation of leaders in the arts and society • Inspire lifelong stewardship of our shared musical treasures • Create a sustainable model to expand access to music education • Promote the use of music as an agent of social change SHARED VALUES Our shared values drive our mission and help us realize our vision. We have a passion for: • Musical excellence as a joyful pursuit and a pathway to personal growth • Access to enriched musical education and experiences • Service to youth as our primary customers • Collaboration among our musicians and ensembles, with our supporting schools and community partners • Community as an opportunity to engage, to grow and to give back 4 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook 5
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION ESYO is committed to creating a culture of inclusivity in all our spaces whether we are in a rehearsal, performance, or online. In April 2020, ESYO established a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion task force made up of young musicians, staff, and board members to ignite our commitment and journey towards ensuring ESYO is a place where all voices are heard, everyone feels welcomed, and our diversity is celebrated. We are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment regardless of ability, gender identity, or expression, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, cultural background, national origin, citizenship, faith, ideology, or income. Throughout the season, ESYO members and stakeholders will be presented with opportunities to engage in conversations and workshops around our commitment to inclusivity. To learn more or to contact the chairperson of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force, please reach out to dei@esyo.org. All communication is confidential. 2021-2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kurt Bratten Co-Chair Patty Michaelson Co-Chair Omar Williams Vice Chair Caitlin Mochrie Treasurer Mary Clyne Secretary Robert Altman Brian Axford Robert Bengraff Deidre Hill Butler Heather Chan Henk Elzenga James Haertel Stefon Harris Andrew LaCoppola Kara Lais Barry Richman Brian Sacawa Chris Shiley Elizabeth Silver 2021-2022 ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Rebecca Calos Executive Director Anne-Marie Gorman Doyle Development Director Zoë Auerbach CHIME and Young Leaders Program Manager David Bebe Education Director 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook Sue Lascoe Operations Director and Repertory Orchestra Manager Andrea Restrepo Operations Assistant, Symphony Orchestra & String Orchestra Manager, and Librarian 6 Lisa Stulmaker Finance Director Justin Cook Marketing & Publications Manager Sam Herman Administrative Assistant and Brand Manager 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook 7
2021-2022 CONDUCTING STAFF David Beck ESYO Repertory Orchestra Joseph Gumpper String Orchestra Leo Milman Concertino Strings Richard Albagli Youth Percussion Ensemble Lenore Aldi-Snow Teaching Artist Connor Armbruster Teaching Artist Jessica Bowen Teaching Artist Brian Brancato Teaching Artist Mark Foster Youth Percussion Ensemble John Antonio Chamber Percussion Ensemble Genoveffe Vitale Chamber Percussion Ensemble and Concertino Percussion Robert Hansbrough Wind Orchestra Cathy Gatta Teaching Artist Teresa Gatta Norton Teaching Artist Richard Jimenez Teaching Artist Matthew Johnson Teaching Artist Peter Bellino Youth Jazz Ensemble Keith Pray Repertory Jazz Ensemble Julie Taylor Concertino Wind Choir Scott Hopkins Concertino Brass Choir Bridie Schnore Teaching Artist Nick Smith Teaching Artist Susan Wheeler Teaching Artist Monica Wilson-Roach Teaching Artist Nyasia Darby Site Manager Lekina Green Site Manager Lin Polster Site Manager Rae Jean Teeter Melodies Of Christmas Chorale 8 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook 9
PROGRAMS PERFORMING ENSEMBLES ESYO’s progressive program supports students in elementary through high school, growing with them as they expand their musical and personal capabilities. To learn more about each ensemble, visit esyo.org/programs/orchestras-ensembles. Progression of Ensemble Participation by Skill Level Area Strings Concertino Strings String Orchestra Woodwind and Brass Concertino Winds & Brass Wind Orchestra Percussion Jazz Voice Chamber Percussion Ensemble Concertino Percussion Repertory Jazz Orchestra Repertory Orchestra Symphony Orchestra Repertory Orchestra, Wind Orchestra Repertory Orchestra, Wind Orchestra, Repertory Percussion Ensemble Symphony Orchestra, Wind Orchestra Symphony Orchestra, Wind Orchestra, Youth Percussion Emsemble Youth Jazz Orchestra Melodies Chorale ESYO CHIME CHIME (Creating Harmony Inspiring Musical Excellence) is ESYO’s instrumental music education program that operates in coordination with the Schenectady, Troy, and Albany City School Districts. The CHIME program places children on a path to musical excellence and cultivates skills needed to succeed in all areas of life, including collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. While