Harvard-Radcliffe Chorus

Attendance Policy

In order to maintain our commitment to music and our tradition of unity and spirited choral singing, we expect that all members be present and prompt at every rehearsal and concert.

1. If you should find it absolutely necessary to miss a rehearsal, please contact both the Vice President and the Conductor well in advance of the date of absence. List the date you will be absent, the reason for your absence, your name, and your voice part. In the event of an emergency, please phone or e-mail the Conductor at your earliest possible convenience.
2. If you are sick, but neither bedridden nor contagious, please come to rehearsal. If you do not feel well enough to sit with us, please attend, listen, and take notes. Being unable to sing is not an excuse to miss a rehearsal.
3. Absence from rehearsal is unacceptable, as it retards the progress of the entire group. If a person misses a rehearsal, the reason is assumed to be very serious.
4. If absences or tardiness become a problem for a particular individual, the Executive Committee will ask to speak to that person. In general, if someone misses more than one or two rehearsals in HRC, his/her ability to sing in a particular concert is in question.
5. Do not be late to any rehearsal, concert call, or performance. Arrive at least 10 minutes early to get settled and find your seat.

You have committed yourself to 3 hours of rehearsal (with a 10 minute break) each week plus dress rehearsals and performances. This is an extremely small amount of time to prepare for the performance of great music!

If you are absent for more than two rehearsals for any reason, you must come to the sectional rehearsal or submit to a re-audition with the conductor. Failure to do so will result in dismissal from the chorus. Absence from a dress rehearsal may result in not being permitted to sing in the upcoming performance. Repeated tardiness may result from dismissal from the chorus.

If you should find it absolutely necessary to miss a rehearsal, please contact both the Vice President and he Conductor well in advance of the date of absence. List the date you will be absent, the reason for your absence, your name, and your voice part. In the event of an emergency, please phone or e-mail the Conductor at your earliest possible convenience. See the attendance page for more information on missing rehearsals.

Serious illness, family emergency, and religious holidays are the only acceptable reasons to miss a rehearsal. If you miss a rehearsal it is your responsibility to learn the material you missed. This not only includes the notes, rhythms, and gestures notated in the score, but also any markings given by the conductor.

If you are attending classes or working during an illness, you also must attend rehearsal in order to take notes and think through the music with the Chorus, even if you are too sick to sing.

Membership in the Harvard-Radcliffe Chorus is a yearlong commitment, and continuous participation from semester to semester is highly encouraged. In any given semester, those members who did not sing during the previous semester must be re-auditioned.