June 12, 2007
As Redwood Symphony rejoins Canada College as a class, the college's conditions for doing so have necessitated changes in how we obtain musicians to play our concerts.
In our agreement with Canada College, the following conditions stand out:
Everyone who plays with the orchestra must register as a student in the Redwood Symphony class.
After registering our students, we may use non-registered extra players, amounting to no more than 20% of the registered students. For example, if we register 100 students, we may use up to 20 additional non-registered players. If we register 60 students, we may have an additional 12 who are not registered.
These non-registered players may not play more than eight weeks a year with the orchestra. In essence, this means that they can only play one set per season.
Obviously, these conditions can have the effect of severely hampering our ability to adequately staff our concerts, especially given our current membership rules. Therefore, the board of directors has determined that we must change our requirements for membership and attendance, and we must recruit and register students differently than we have in the past.
In order to have maximum flexibility in filling our personnel needs, the orchestra must register as many students as possible, in order to be eligible for the maximum number of non-registered extra players, now designated as Substitutes or Subs. The Music Director will determine the personnel needs before the semester starts and recruit members for all of the semester's concerts before the registration deadline ends.
All players who intend to play more than one concert in a season will now be considered members of the orchestra (and must register as students). This is because of Canada's requirement that non-registered players can only play for eight weeks out of the year (see the third bullet, above.) However, members with good attendance records, and who consequently show a commitment to the orchestra will be accorded preferential treatment (see Attendance Guidelines for Members below).
The old designation for "Acting Members" is abolished (see #2). For program notes, no distinction will be made between members and non-registration-paying non-members. However, the Music Director (or an officer in charge of personnel, if needs be) shall keep track of the two categories, for purposes of complying with our Canada College MOU and the college's attendance rules, and for the collection of dues (see Dues below).
As stated above, all members must register in the class. However, a member who determines that s/he will not be playing at all during a semester need not register for that semester. All members must pay annual dues (see Dues below).
Because extra players are often needed in the winds and percussion, both as extras and as subs for players on leave, key first-call subs in wind and percussion sections who are likely to play more than one set ("Alternates") will be added, usually one extra per section. RWS will pay to register them as students and they will not be required to pay dues. Sections carrying alternates will include flutes, oboes, bassoons, clarinets, horns, trumpets, trombones and percussion. These Alternates will get the first call whenever we need a sub for sets and rehearsals, but will not be part of the rotation of first parts. Members of the above named sections should try to give Alternates plenty of notice for which sets they'll be needed. Alternates will be given first and special consideration when there is a permanent opening in the section.
Strings only: Strings are urged to not make decisions about which sets they will play without considering how it will effect their section. Redwood Symphony's agreement with Canada College states that we must avoid using unregistered subs more than eight weeks (1 set, essentially) in a year. This means that we need to plan for your absences from the orchestra in order to hopefully register your replacement as a student in the class.
In other words, we prefer to know about any absences for entire sets during the registration period BEFORE that semester begins. For example, if you know that you'll have a conflict with a concert in April (Spring semester), we would like to know about it during the December-January registration period. Last minute excuses will be very much discouraged, particularly if your section is already under-manned. Please be considerate. The size of our string sections are a very strong factor in our performance quality, and we never, EVER pay for ringers in Redwood Symphony.
Annual Dues: Formerly $150, including donation. New amount: $50.
Our arrangement with Canada College is for only two concerts there to be fully subsidized. For the other four, we must pay for the dress and performances in the Main Theatre, janitorial costs, and we must pay a portion of our ticket revenue to them as well. The Board determined that $50 per member (not including Alternates) will about cover these extra costs. Of course, any donation beyond that (suggestion: $50) is gratefully acknowledged and is tax-deductible.
The following guidelines are flexible and are intended to inform Redwood Symphony members of ways they can help the orchestra maintain its high performance standards.
Members who follow these guidelines will receive preferential treatment when sets and/or repertoire require a reduced orchestra. Lack of consideration for these guidelines will also mean that there would be less likelihood of sitting near the front of the section, of getting desired principal parts or performing concerti as soloists with the orchestra. The purpose of these guidelines is essentially to encourage you to play as many rehearsals and performances as possible; the more you play and show yourself to be reliable vis-à-vis attendance, being on time and doing sets, the more you benefit.
Please note that these determinations are strictly for internal use only; we don't make distinctions in the program notes. If you're unsure about your status in the orchestra, please don't hesitate to discuss this with the Music Director.
In the event of major attendance issues, it is important to communicate clearly with the Music Director, in order to prevent misunderstandings. Because the Music Director is responsible for recruitment, wind and percussion players should let the Music Director know about missing a set, concert or dress rehearsal. For routine issues, such as missed rehearsals, please contact the Personnel Director at personnel@redwoodsymphony.org.
It is incumbent on all members to successfully complete class registration each semester before the deadline. Failure to do so would mean that said member would not be allowed to play that semester, and possibly lose good standing in the orchestra or even membership. Registration reminders will be emailed well in advance.
Members should let the Music Director know before the semester begins if any sets will be missed, certainly before the set in question begins rehearsals. Dropping a set after rehearsals begin is a major detriment to the performance quality of the orchestra.
All members are assumed to be playing all sets, unless they inform the MD otherwise. The best time to tell the MD that you're not playing is before the semester starts. Another time is when the set rehearsal schedule is emailed out, which includes the exhortation to let the MD know whether you're playing.
To remain in good standing, members should play five out of seven sets per season, unless they are not needed. Please let the Music Director know whether you're having temporary difficulties or whether you attendance problems reflect new long-term factors.
To remain in good standing, members should not miss more than 25% of a set's rehearsals, unless approved in advance by the MD. (More than two in an eight-rehearsal set, more than one in sets with five to seven rehearsals. No rehearsals in a three- or four-rehearsal set.) Ideally, all missed rehearsals should be reported to the personnel director before a set begins.
Winds and percussion are obligated to find subs when they must miss a set or a rehearsal, and get the music to rehearsal.
Except in rare circumstances, players who must miss the dress rehearsal will be asked not to play a set; this is the one rehearsal where we want 100% attendance.
To arrive on time for rehearsals and performances, please allow time for traffic and parking; if there are no problems with either, you should arrive 15 minutes early. Suggestion: buy a parking pass to save time.