instrumental education offerings, grade levels served, and hours vary by location, the conviction that pursuing musical excellence is transformational, and that such an endeavor should be available to all, is the driving force at all CHIME sites. CHIME currently operates at Van Corlaer Elementary School and Proctors in Schenectady and the Oakwood Community Center in Troy. Additionally, free, weekly private lessons are provided for students at Hackett and Myers Middle Schools in Albany. To learn more about CHIME, visit us online at esyo.org/chime or email chime@esyo.org. 10 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook The Young Leader program provides members the opportunity to engage in leadership training and gain hands-on experience in the music world. Young Leaders have the chance to assist with our programs, collaborate with peers on community projects, engage with mentors in Arts fields, and participate in leadership workshops. To be eligible for the Young Leaders program, a student must be in high school, and be a member in good standing of an ESYO performing ensemble or of the CHIME program. A Young Leader must commit to the program for the entire season, and is expected to participate an average of 8-10 hours per month in cohort meetings, workshops, volunteer activities, special events, projects, administrative tasks, and mentor meetings. To learn more about the ESYO Young Leader program, visit esyo.org/youngleaders or email youngleader@esyo.org. SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION All members of our performing ensembles and CHIME are invited to participate in supplemental instruction. Opportunities such as clinics, workshops, and Master Classes are offered at all levels and are designed to correlate with experiences in the rehearsal or practice room and support each member’s musical growth. Information and registration for supplemental programming is shared via Google Classroom, email, and newsletters. CONCERTO COMPETITION (SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ONLY) Symphony Orchestra members in good standing are eligible to participate in the annual Lois Lyman Concerto Competition. The winner is invited to be the guest soloist at a Symphony Orchestra concert, and the second place winner is invited, at the discretion of the Repertory Orchestra Conductor, to perform at a Repertory Concert. Entries to the competition must be approved by the Music Director prior to registering online. Additional information can be found at esyo.org/programs/ concerto-competition. The Concerto Competition is named in memory of area violinist, teacher, and ESYO Co-Founder, Lois Lyman. Past winners can be found at esyo.org/programs/ concerto-competition. 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook 11
MEMBER EXPECTATIONS & POLICIES Melodies of Christmas is an annual, televised holiday show featuring ESYO’s Symphony Orchestra and Youth Chorale. Produced by CBS 6/Albany and sponsored by Freihofer’s and Price Chopper to benefit the pediatric oncology program at Albany Medical Center, the four Melodies concerts attract a total audience of over 10,000 each year. The show is taped for broadcast on CBS 6/ Albany (WRGB) on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. As of December 2014, ESYO has helped raise more than $9 million for the program. High School singers in grades 10-12 are eligible to audition for the Melodies Chorale. Members of the Symphony Orchestra are not eligible, as their rehearsals take place at the same time as the Chorale. Melodies Chorale auditions are held in late September, and rehearsals take place Wednesday evenings from October through the performances in mid-December. This section outlines the expectations of ESYO student musicians and policies that ensure a safe learning environment and make it possible for our ensembles to perform at an exceptional level. A COMMITMENT TO MUSICAL EXCELLENCE As a member of ESYO, your personal progress and success as a musician and the collective progress and success of your ensemble depend upon your FULL participation. By joining ESYO, you make a commitment not only to yourself but also to each of your fellow musicians to do the following: Be present for all ensemble rehearsals or CHIME classes (in accordance with the attendance policy for your program). The challenging music and intensity of work in our rehearsals and classes means that each minute is valuable and important. Read all emails from your Conductor and Operations Staff. Respond to the emails in a timely manner if asked! Practice your ensemble music on a regular basis between rehearsals and achieve mastery of it well before a performance. The primary purpose of rehearsals is for musicians to grow together as an ensemble and to develop a clear, consistent, and cohesive approach to the music. Learn parts before rehearsal, not during rehearsal! Study with a private teacher. Private study is essential for ensuring the continuing development of your musical skills and for meeting the technical challenges of your ensemble