Table of Contents
I. History and Organization
|
Page
2 |
|
History |
2 |
|
Board of Directors |
2 |
|
Parents |
2 |
|
SEYO
Bylaws/Policies and Procedures |
3 |
II.
Program
|
3
|
|
Rehearsals and
Attendance |
3 |
|
·
Music |
3 |
|
·
marking
music |
3 |
|
·
instrument
cases and accessories |
3 |
|
·
practice
time |
3 |
III.
Concerts
|
4
|
|
Concert Promotion |
4 |
|
Schedules |
4 |
|
Dress Rehearsals |
4 |
|
Ensemble Etiquette |
4 |
|
Concert Attire |
5 |
|
·
Prelude,
Symphonia and Philharmonia |
5 |
|
·
Wind/Brass
Ensemble and Youth Symphony Orchestra |
5 |
|
Weather Policy |
5 |
IV.
Membership
Opportunities and Obligations
|
5
|
|
Membership |
5 |
|
Auditions |
5 |
|
School
Participation |
6 |
|
Private Teachers |
6 |
|
Recruitment |
6 |
|
Code of Conduct |
6 |
|
Sheet Music/Music
Folders |
6 |
V.
Finances
|
7
|
|
Tuition |
7 |
|
Tuition Assistance |
7 |
|
Fundraising |
7 |
VI.
Staff
|
7
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VII.
Schedules
and Locations
|
8
|
|
Rehearsals |
8 |
VIII. Application
|
8
|
IX.
Letter
of Agreement
|
8/9
|
X.
Additional
Handouts (add to your file)
|
8
|
History and
Organization
History
Sioux Empire Youth Orchestras (SEYO) was organized
in 1975 as the Sioux Empire Youth Symphony.
Its original sponsor was the South Dakota Symphony Auxiliary operating
under a federal grant for involving young people in the 1976 Bicentennial
Celebration. Since SEYO started, it has
been an independent organization supported by its members, their parents,
SEYO became a non-profit corporation in 1992. As the Sioux Empire community grew, it became
evident that there were additional young people who would benefit from
involvement in a youth orchestra.
Therefore, in 1992 a second orchestra was established and the
organization changed its name to the Sioux Empire Youth Symphonies (SEYS). In 1993 the Preparatory Orchestra was also
formed. In 2001, the name was changed to
Sioux Empire Youth Orchestras to better reflect the organization, and the
orchestra names became Prelude, Symphonia, Philharmonia and the Youth
Symphony. Wind/Brass Ensemble was added in 2001 to enhance the musical
education of wind and brass players.
Our mission is to assist in the personal,
educational, and artistic development of young people by providing an
opportunity to explore and cultivate their musical talent.
Board of
Directors
The SEYO Board of Directors exists to support the
ongoing mission of SEYO, through direct financial contributions and commitment
to fundraising, coordinating volunteers and staff, evaluating programs,
establishing fiscal policy and budgets, and planning and implementing the
established goals which will ensure the future strength and stability of SEYO
and its mission. If you are interested
in serving on the board, please contact the president of the Board or SEYO at www.seyorchestra.com or
The Board of Directors consists of both SEYO parents
and members of the community at large.
At least one parent representative for each orchestra is on the
Board. Board members are divided into
three groups, as nearly equal as possible, with terms of three years, so that
approximately one-third of the Board is elected each year.
Parents
SEYO encourages members’ parents to take an active
role in the organization. The Sioux
Empire Youth Orchestras depend on the donation of time and other intangible
support from parents. We ask each family
to help in a variety of SEYO activities, in committee tasks, in chaperoning
events, performing clerical or specialized tasks, providing cookies or snacks,
etc. Please volunteer where you would
like to contribute and when called upon.
SEYO publishes a newsletter four times a year. Please take the time to read and note the
information it contains regarding calendar events, deadlines and other
communications.
Parent meetings are held periodically throughout
the season. These meetings are announced
through various methods that may include, but are not limited to, quarterly
newsletters, e-mail, telephone and postal mailings. Participation by at least one parent or
guardian at each meeting is strongly encouraged. These meetings are essential for
communication of information, schedules and upcoming events, recruitment of
volunteers, and other related matters.
SEYO
Bylaws/Policies and Procedures
A copy of the SEYO bylaws is on the web site. You may review policies and procedures by
contacting a Board member to schedule a time.
SEYO has policies on harassment and safety, which may also be
reviewed. Reporting and investigation of
any charges will be completely confidential.
