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LYS Policies
LYS and LPS Policies
Eligibility
The Lincoln Youth Symphony is an all-school orchestra for students in grades nine through twelve in the Lincoln Public School District. Auditions are required. Because the Lincoln Youth Symphony is an extension of the instrumental program of the Lincoln Public Schools, students must be enrolled in an instrumental music large ensemble at their school to remain eligible for this all-school group. Home school students must also participate in a Lincoln area high school instrumental music large ensemble in order to be eligible for LYS.
The eligibility requirement for participation may be waived for one semester during a student's high school career. This would normally be due to an academic graduation requirement conflict or a conflict in academic course sequence. Students must provide proof from their school counselor that they are not able to be in any instrumental music class because of schedule conflict. They must get the waiver approved by their high school instrumental teacher, their individual high school principal and the Supervisor of Music. The following criteria will be used to make decisions about a waiver:
A single section offering as part of an instructional sequence in which the student has participated, i.e., foreign language, math, vocational education or other instructional programs.
A single section offering needed to fulfill a graduation requirement.
Multiple section offerings as part of an instructional sequence needed for graduation requirements in which all other sections (not opposite orchestra or band) conflict with single sections described in 1 and 2 above.
LYS Membership Levels
There are three levels of membership in LYS - permanent
member, alternate, and appointee.
To become a permanent member of LYS, students must
audition in the spring for the following year and be accepted
to be a member of LYS as a result of that audition. Members
are expected to be at all rehearsals and performances, and to
adhere to all LYS policies. If at any time a member is unable
to attend rehearsals or performances or violates LYS policies,
the member may be removed and replaced with an alternate
or appointee. Once a student becomes a permanent member
of LYS, he or she is not required to re-audition every year to
retain membership.
Alternates may also be chosen at the spring auditions for the
following year. Alternates may be appointed to fill a spot if a
permanent member is unable to continue to participate in LYS
or if there is a need for extra musicians on his or her
instrument. Alternates will only be required to attend
rehearsals and performances in the event that such an
opening occurs. Alternates need to re-audition in the spring
for the following year if they wish to attain permanent
member status.
Appointees are students who may be appointed by the
director to fill empty spots in sections that could not be filled
through spring auditions or through using alternates.
Appointees need to audition in the spring for the following
year if they wish to attain permanent member status.
Elective Credit Hours
Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year, elective credit will no longer be offered for extracurricular activities in Lincoln Public Schools. This policy includes the Lincoln Youth Symphony.
Absence Policy
1. Attendance at rehearsals and concerts is mandatory.
2. The LYS director must approve all non-emergency absences. Non-emergency absences must be presented to the LYS director for the director's consideration and approval no later than 2 weeks prior to the anticipated non-emergency absence. Requests for non-emergency absence must be reported on the approved Absence Request Form. Approval of non-emergency absences is at the LYS director's discretion. Absences that are not approved may be grounds for dismissal from the orchestra.
3. Emergency absences should be reported to the director via email or to the instrumental music office at Lincoln High School (436-1301, ask for Mr. Rush and leave a message if there is no answer) by 3:30 on the day of the missed rehearsal. The approved LYS Leave Form must subsequently be submitted to the LYS director prior to the next rehearsal. Examples of emergency absences include illness, injury, or dire family emergency, or emergencies beyond the control of the student.
4. A student may be excluded from playing a concert at the discretion of the Music Director if, because of a school sanctioned conflict, he/she misses more than 2 rehearsals for a concert. Students who will miss more than two concerts due to conflicts will forfeit their position in LYS for the year.
5. LYS members may be dismissed from rehearsals at 5:15 or 5:45 to participate in school concerts or other school performances that begin at 7:00 or 7:30 respectively.
6. LYS members must be seated 5 minutes prior to rehearsal time (4:00), or they will be counted tardy.
7. Students who are late to rehearsals must report to the music director or the assistant music director upon arriving at rehearsal.
8. Students with three (3) tardies may be dismissed from LYS at the discretion of the Music Director.
Inclement Weather
In the event of inclement weather, rehearsals will be canceled if school classes are canceled by LPS. If inclement weather happens during the afternoon, please logon this website or call the Music Office at 436-1632 to receive information about the rehearsal.
Music
Each musician will be issued a folder with individual parts provided for a particular program. The folder, the music, and a pencil are required for each rehearsal.
All the music must be returned at the end of a concert.
There will be a lost-music fee of $10 per piece, up to $30 maximum. However, with rental music, additional charges will be imposed.
Rehearsal Expectations
Rehearsal are conducted in a professional manner. Students are not professional musicians but they are expected and should be able to conduct themselves in a professional manner during rehearsals.
Commendable rehearsal behavior would include the following:
Arrive early and be seated 5 minutes before rehearsal starts.
Always bring your own music folder and mark, with a pencil, everything in it that the conductor tells you about tempo change, articulation, phrasing, etc., at the rehearsal.
Pay attention and be on taske all the time during rehearsal. Gum chewing, talking and disruptive hehavior during rehearsal will not be permitted and may constitute cause for dismissal.
Always show respect and consideration for the conductor, coaches, and all other members of the orchestra.
Chairplacement
For the first few rehearsals for each concert, string chair placement will be set by the string coach. After the first few rehearsals, chair placement try-outs will be held for string musicians. Audition music will be chosen from the LYS music folders by the coaches. Therefore, students should practice all the music selections in their folders.
Seating plans for woodwind and brass are established using information gathered from spot checks by coaches of individual players during regular rehearsals. No tryouts will be held for woodwind and brass. However, seating plans may be subject to change when necessary.
Concert Attire
Gentlemen: White Shirt & Black Bow Tie, Black Blazer Jacket, Black Trousers, Black Socks & Shoes
Ladies: Black Floor Length Dress, or Black Blouse with a Black Floor Length Skirt or Black Tailored Slacks; Black Shoes
Senior Concerto Award
Each year, one or more Senior Concerto Awards are given to exceptional senior musicians. Winners are selected by audition to be featured as soloist(s) in LYS concerts. In order to be eligible to audition, the student must be a member of LYS and a high school Junior and have demonstrated strong commitment to LYS by showing excellent rehearsal manners and great rehearsal/Concert attendance record.
Students are not required to audition on the same instrument on whigh they perform in LYS - auditionees can play any instrument that can demonstrate their best musicianship and mastery of techniques but the music selection should be readily available in the standard repertory. Music performed in the audition should be the same selection which the student wishes to perform in concert.
The Music Supervisor of Lincoln Public Schools and the LYS staff will serve as adjudicators for the auditions. Winners are chosen based on their demonstration of exceptional musicianship (such as phrasing, tempo, clarity of musical ideas presented) and mastery of techniques of the instruments they play (such as tone, intonation, rhythm and bowing or tonguing techniques).
The audition information and sign-up will be available 2 weeks before the final concert. The audition date is on the LYS schedule, and is typically held on the Tuesday immediately following the final concert.
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