music. Be sure to share important solos or problematic passages with your private teacher so they can help you with these areas. CHIME members will receive individualized support during program hours. If you need help finding a private teacher, please visit our online directory. Participate in other music activities, especially the school programs that are available to you. One rehearsal per week with us is not enough time to develop your ear, ensemble skills, and musicianship to the fullest. School programs offer not only opportunities for students to develop in these areas but also to develop their leadership skills. You are expected to participate in your school music program if one is available. Be a good colleague and role model by being on time, attentive, respectful, and having “serious fun”! 12 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook 13
Musicians seated as principal players in their ensemble are expected to take on additional responsibilities while in that role. These responsibilities include: • Setting a good example of preparation, promptness, attentiveness, musicianship, and leadership for the section; • Noting trouble spots in the music and bringing that to the attention of sectional coaches; • Supporting the rehearsal discipline of the section; • Assisting the conductor in realizing interpretive directions; • Ensuring that all members of the section have a unified understanding of the music, making sure that bowings, breathings, fingerings, articulations, and phrasings match; • Responsible for communicating with the other section leaders and the conductor; • Percussion Principal Players: Assign parts and coordinate instruments for rehearsals and concerts. Absence Policy for all other Ensembles. TWO excused absences are allowed per concert period. ONE excused absence is allowed during the three weeks prior to the concert. NO absences are allowed from mandatory rehearsals, dress rehearsals, warm-ups or concerts. This includes college visits, proms, balls, or other social events. EXCEPTION TO THE ABSENCE POLICY - School Music Events. All mandatory school music performances, such as concerts, special events, and in some cases playing in the pit orchestra, take precedence over ESYO commitments. Consequences. ESYO recognizes that critical school or family events may conflict with rehearsals and that illnesses occur. Compliance with ESYO’s school music participation policy may also cause students to miss rehearsals. Incurring more than the allowed absences will result in a discussion with the conductor. Consequences for unexcused absences may result in a member not being allowed to perform in a concert, being reseated, or being dismissed from the ensemble. In certain circumstances, a fine may be levied to cover the cost of hiring a replacement musician. ATTENDANCE POLICY CODE OF CONDUCT Start Time. You are expected to be in your seat and ready to play at least 10 minutes before the downbeat for rehearsals, warm-ups, and concerts. If your rehearsal starts at 7:00pm and you are “on time,” then you are in your seat and ready to go at 6:50pm! You are tardy if you arrive at the same time that rehearsal is starting. Commitment. We are committed to providing you the opportunity to rehearse and perform with a full ensemble. This, in turn, requires your commitment to prepare, practice, and be present. If you are absent, or not prepared, the entire ensemble is adversely impacted. Reasonable standards of behavior and dress are expected while rehearsing, performing, or participating in any event or activity associated with ESYO. No set of rules can cover every possible situation. The list below, along with common courtesy and respect, offers a guide to appropriate behavior. Conflicts. Please notify your manager or conductor immediately via email, or using the online Absence Form on Google Classroom, of any potential or actual conflicts prior to the first rehearsal and throughout the season. Tardiness. Arriving late to rehearsal is disruptive and disrespectful to your ensemble. Please notify your manager or conductor via email or text as soon as you are aware of a conflict that will cause you to be late to a rehearsal. Habitual tardiness will not be tolerated, and will result in probation. Absence Policy for Symphony Orchestra. TWO excused absences are allowed per concert period. NO absences are allowed in the two weeks prior to the concert. NO absences are allowed from mandatory rehearsals, dress rehearsals, warm-ups or concerts. This includes college visitations, proms, balls or other social events. 14 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook General behavior • Demonstrate appropriate, respectful, and safe behavior with ESYO staff, sectional coaches, and fellow students • Put trash in the appropriate containers. Please help keep our rehearsal spaces clean! • Members are responsible for their own instruments. Do not leave instruments or bows unattended where they might be damaged accidentally. Do not leave your instrument on your chair during breaks. Instruments should be safely put into cases during breaks or when not needed. All instruments should be insured; most homeowner or renter’s insurance policies can include a rider to cover instrument insurance • The use of tobacco, alcohol or any illegal substances is strictly forbidden in and around program sites at all times. Also, students are forbidden from vaping or bringing a weapon of any kind (e.g. knife, firearm) to a program site. Violations of this policy are grounds for suspension or expulsion. 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook 15