Program
Rehearsals and
Attendance
Faithful attendance and punctuality are expected of
all members. Attendance will be taken at every
rehearsal. Because tardiness is
disruptive, we ask that musicians arrive at least fifteen minutes early to get
new music and prepare for the rehearsal.
All musicians should be warmed up, seated and ready to tune at the
starting time of the rehearsal.
The most valuable contribution musicians can make
to their ensemble is their presence at rehearsal. It is
expected that rehearsals will be a high priority in each musician’s life
because each musician is holding a valuable place in his/her ensemble. All students are encouraged to communicate
with their orchestra director and their orchestra parent representative. If a student has a question that cannot be
answered by the orchestra director or the orchestra parent representative, the
orchestra parent representative will attempt to find the answer or will refer
the question to a Board member.
All students are required to inform their orchestra
conductor as soon as they are aware of any anticipated absence. In the event of an unexpected absence, such
as an illness, call your respective conductor as soon as possible, but at least
two hours before rehearsal. Orchestra
members who have more than one unexcused absence in a “concert set” will be
allowed to perform only at the discretion of the conductor. A “concert set” is the rehearsals scheduled
for preparation plus the concert itself.
·
music – Students must bring all their music to every rehearsal. Each student is assigned a music folder at
the first rehearsal and is responsible for that folder and the music
issued. If you must be absent, make
arrangements to have your music at rehearsal if needed.
·
marking music – Players must use only soft lead pencil to mark music; no ink or
colored pencil may be used. Bowings, fingerings
and other markings should be erased before returning the music.
·
instrument cases and accessories – Be sure to mark your instrument cases and
accessories clearly with your name.
·
practice time – It is important for students to prepare their parts outside of
rehearsal. The amount of time needed for
home practice will vary from student to student, but the responsibility for
individual practice is important and must be taken seriously.
Concerts
Concert
Promotion
SEYO submits general publicity releases on concerts
to the community newspapers. Please
assist by forwarding information to your community newspaper. The orchestra conductor or parent
representative will notify students of scheduled individual and orchestra
photographs.
Fliers may be available for families and students
so you can notify those in your community that you will be performing. Students, please post fliers in your
orchestra/band room at school; parents, please post fliers at work, at the
public library, grocery store and other high traffic areas in your
neighborhood.
Schedules
Schedules for all orchestra concerts are available
at the beginning of the year although changes may occur. (See page 8 for the schedule.) Concert tickets are sold at the door for most
concerts but may be sold in advance for some performances. Season tickets may also be available.
A reception is usually held after concerts where
families and guests may greet musicians and staff. Each family
is asked to contribute a dozen cookies or bars which should be sent with
students to the concert. Specific
requests are also made on a rotating basis for additional items such as plates,
cups, napkins or drinks. You are
expected to assist with set up or clean up for two concerts each year unless
you have other SEYO responsibilities.
Dress
Rehearsals
Dress rehearsals allow the musicians to practice at
the concert site where they can finalize music details and work out
logistics. Attendance is critical for
the entire rehearsal. All students are
representatives of SEYO and are expected to show responsibility and care in the
use of the facilities and properties of schools, churches and concert halls.
Ensemble
Etiquette (adapted from:
“Ensemble Etiquette,” Sarah Freiberg, Strings.
(February 2003).
2. If possible, get acquainted
with your music through recordings while following along with your music (so
you know how your part fits in). It is
your responsibility to learn your part within the first week. The group rehearsals are to learn how to play
all the parts together.
3. Bring all the proper
equipment to rehearsals to play well, including a sharpened pencil with an
eraser. Determine if you need a music
stand. If you are the “inside” player at
a shared stand (closer to the middle of the stage), you are responsible for
turning the pages. You must turn late
enough for your stand-partner to read all the notes on the last line—but not
miss any on the next page. When the
conductor stops conducting the group must be quiet—not only with their
instruments, but with their voices.
4. Make sure you have enough
room to play when on stage for a concert.
Usually, when the conductor enters, the orchestra members stand up. Once the conductor has reached the podium and
accepted the applause, the orchestra sits.
At the end, the conductor may give solo players a bow, or get the whole
orchestra up together. The concertmaster
gives the cues of when to stand and sit—make sure to watch so that you are not
left alone in either a seated or standing position. Do not leave your instruments on stage during
breaks or intermissions. Breakage is
more likely and the stage looks messy if instruments are left behind. When on stage, look professional at all
times—even when not playing. Yawning,
slouching, etc., are distracting to the audience and detract from the music
played by others.
