Phone:
(845) 246-1796
e-mail HVYC

Hudson Valley Youth Chorale

Hudson Valley Youth Chorale Information 2008-2009

General Information and Communication

The HVYC offers a wonderful music program to its singers.  Weekly rehearsals and concerts prepared by a professional choral staff are supplemented by professional voice coaching, rhythmic movement and choreography. The HVYC program which follows the school year has an active performance schedule, up to 15 to 20 times a year. Repertoire appropriate to the age and needs of the singers is chosen from a variety of musical periods and styles.

Cancellations:

A. Snow Days:  If schools are cancelled or it begins to snow during the day, families are notified by the HVYC Alertify System of rehearsal or event cancellations. School cancellations do not automatically cancel a HVYC rehearsal. If roads are safe at the time of the rehearsal, it will be held as scheduled.

B. Emergency Cancellations or sudden changes:  The Alertify System will also be used to notify the membership of emergency cancellations. However, as a safe-guard, parents should always adhere to the drop-off policy as described below.  Also, the Alertify System will be used to disperse vital information when necessary.

Drop-Off Policy: Parents should escort their child into the building for each rehearsal or concert.  Be assured that children are safely inside the building and that Youth Chorale staff is on site.  In the case of an emergency cancellation, if children are dropped off and parents go quickly on their way, the child may be left alone, outdoors, until they return.

Pick-Up Policy:  Every parent must come into the building to sign their child or children out at the end of a rehearsal or concert.  Children are not allowed to wait outside for their ride!  If parents are detained, their child will be seated inside the building, waiting for them.  Parents involved in car pools should sign out each child in their care.

Communication: The HVYC website will now be used as the main avenue of dispersing information to parents.  Schedules, updates, changes, special needs, concert and rehearsal information, EVERYTHING will be posted on the website.  The website will be updated by 3:00 PM every Monday.  Please check the website Monday evenings or Tuesday to be informed of current updates.  Hard copies and Email will be used sparingly.  But parents are still asked to clearly indicate all email addresses that are to be used.  Families without email should make arrangements to receive information with HVYC president Kelly Webber. 

Keep in mind that schedules change constantly.  The current schedule posted on the website is the only schedule to be followed. Anything posted earlier becomes immediately obsolete.  Newly arranged concerts appear on the schedule as soon as they are confirmed. Our website is www.hvyc.org

Questions and Concerns:  Questions and concerns should be addressed to the musical staff by email or when they are not actively involved with the children.  Questions may also be addressed to the Board President.

Performances: Members of the HVYC participate in all performances.  The HVYC sings at community functions, for people confined to homes and hospitals, and at formal concerts.  There are two kinds of formal concerts: concerts sponsored by other organizations for which we are paid a guest fee and concerts produced by the HVYC.  It is impossible to know the complete concert schedule at the beginning of the year since invitations to perform are received throughout the year.  Parents are notified of upcoming concerts as soon as they are confirmed.

Concert and Dress Rehearsal absences:  It is expected that every child will sing in every performance.  When impossible to do so, parents must notify the musical director a reasonable time before the concert.  It is not appropriate to tell the musical staff at the rehearsal before a concert that a child will not be there unless there is a medical or family emergency. If a family knows well in advance that their child needs to miss a performance, they should tell the musical staff immediately.  Absent singers have a negative impact on the rest of the children.  The sooner the staff knows, the more time they have to make the necessary changes and give the singers who will be performing the opportunity to practice without those who will be absent.

Concert Tickets:  The HVYC depends on ticket sales to support its program.  Therefore, it sells tickets to our own members as well as the public for our home concerts.  For home concerts (concerts produced by the HVYC) the board of directors sets the ticket price and the money raised through ticket sales is used to sustain the HVYC program.  When the Chorale performs for other organizations, we are subject to that group’s ticket prices and sales policies.

Concert Photography:  The HVYC has a policy of no photography (still or video) during a concert at which people have paid admission.  The Chorale provides photo-ops for parents at the end of major performances.  In some instances the Chorale arranges for a qualified photographer to document the concert.  Parents may order copies of photos and or videos/DVDs afterward for a nominal fee.  Parents are free to photograph the singers at all other events.  The Chorale welcomes copies of good photos.  Please give them to the artistic director.

Rehearsals: As in the past, the HVYC membership is divided into two performing choruses: the Cantabile Singers (grades 3, 4, 5) and the Singing Ambassadors (grades 6, 7, 8, 9).  Both choruses will meet on Tuesdays throughout 2008-2009.

Observing Rehearsals:  Parents may observe rehearsals at the discretion of the music director.   Parents observing a rehearsal should sit quietly in the back two pews of the church.  No one is allowed in the balcony.  Under no circumstances should siblings be left unaccompanied during a rehearsal.  Parents must be on the premises, caring for them.  Children should never be outdoors, unsupervised.

Dress Rehearsal:  Dress rehearsal is the last full rehearsal before a concert.  Attendance is critical.  Music is practiced in the order it will be performed.  It is the last chance to practice solos, entrances and exits, lining up and singing with accompaniment.

A. Singers who must miss a dress rehearsal are not allowed to sing in a concert without special permission from the music director.

B. Soloists who cannot be at dress rehearsal must understand that their solo will be given to another singer who will sing the solo in the concert.

C. Singers do not wear costumes to dress rehearsal unless specially asked to so do.

Regular Rehearsals:

A. Attendance records are kept.  Singers are notified when their membership is in jeopardy because of repeated unexcused absences.

B. Starting Time: Be seated in the pews 5 to 10 minutes BEFORE the rehearsal begins.

C. Late Arrivals: Children arriving late should not interrupt the rehearsal.  They wait in a designated area until permission is granted to join the rehearsal.

D. Repeated Tardiness: Singers arriving late shorten the rehearsal time for everyone and lower the overall performance level of the Chorale.  Families are urged to show respect   for the musical directors and other singers by arriving on time.

E. Absences: Report rehearsal absences to David Keehn.

F. Permission to leave early or arrive late must be granted by the artistic director.

G. Food and Drink: Do not bring food to rehearsals.  Water is allowed in bottle clearly marked with child’s name.

H. Use of bath room:  Arrive in ample time to use the facilities before rehearsal begins.

This site was last updated on Tuesday, January 06, 2009
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