Musicians Portal

Rehearsals   | Dues   |   Carpool   |   Sheet Music   |   New Members   |   Posters   |   Recordings

Membership Guidelines

Registration

New members, please fill out the registration form to join our mailing lists. Returning members may register to update contact information.

Rehearsals

The full rehearsal schedule will be posted at the beginning of each season. Dress rehearsals are typically scheduled for the morning of each concert, or the day before.

Your participation in rehearsals and concerts is highly valued, and vital to the success of the orchestra. To ensure that our limited rehearsal time is used effectively, please read Attendance & Health Policies and submit the Rehearsal & Concert Commitment Form. 

2023-2024 VACCINATION AND HEALTH POLICY

As of January 2023 we are no longer checking COVID-19 vaccination or requiring face masks. However, please be mindful of your health and do not come to rehearsal if you are ill.

This policy will be periodically reviewed as new health information and guidelines become available from local government.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

We request that all orchestra members strive to attend every rehearsal. Consistent attendance will improve the rehearsal process and benefit the entire orchestra. However, we understand and respect that you may at times have conflicting obligations.
 
We kindly ask for your adherence to the following guidelines:

  • No more than two absences per concert, preferably early in the set. Excessive absences may lead to a discussion with the music director as to whether it would be appropriate for you to sit out until the next concert set.

  • Dress rehearsals are required and can only be missed with the express permission of the music director at least one week in advance.

  • If you must miss a rehearsal, please notify your section leader and/or the orchestra manager <orchestramanager@symphonyparnassus.org> as early as possible, but please give at least 24 hours advance notice.

  • When appropriate, please help us engage a substitute player for your part.

Please note: Finding parking at SF State can be a challenge after 7 p.m. when school is in session. Please arrive early whenever possible.

Dues

Player dues are $50 per concert set. For those playing in all four concerts, a discounted rate of $180 is available for the full season if paid by the first concert. Player dues are not tax-deductible. However, we welcome tax-deductible donations beyond the cost of player dues.

Dues may be paid during rehearsals to the orchestra manager by cash, card, or check (made payable to Symphony Parnassus). Or pay dues online today by visiting the Dues page on our website.

We are a diverse community of musicians and understand that some members may have other financial priorities. As such, we also accept dues on a sliding scale for those unable to afford the full price. Contact the orchestra manager or president for more details. We respect your privacy and will keep our communications confidential.

Email Contact List

We use Groups.io for our group email contact list to share reminders and any important updates during the week. Messages are screened before posting to the group so I try to keep the number of emails low. If you would like to share an announcement with the group about about other musical events, please contact the orchestra manager.

Rehearsal Location

Monday evening rehearsals this season are at San Francisco State University (1600 Holloway Ave.) in the Creative Arts Building, Room 153 (Band/Orchestra Room). Our alternate location is Lakeside Presbyterian Church (201 Eucalyptus Ave. at 19th Ave.) in the Social Hall. Enter from the west side door adjacent to the small parking lot.

Our first rehearsal of the season will take place at Little Mission Studio (445 Hampshire Street, San Francisco).

Chairs and Stands

At SF State, chairs and stands are usually available in the rehearsal hall. There are times during the school year when we have to search various classrooms in order to locate enough chairs and stands for our rehearsal.

Occasionally we may ask for volunteers to bring chairs and stands to rehearsals if SF State has events scheduled for the same night or we are using an alternate rehearsal venue. In both cases, we do our best to notify musicians in advance.

At Lakeside Church, there are plenty of chairs but rarely enough stands available for the full orchestra. It is important for everyone that is able to bring their own music stand.

Parking

SF State

Limited street parking is available on Holloway Ave. and 19th Ave. Paid parking is available in Parking Garage 1 beneath the Administration building on Holloway Ave. Rates are $4.00 for two hours or $7.00 until midnight. Campus police does occasionally patrol and issue tickets to vehicles with missing or expired parking passes.

Lakeside Presbyterian Church

Limited parking is available in the small church lot. Additional parking is available on the surrounding streets or in the parking lots for Stonestown Galleria.

Rehearsal Order

We will announce the rehearsal order a few days before each rehearsal via email. A ten-minute break will be planned during the second half of rehearsal. Many musicians commute a long distance so we do our best to be respectful of your time. Please contact the orchestra manager with any questions/concerns.

Snack Rotation

Due to the current health epidemic, the snack rotation is discontinued until further notice.

Rehearsals include a ten-minute snack break. We have a weekly rotation requesting different sections (Vn1, Vn2…Woodwind, Brass…) to provide simple snacks like chips, cookies, fruit, etc.

Sectionals

As needed, sectionals are scheduled leading up to each concert. Sectionals are led by the music director or section leader. For some sections, a poll will be sent out via email for scheduling. Contact the orchestra manager for scheduling assistance.

Concert Attire

Concert attire for ladies includes black shirt or blouse, black pants or skirt, black stockings or socks, and black shoes (closed-toe shoes are recommended).

Concert attire for gentlemen includes black dress shirt, black pants, black socks, and black shoes. Black coat or tie are both optional and not required.

Tickets

Concert tickets can be purchased from City Box Office or Brown Paper Tickets, depending on the concert. Season Subscription tickets are available from our website. Visit the Concerts page for details. Online sales end at 11:59 p.m. on the Saturday before the concert and then tickets can be purchased from the box office beginning one hour before the concert.

We are not able to provide comp tickets for musicians.

Roster

Due to varying schedules and instrumentation, our roster changes for each set. In the months leading up to each concert, the orchestra manager will send out drafts of the musician roster that will be used for the printed program and website. We appreciate your assistance with ensuring that all musicians are recognized for their hard work.

Concert Publicity

During each set, our marketing team prepares a poster and/or postcard to advertise our concert. Printed copies will be available at rehearsal and digital versions will be sent via email and/or posted on our website. We also utilize Facebook, Twitter, Meetup, and others mediums to publicize our concerts. Please join/like/share with your friends and family!

Concert Recordings

We arrange to make audio recordings of most of our concerts. Digital files can be downloaded from our Recordings page as they become available. If you would like a CD, you may request one from the orchestra manager for a small fee.