5. Don’t get lost. When counting rest measures, don’t forget to
look up. The conductor can assist you to
find your place. Follow the conductor
even when the tempo is different than you would like—otherwise your playing
will not match the group.
Concert Attire
Prelude,
Symphonia and Philharmonia
LADIES – Black or dark navy long skirt or short
skirt and opaque black tights. Black or
dark navy wide-leg dress slacks may be worn.
White blouse or SEYO T-shirt.
Dress shoes, not tennis shoes.
GENTLEMEN – Black or dark navy trousers. White shirt or SEYO T-shirt. Dark shoes and dark socks.
Wind/Brass
Ensemble and Youth Symphony Orchestra
LADIES – Black long dress or black long skirt with
black or white blouse. Black wide-leg
dress slacks. Black dress shoes and
black or sheer hose.
GENTLEMEN – Black or dark navy suit or tuxedo.
White shirt and tie. Black dress shoes and dark socks.
Weather Policy
If a rehearsal or a concert is canceled or delayed,
we will make a decision, post it on the web site (www.seyorchestra.com) and have it announced on KELO 92.5 FM as soon as possible. If the Sioux Falls public schools are closed
because of weather (or a holiday), there will be no rehearsal because the doors
to the school will be locked. Please
keep in mind that we are unable to make up a canceled rehearsal – therefore,
the weather would have to be particularly treacherous before SEYO would cancel.
Membership
Opportunities and Obligations
Membership
The Sioux Empire Youth Orchestras are open to any
qualified performer of orchestral instruments who auditions and is accepted;
minimum age is 5 years; maximum age is 22 years. Acceptance and placement are based on many
factors: age, experience, technical proficiency, and personnel needs within the
section of the orchestra. Membership in
SEYO is for the entire season, from the first rehearsal in September through
the final concert in May. Musicians are
expected to remain active and committed for the entire season with the group in
which they have been a member.
Auditions
Applicants for the Philharmonia, Wind/Brass
Ensemble and Youth Symphony must be prepared to audition. Conductors of the other orchestras also
appreciate hearing applicants for a few minutes to assess their playing
level. Information on auditions with
specific information on how to prepare is available from the individual
conductors. Each orchestra conductor is
responsible for ensuring that the proper artistic evaluators observe and review
each audition. Following completion of
the auditions, placement by the review team will occur with final approval made
by the conductor of each respective orchestra.
All applicants will be notified regarding their acceptance and orchestral
placement.
The conductor of each orchestra decides on
instrumentation and chair placement.
Seating does not necessarily reflect ability. Rotation of seating may occur and is designed
to give students additional learning opportunities for each concert. The orchestra conductor determines the
orchestra’s instrumentation to achieve a balanced orchestral sound.
With the approval of the applicable orchestra
conductors, a student may participate in more than one ensemble
(orchestra). The student may play the
same or different instruments in each ensemble.
School
Participation
SEYO and school music programs share a common
objective – that of making the student’s musical experience a significant and
positive influence on his or her life.
SEYO members are expected to participate in their school music
organization, if there is one. SEYO is
committed to play a supportive role to the school music programs and to provide
an impetus to form new string programs in schools where they do not presently
exist. SEYO members, by sharing their
musical growth with their fellow students in their school music programs,
provide continuous encouragement and progress to music education departments
throughout the Sioux Empire.
SEYO tries very hard to avoid scheduling conflicts
with area schools. PLEASE DISCUSS
POTENTIAL CONFLICTS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
Review the entire SEYO calendar and compare with your school
calendar. In general, our philosophy
prioritizes conflicts in this way:
performances take precedence over rehearsals.
Private
Teachers
Although not required for membership, private
lessons are strongly encouraged.
Students who study privately routinely do better on all auditions and
grow faster as musicians. School orchestra
and band teachers have lists of teachers in the area and SEYO conductors and
past members of SEYO are good sources for suggestions of other private teachers
in the area.
Recruitment
SEYO encourages members and parents to refer
interested students for auditions. The
conductors visit area schools to talk about SEYO, but it is often a member’s
invitation or parent’s recommendation that brings musicians to our program.
Code of
Conduct
SEYO musicians are ambassadors for the
organization, and the behavior of each musician reflects upon the entire
group. Each student is expected to use
good manners, display common courtesy, and show consideration for others. Students are expected to contribute to an
atmosphere of devoted work and serious performance by investing their talents
each week to make music with their friends.