• Cell phones and other electronic devices are to be turned off during rehearsals! • Restroom usage: Please use the restrooms before the rehearsal or at the break. Students may not leave the rehearsal for any reason (other than for absolute emergencies) while it is in progress. • Please do not bring food or drink into rehearsal spaces. A water bottle is the only exception. • Listen carefully to instructions from your conductor, teaching artist, or manager. Do not talk while your conductor, teaching artist, or manager is speaking. • Talk among musicians should be kept to a minimum, and should deal directly with issues related to the music at hand. • Books, homework, and other off-task materials are not to be brought into the rehearsal area – being attentive and engaged even when you are not playing is an important part of being in an ensemble. You will learn important things about the music and how to improve your skills by observing your colleagues rehearsing. Bullying and Harassment Policy ESYO strives to provide a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all students. Bullying has a harmful social, physical, psychological, and academic impact on bullies, victims, and bystanders. Therefore, ESYO has defined an explicit policy banning bullying at its program sites and at any ESYO sponsored activity. • Bullying is deliberate or intentional behavior using words or actions, intended to cause fear, humiliation, intimidation, harm, or social exclusion. • Bullying may be repeated behavior and involves an imbalance of power. The behavior may be motivated by an actual or perceived distinguishing characteristic, such as, but not limited to: age; national origin; race; ethnicity; religion; gender; gender identity; sexual orientation; physical attributes; physical or mental ability or disability; and social, economic, or family status. • Bullying behavior can be: 1. Physical (e.g. assault, hitting or punching, kicking, theft, threatening behavior) 2. Verbal (e.g. threatening or intimidating language, teasing or name-calling, racist remarks) 3. Indirect (e.g. spreading cruel rumors, intimidation through gestures, social exclusion and sending insulting messages or pictures by mobile phone or using the internet – also known as cyber-bullying) Youth or adults in ESYO experiencing or observing such behavior should report it immediately. Incident reports are confidential and can be completed online at esyo.org/member/report-it. We take reports of such behavior seriously. All reports will be investigated to ensure that ESYO continues to be a safe learning environment. Consequences for Code of Conduct Violations Consequences may include (but are not limited to): • Being placed on immediate suspension by the musician’s manager or conductor; • Dismissal for the remainder of the season; • Not being allowed to audition for the upcoming season. Decisions about consequences may be appealed to the Review Committee of the ESYO Board of Directors. In the case of suspension or dismissal, the musician/ family is still responsible for the payment of any outstanding tuition to ESYO. MUSIC DISTRIBUTION & COLLECTION Music for Symphony, Repertory, String, Jazz, and Wind Orchestra members will be available to download via your ensemble’s Google Classroom in August. Members will receive a notification as soon as their music is posted, and are expected to begin preparing their parts prior to the start of the season. All other members will receive their music at their first rehearsal in September. Music folders are provided to each ESYO musician, courtesy of John Keal Music. It is the musician’s responsibility to take good care of their music. Music will be collected at the end of each concert period per the instructions of the manager or conductor. PART ASSIGNMENTS FOR BRASS & WOODWINDS Symphony & Repertory Orchestras: Brass and woodwind players will be heard by their conductors in the late summer before the first rehearsal. Part assignments are made after these sessions. Wind Orchestra: Brass and woodwind players will be heard by their conductor in September to determine part assignments. Players will be recorded mid-season for their conductor to evaluate seating assignments. PART ASSIGNMENTS FOR PERCUSSION Symphony & Repertory Orchestras: Principal timpani and principal percussion seats are assigned based on the results of June auditions. 16 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook 2021-2022 ESYO Ensemble Handbook 17
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