Rehearsals
Rehearsals are scheduled for 7:00 to 9:00 pm every Wednesday (unless it falls on a holiday or is canceled due to inclement weather) Arrive early – downbeat is at 7pm!
Location: Harvest Baptist Church, 7493 Old Mill Trail, Boulder
For the safety and health of all of our musicians, please skip rehearsal if you are feeling ill, have a cough, have fever or chills, or believe you may have been in contact to someone with these symptoms. If you are sick, we hope you feel better soon and we\’ll see you at the next rehearsal.
Member Participation
For Each Concert Cycle
- Source and bring (print or electronic copy) their own music from the FCO website For Musicians Page.
- Pay the recommended $50 dues donation (to the extent they feel they can) at the beginning of each concert cycle in which they are participating. Musicians at pre-college level are exempt from dues.
- Provide FCO with their full name, email, and daytime phone number so that we can add your information to the member roster and email distribution list.
- Respond to the concert commitment survey regarding their commitment to perform (or not perform) a particular concert, within the first week of the concert cycle.
- Communicate to their section contact their commitment to performing (or not performing) a particular concert, within the first week of a rehearsal cycle. The strings will be provided with a seating chart prior to the first rehearsal. The Concertmaster will coordinate this. The Concertmaster will also provide bowings to the string players.
At Rehearsals
- All players may help set up chairs prior to rehearsal and everyone is responsible for moving their own chair back at the end of rehearsal.
- Show up in a timely manner, warmed up and ready to play at 7:00pm.
- Bring their own stands.
- Coordinate with their section contacts regarding covering their parts during absences, and regarding last-minute communications (e.g. cancellations due to weather).
As Orchestra Members
- Within understandable family and work constraints we request that all players try not to miss more than 2 rehearsals per concert cycle.
- Members are encouraged to contribute additional financial donations if they are able, as FCO relies on member donations to fund its ongoing expenses.
- Participate in the King Soopers card program to the benefit of FCO.
- Consider volunteering for a committee or joining the Board, since we rely on many volunteers to keep our orchestra running smoothly.
Policies
1. Our Philosophy
Flatirons Community Orchestra strives to be as open and inclusive as possible, to put as much “community” in “community orchestra” as we possibly can. We play for the love of making music together. Our organization and policies have been structured differently than other community orchestras with the goal of maximizing this inclusiveness and community aspect, and to increase our enjoyment of rehearsing and performing together.
2. Orchestra Structure
The Symphony is comprised of the traditional collection of strings, winds, brass and percussion. The wind sections will consist of the number of players needed to fill the parts required by the current repertoire, with the possibility of occasionally doubling parts, at the discretion of the Music Director.
FCO maintains a waitlist for all sections and those players will be contacted if and when an opening arises.
Rehearsal Etiquette and Policies: Our goal is to present quality musical performances, so during rehearsals clarification questions to the Director are encouraged. In order to make the most efficient use of rehearsal time, be attentive to instructions and refrain from side discussions. Please become proficient with your individual parts and become familiar with the complete works.
3. Membership
Please check the Openings List for currently vacant orchestral positions and contact FCO if you would like to join. All other positions beyond those on the Openings list are currently filled, but interested players can be added to the substitute/wait list.
Strings:
There is an opportunity for a limited number of string players to rehearse with the orchestra but not perform in the concert of a given concert cycle. In that case the Concertmaster who coordinates the seating chart for the strings will place those players at the back of the section. In addition, those players will not rehearse with the orchestra during the last Wednesday rehearsal or the Dress Rehearsal prior to the performance.
Winds:
The number of wind, brass and percussion players varies from concert to concert depending on the repertoire selected by the Director. You will be contacted prior to the start of a concert cycle if there is an opening. We try to accommodate as many players as possible without doubling parts, unless that is deemed appropriate for certain pieces.
4. Governance
FCO is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
A. Board of Directors (the Board)
The Board is the legal representation of the orchestra to the state. It serves as the governing body of the orchestra over all areas covered in the by-laws, including legal incorporation, the hiring of a Musical Director and Concertmaster, and any changes to the by-laws. The Board will conduct annual performance reviews and determine contract terms for the Conductor and Concertmaster. Board members can be nominated by any orchestra member and are elected by a simple majority of the orchestra members present at the electoral meeting. This meeting is held once per year, and all board members are elected (or re-elected) each year. The majority of our board is currently made up of players in the orchestra but individuals from outside the orchestra interested in becoming board members are welcome and they should contact a current member to be included on the ballot.
B. Sections
Sections in both the winds and strings are self-governing, and with the exception of the concertmaster, collaboratively decide who will play which parts. No sections will have permanent principals. The intent is to provide opportunities for players that they may not be able to find anywhere else. We encourage all sections to rotate parts for a single piece or concert, in order to create maximum inclusiveness. A player in any section, who is qualified, should have the opportunity to play 1st chair, and that position should be freely rotated, subject to the approval of the Music Director. The Music Director also has the authority to ask anyone to play the principal part/1st chair for any specific piece or any specific concert.
C. Section Contact
Each section (Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello/Bass, Woodwinds, Trumpets/Horns, Low Brass, Percussion) will have a designated Section Contact. The duties of the Section Contact are:
- Welcome new players and be available to answer questions and address concerns.
- Maintain current contact information for everyone in the section.
- Contact everyone in the section if there is a last-minute change in the rehearsal schedule due to weather or unforeseen circumstances.
- Provide a list of names to the program editor for concerts.
- Help find and communicate with outside substitutes when necessary.
- Provide substitute information to the designated concert coordinator.
5. Concerts and General Schedule
We usually have one major concert in the fall plus a Christmas/holiday concert in December, and two major concerts in the spring. Our regular concerts are free to attend. We know from surveys that our audience strongly values free concerts. Requesting donations from attendees prevents us from having to sell tickets for each concert. The orchestra performs mostly classical repertoire, often with a seasonal or international theme. We are a community orchestra, with many weekly rehearsals per concert (not a semi-pro group that convenes for a couple of rehearsals before each concert), and we have performed major works very successfully and continue to grow in number and improve in performance level.
6. Finances
We are mostly self-funded and maintain a modest operating budget. Currently the only “fundraising” we do is to participate in the King Soopers card program, and request donations from our players and concert attendees. We have recently received our first grant funding and are hoping to secure more funds in this manner that could be used to purchase music, add additional concerts, or hire soloists in the future. We have implemented a “dues structure” for each concert cycle in order to help cover our operating costs. We play for the love of making music together, and acknowledge that this is our hobby, and that we should support it. We operate as inexpensively as possible by printing our own music from IMSLP, bringing our own stands and volunteering for rehearsal and concert tasks.
7. Member Conduct
FCO was founded on the principles of mutual respect and cooperation. Therefore, insubordination, treating others disrespectfully, and the inability to work with other orchestra members, are considered reasons for possible dismissal from the orchestra. Dismissal will be decided by a vote of the Board, with the Music Director’s input weighed equally as a Board member.