Auditions


An exceptional instrumental program for the youth of our region.

Policies

Audition Scheduling

  1. Auditions for initial placement in the Youth Orchestras of Prince William will be held in the spring after the concert season or in the fall before rehearsals begin; however, new members are accepted throughout the season. Please contact the YOPW office to schedule an audition. Students must re-audition to move to a different YOPW ensemble. Move-up auditions will be held only in the spring, unless a vacancy must be filled during the season. Students may only audition to move up one level per season.

Responsibilities

  1. Section Leaders will be selected by each conductor based on auditions, participation, and leadership skills. Each section leader will have leadership responsibilities beyond those of section members. Principal players of each string section are responsible for checking bowings on individual parts and marking them if missing.
  2. All members of the orchestra are responsible for knowing their assigned part to the best of their ability and should confer with their private teachers and/or section leaders whenever necessary.
  3. Members are responsible for bringing their instruments (including mutes, extra strings, etc.), their music, a pencil with an eraser and a music stand to all rehearsals. Instruments should be in good working order. All items should be clearly marked with the student's name..

Rehearsals

  1. All rehearsals will take place at Gar-Field High School, unless otherwise notified. (Please refer to the Season calendar and weekly announcements.)
  2. The regular rehearsal schedule is as follows:
      • Intro to Preparatory/Preparatory Orchestra
      • 6:30-7:45 p.m.
      • Primo Orchestra
      • 6:30-7:45 p.m.
      • Repertory Orchestra
      • 6:45-8:15 p.m.
      • Wind Symphony
      • 6:15-7:45 p.m.
      • Concert Orchestra
      • 6:30-9:00 p.m.
      • YSO
      • 6:30-9:00 p.m.
  3. All rehearsals will begin promptly at the scheduled time. Musicians should arrive at least ten minutes before the start of rehearsals to be seated and tuned.
  4. A short rehearsal break may be scheduled for the Concert and Youth Symphony Orchestras. All musicians are expected to remain in the general rehearsal area and return to the rehearsal room on time.
  5. Rehearsals will conclude at the scheduled times, provided that the rehearsal begins on time. A conductor may on rare occasions extend a rehearsal for several minutes. When rehearsing pieces that do not require full instrumentation, those musicians not playing may be released early or asked to arrive later. In most cases, the conductor will schedule the rehearsal order to allow these dismissals. Whenever possible, these musicians will be notified at a prior rehearsal by e-mail or phone.
  6. Absolutely no food or drink is allowed in any rehearsal room.
  7. Musicians will not be permitted to do school work or any other activity during a rehearsal that will affect their concentration or that will distract other orchestra members.
  8. Cell phone use is prohibited during rehearsals and concerts. Any cell phone in the rehearsal or concert space should be silenced or turned off. This policy applies to all musicians as well as parents and other visitors who attend rehearsals and concerts.
  9. Musicians should place their instruments in their cases when they are not in use. Students should not touch other students' instruments without permission. Instruments are fragile, and students are to avoid running or horseplay to reduce the risk of damage to instruments. Read more about insuring your instrument.
  10. Behavior that interferes with concentration during rehearsals is inappropriate and will be addressed by YOPW. If a musician is inadequately prepared or engages in inappropriate behavior, the conductor or coach will speak to the musician and will notify the Executive Director. If the musician does not correct the inappropriate behavior at subsequent rehearsals, the parent or guardian will be notified. If a student continues to misbehave, the Executive Director will schedule a meeting with the musician, parents, and the conductor. Failure to correct behavior after this meeting may result in dismissal from the program.

Sheet Music

  1. YOPW will provide practice copies of music for each student via the website forum. Students should sign up for the forum as soon as they are registered so that they will have access to all ensemble information. No original parts may be taken home by any student unless the Executive Director has given permission. All practice copies must be returned to YOPW no later than the day of the concert.
  2. Due to copyright restrictions, students must use original printed parts at performances, not photocopies.
  3. There will be a fine for lost or damaged music. The fines will be set at the replacement costs of the music plus postage and any late charges assessed to YOPW for rental music.