A successful SEYO experience requires a cohesive group in which
individuals all accept and follow the same standards of behavior. Students engaging in disruptive or illegal
behavior may be dismissed from the group at the conductor’s discretion.
Sheet
Music/Music Folders
Each ensemble member is assigned a music folder at
the beginning of the season. Every
musician is responsible for his/her own folder and the music issued.
Orchestral music is expensive. Some of the music we perform is rented and
because replacement charges can range from $5 to $30 per part, you should
handle your music carefully and return it on time, as announced in
rehearsals. Students will be fined the
replacement cost for lost music. If
there is a problem with the music you’ve been assigned (damaged, marked with
pen or colored pencil, etc.), or if a particular piece is missing from your
folder, please bring it to the orchestra conductor’s attention immediately.
Finances
Tuition
Tuition alone does not cover SEYO expenses. SEYO asks member families to participate
throughout the year in fundraisers coordinated by the individual orchestra
representatives, parent volunteers and the SEYO executive board. If you choose
not to participate in fundraising efforts, expect to pay twice the amount of
tuition for your student’s ensemble.
SEYO tuition provides for instruction, all sheet
music and materials, rehearsal and concert locations. Our organization has made a yearlong
commitment to the development of each musician.
Therefore, even if a student discontinues participation in his/her
ensemble, unpaid tuition will still be due.
If a student moves to a more advanced ensemble, the increased tuition
(pro-rated) must be paid.
Payment of the full season’s tuition at the first
rehearsal is requested. Tuition may also
be paid in two halves due at the first rehearsal for each semester. If you need an extended payment schedule,
provide the request on your agreement form and terms will be arranged. If tuition is not paid or arrangements not
made for payment, the student will not be allowed to perform at the concert.
Tuition
Assistance
A limited amount of tuition assistance is available
for full or partial tuition. Parents
must complete and return the application to SEYO indicating on the back that
tuition assistance is requested. Should
your circumstances change from one semester to the next, submit a written
request to the Treasurer. Tuition
assistance requests are confidential and do not affect standing or eligibility.
It is expected that you will contribute your time to assist SEYO with
activities (such as the newsletter, Sidewalk Arts Festival, Parks and
Recreation Booth, Younker’s Sale, board member, SEYO Gala, ticket sales, music
sorting, concert reception, etc.
Fundraising
To meet expenses, fundraising is an expected
activity for all members. We participate in the Younker’s coupon sales in
November and February. If you prefer not to sell coupons, you may donate to the
organization and/or your musician can play at the Younker’s store during the
day of the sale. All monetary contributions are acknowledged in the concert
programs.
The Hy Vee Card fundaraiser is on-going throughout
the season. Gift cards are available for
purchase at face value from a SEYO representative. Because SEYO purchases these cards at a
discount and sells them at face value, SEYO earns a 5% profit. Cards are available in $50 and $100
denominations.
Staff (See the website: www.seyorchestra.com for a brief biography)
|
Prelude |
Jay Reeve |
605-334-0089 |
jayreeve@sio.midco.net |
|
Symphonia |
Mark Isackson |
605-336-6977 |
isackson@sio.midco.net |
|
|
Harvey Jewell |
605-332-4569 |
ehjewell@dakota.net |
|
Wind/Brass Ensemble |
Jennifer Hawkinson |
605-274-9681 |
jenhawk@sio.midco.net |
|
Philharmonia |
Richard Getting |
605-331-5167 |
richardgetting@sio.midco.net |
|
Youth Symphony Orchestra |
John Thomson |
605-624-7986 |
jathomso@usd.edu |
|
Administrator |
Cynthia Schilf |
605-376-2714 |
cschilf@sio.midco.net |
Schedules and
Locations
Rehearsals
FOR ALL GROUPS: There is a mandatory parent meeting scheduled for
Saturday, August 25at 10:00 a.m. at Augustana,
The Youth
Symphony Orchestra (YSO) generally has rehearsals at the
Philharmonia Orchestra generally has
rehearsals at the
Wind/Brass
Ensemble rehearses on
Saturday mornings from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. generally at the
Symphonia Orchestra has
rehearsals at
Rehearsals for Prelude
Strings begin January 7, 2008, at
Application
We ask that you complete an application so that we
can contact you with changes or other needs of the organization. Without the correct information, we are
unable to send you a quarterly newsletter.
Letter of
Agreement—See page 9