NCCS Membership Responsibilities  2004-2005

     1.  Our rehearsals are scheduled from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. We have a ten-minute break set aside for socializing while we have refreshments. Please return to your seats promptly so that announcements can be made and the rehearsal can resume.
     2. Please maintain maximum concentration and refrain from unnecessary talking throughout the rehearsal. Pay careful attention to all instructions given by the director and note information pertaining to your part on your music. Pencils will be available for your use.
     3. Members are expected to attend at least 80% of the rehearsals in a given semester in order to perform with the group. However, it is understood that occasions will arise when it is necessary to miss a rehearsal. A member who misses a rehearsal is responsible for finding out from his or her section leader any instructions which may have been given out. If you know in advance (at least by the previous rehearsal) that you will not be at a rehearsal, please notify the director by signing the absence board. In case of a short-notice cause for absence, please try to notify your section leader or another member. You should also inform your section leader if you need music. If a member has missed an excessive amount of rehearsals, the director may, at her discretion, ask that member to demonstrate that he/she has learned the music adequately before allowing participation in a performance. 
     Attendance at technical rehearsals is required for participation at performances. If you know in advance that a scheduling conflict will make it impossible for you to attend the technical rehearsal, please talk to the director as early as possible, and accommodation may be possible.
     4. Each member is responsible for doing whatever outside practice is necessary. It is a fact of life that some people have to work harder than others to learn music, and we can only accomplish so much during our rehearsal time. Outside practice does not necessary require access to a piano and the ability to play it. A week can be a long time to remember things, and everyone can benefit form looking over penciled-in notes and the general format of the music. It would be a great help if everyone would memorize the words at an early stage. It would also be helpful to practice the rhythm of your part on your own. If you do not know how to determine rhythms from note and rest values, please ask for assistance from a Board member, our director, or a knowledgeable friend. Practice tapes will sometimes be available for those who want them.
     5. Membership dues are $35.00 a semester. Reduced rates are available for senior citizens or full-time students ($20.00) and couples ($30.00 each). Financial assistance is available if needed.
     6. Please return music promptly after we have finished with it. Some of the music we use is borrowed, and we must return it promptly or we will not be able allowed to borrow again. When music owned by us or borrowed is not returned to us, we must replace it, which strains our limited funds. Dues should be paid before music is taken home, and we also require that a music deposit of $10.00 is made before music is issued for the first time. The deposit will be refunded when the music is returned at the end of the semester, or may be carried over to the next semester for continuing members.
     7. Like all performing groups, we ask that you not wear perfume, cologne, or aftershave to rehearsals and performances. Some of our members are allergic to perfumes and other fragrances. When exposed to them, these people may experience difficulty in breathing, asthma attacks, or loss of singing ability.