Attendance

  1. An ensemble cannot properly prepare for a performance unless all its members work together at rehearsals. For this reason, attendance at all rehearsals and concerts is required, except in cases of illness or family emergencies. Musicians are expected to be punctual and to remain for the duration of all rehearsals and concerts.
  2. Students are to be in their seats, ready to tune ten minutes before the start of rehearsals and at the specified time following breaks. Two (2) late arrivals will equal one absence for purposes of determining participation in concerts and the YOPW program unless arrangements have been made prior to the absences
  3. All absences must be called into the YOPW office (703-590-7083) or emailed (yopw@yopwva.org) by the student's parent or guardian, prior to, or on the day of the rehearsal. A written note prior to the absence will be acceptable.
  4. If you must leave rehearsal before your normal dismissal time, you must present to the Executive Director a note from a parent or guardian asking for an early dismissal. Leaving rehearsals early disrupts the orchestra's preparation, is strongly discouraged, and should be done only in the event of illness or family emergency.
  5. Any student leaving at break time without permission will be considered absent for the entire rehearsal.
  6. If a student accumulates absences, the following will apply:
    1. Missing two rehearsals for any concert will result in a warning and parental contact.
    2. Missing three rehearsals or the dress rehearsal for any concert will require the conductor to evaluate the student's preparedness and determine whether the student may participate in the performance.
    3. A cumulative total of six absences at any point in the season will result in an evaluation of whether the student may continue with the YOPW program.

Fees

  1. Base tuition for the 2012-2013 season is $450 for the Concert and Youth Symphony orchestras, $425 for the Wind Symphony, $395 for the Repertory and Primo Orchestras, $325 for the Introduction to Preparatory Orchestra (includes payment for entire season from September to May), and $225 for the Preparatory Orchestra. YOPW offers a family discount for additional children, although, this discount does not apply to students enrolled in the Introduction to Prep or Preparatory Orchestra. There is an additional $125 charge for each student participating in the Chamber Music Program.
  2. A $50 deposit must be paid by May 1 for each current member who wishes to retain a place in the YOPW program for the following season. Deposits for new students who audition for admission to the program are payable at the time of acceptance into YOPW. The deposit is non-refundable and is credited towards the student's tuition fee.
  3. Any remaining tuition balance is due by the first rehearsal in September. Checks or money orders should be made payable to YOPW (Youth Orchestras of Prince William). Fees may be mailed to P. O. Box 2127, Woodbridge, VA 22195 or submitted at the first rehearsal. Credit card payments can be made through the YOPW website at www.yopwva.org. (There is an additional fee for credit card payments which is included in the tuition pricing listed on the website.)
  4. No refunds of tuition will be issued after the second rehearsal.
  5. Unless prior arrangements are made, failure to remit tuition fees by the date of the first rehearsal may result in suspension from YOPW until fees are paid.
  6. Some scholarships are available. Contact the YOPW office or the Executive Director to apply.
  7. YOPW offers a Tuition Installment Payment Plan for families who wish to pay for tuition over time.

    Returning YOPW Students: The Installment Payment Schedule for returning students is as shown below:

    • May 1: $50 deposit
    • June 15: 1/3
    • August 1: 1/3
    • First Rehearsal: 1/3

    New YOPW Students: New students also have the option of choosing the Tuition Installment Payment Plan, but the payment schedule will vary depending upon when the student joins. The table below shows the Payment Schedule for new students:

    Join Date May 1 or prior

    • May 1: $50 deposit
    • June 15: 1/3
    • August 1: 1/3
    • First Rehearsal: 1/3

    Join Date May 2 – June 15

    • June 15: $50 deposit
    • August 1: 1/2
    • First Rehearsal: 1/2

    Join Date June 16 – August 1

    • August 1: 1/2
    • First Rehearsal: 1/2

    Join Date August 2 or later: Not Available

Concert Attire

  • Students must wear the specified concert attire for all performances. If a student is not dressed appropriately, he or she may not be permitted to perform or may be reseated for the performance.
    • Preparatory, Primo, Repertory, and Concert Orchestras:
      • Ladies – white blouse with long sleeves and appropriate neck line (no sheer sleeves), long, full black skirts, black hosiery, and black shoes. Only cellists may wear slacks.
      • Gentlemen – long-sleeved white dress shirt, with black bow tie, black slacks, black socks, black dress shoes.
    • Concert and Youth Symphony Orchestra and Wind Symphony:
      • Ladies – long black dresses with sleeves. (You may wear a long black skirt and a sleeved-black blouse in place of the dress, as long as it looks like one piece.) Appropriate necklines, no sequins, no sheer sleeves. Only cellists may wear slacks.
      • Gentlemen – Black tuxedo or black suit with white dress shirt, black bow tie, black socks, black dress shoes.
    • Selection and Sources of Clothing:

Chamber Music Program

  • YOPW will sponsor at least six chamber ensembles (string, brass, and woodwind) to enrich the YOPW instructional program. These groups serve as YOPW representatives for a variety of community service and private events. YOPW supports these ensembles by providing coaching and loaning music for their use.
    1. This program is open to any musician enrolled in Repertory, Concert or Youth Symphony Orchestras or Wind Symphony. Musicians interested in participating in this program should inform the Executive Director and prepare to audition on September 17. Audition requirements are the same as those for the orchestra in which the musician participates, except students may select any two of the assigned scales and a solo of comparable difficulty may be substituted for the assigned orchestral excerpts.
    2. The chamber ensembles rehearse once a week with coaching from a professional musician once a month. YOPW will loan sheet music to these ensembles as selected by the coach and the ensemble.
    3. Each group will rehearse standard repertoire for that type of ensemble and is expected to perform annually at the YOPW Spring Recital and at a minimum of two community service events that serve the Prince William area. Musicians will not be paid for these performances. YOPW often receives requests for ensembles to perform at private functions, and YOPW books the chamber ensembles for these events. YOPW charges such clients to recover administrative costs and to provide an honorarium for each musician who participates in these performances.

Smoking

  • Smoking is not allowed at any time in the school building or on school grounds.

Boundaries

  1. PARENTS AND STUDENTS MUST STAY WITHIN THE DESIGNATED BOUNDARIES INSIDE THE SCHOOL BUILDING ON MONDAY NIGHTS. Designated boundaries include rehearsal spaces, the auditorium, restrooms, and the hallway with the YOPW concessions and information table. Parents and students should not use any equipment or property of any facility that might be hosting YOPW, without proper authorization. YOPW strives to allow all parents to observe rehearsals if they wish to do so. Any family members or guests found in an unauthorized area or utilizing school facilities without authorization will be asked to leave the school building. Repeated infractions may result in banning from the school building.
  2. Students are not allowed outside the school building until they leave for home.

Arrivals Departures and Parking

  1. The designated area for discharge and pick-up of YOPW students is the bus tunnel on the side of the school facing Smoketown Road (next to the lower cafeteria).. If you prefer to park and escort your child in and out of the building, you may enter the building using the doors adjacent to the auditorium.
  2. Please do not park, wait, discharge, or pick up students in the lanes outside the auditorium entrance. This area is poorly lit, and vehicular traffic here creates a hazard for our students. Vehicles stopped here block the view of oncoming traffic for students and parents who are walking between the building and the parking lot. Vehicles that discharge or wait to pick up students in this area will be reminded to move to the bus tunnel.
  3. Gar-Field High School prohibits parents or students from parking or standing in the area between the entrance road and the loading dock area. Please do not drive into the area inside our traffic cones unless:
    • You are dropping off or picking up materials required for rehearsal or concert support;
    • You have a handicapped permit;
    • You have received explicit permission from the Executive Director to enter this space; or
    • You are loading or unloading a bass or percussion equipment. (If you are carting a bass or percussion equipment, please enter the area only when you are ready to load or unload. When waiting to load, do not wait in this area; park your vehicle in the lot until your student is ready to depart.)
  4. There is a great deal of pedestrian traffic all night at rehearsals, and the lot is poorly lit beyond the loading dock area. When you are entering or leaving the parking lot, please drive slowly to protect the safety of our students. As an additional precaution, we urge parents of younger students to escort their children to and from the building.

Audio/Video Recording of Concerts

  1. Audio and video recording of performances is prohibited. This policy is based on the current copyright and privacy laws and YOPW's licensing agreements. While we seek to enforce this policy, we are committed to providing high quality recordings of our performances at affordable prices as allowed by these restrictions.
  2. Still photography is also prohibited. This policy is based on the current privacy law and the fact that flash photography during a performance is distracting to the performers. If you want to take photographs, you may take them after all performances are over.

Inclement Weather

  • If Prince William County public schools fail to open or if they close during the day on a scheduled rehearsal day, then that evening's rehearsals will be canceled. However, weather conditions may change during a day when schools are open and make it necessary for us to cancel a rehearsal. In such cases, a bulletin will be placed on the office voice mail system, and notification via email and the website forum will be sent out about 3 p.m. You may assume that the scheduled rehearsal will take place, if we have not provided a notification of cancellation by that time. (Please make sure we have an email address for you that you will be able to check during the day.)
  • We recognize that our families come from a variety of locations and that many of you travel long distances to attend YOPW rehearsals. We try to learn as much as we can, but we cannot always be aware of road and weather conditions on all your routes. If you feel it is dangerous to attend a rehearsal, please stay home! Your safety is our primary concern.

Seating

  1. Seating for each ensemble is at the discretion of the conductor. Each conductor will make the final determine of all seating assignments. Seating decisions will be based on seating auditions, adherence to YOPW policies (especially attendance and behavior), and leadership abilities.
  2. Students who are not present for seating auditions will be seated at the discretion of the conductor.
  3. Wind Symphony, Concert Orchestra and Youth Symphony Orchestra will hold at least two seating auditions per season. Primo and Repertory Orchestra will hold a minimum of one seating audition per season. Preparatory Orchestra seating is determined on a rotating seating that changes for each concert.