Concert Guidelines

Please attend every concert. We understand that personal and professional commitments sometimes interfere. If you are unable to attend the concert, please let Jim Bast know as soon as possible. With sufficient warning, we can adjust for our performances, either through the reassignment of parts, if necessary, or hiring a replacement musician for critical instruments. In the event of a last-minute conflict, which prevents you from attending a concert, let us know as soon as possible. Call the Band Personnel Administrator AND send e-mail.

Please check your email a few hours before the concert, if possible, and read it. Occasionally last-minute instructions may be sent via email. Please take a few moments to read them.

Please be at the concert 30 minutes before the performance begins. Our concerts start on time. You can set your watch by it. We do not wait for a late performer. Give yourself sufficient time for travel, especially if it is a new venue for you. You will also need time to warm up and tune. Please refrain from boisterous warm ups on stage. Light tuning, scale drills, etc. are permissible. All venues provide separate warm up facilities for more energetic warm ups or to run over specific sections of our concerts. Percussionists should be to the venue at least 45 minutes prior to the concert for equipment set up.

Please bring a music stand. None of our venues have music stands.

Please remain out of the performance area until the set-up crew and percussionists have completed setting up the stage.

Please bring your music folder. Please use your music folder during a performance so we present a uniform appearance. You may use an additional binder, electronic tablet, etc. in addition to your folder if desired. If you share a folder with someone, have your own folder there. If your partner becomes sick at the last moment and can’t make the concert, you will have music.

Please do not bring non-essentials onto the performance stage. Many of our performance spaces are a tight fit for the band. Please do not bring non-essentials, such as horn stands, music cases, large purses, etc. onto the stage.

Police yourself. Take everything with you from the performance space. Do not leave empty water bottles or other trash for others to pick up.

Please refrain from accessing your cell phone. Cell phones are distracting to everyone around you. Leave it in your instrument case if it's too much of a lure. You can check it after the concert. Emergency responders please use your best judgment.

Do not take your music folder home after the last concert you attend of a season. The librarians need to break down all our folders after a concert season, file the old music and stock them with new music for our next concert season. If you take a folder home after your final concert, it interrupts the librarians' filing process. Organize your folder with the music we performed in concert order on one side of the folder. Place music we did not perform behind the performed pieces. Leave the "Stars and Stripes Forever" and any other paperwork on the other side of the folder.

If you forget and take your folder after your final concert, it is your responsibility to return it to a band librarian as soon as possible. Do not give it to someone else to deliver it. It is your responsibility.

Wear or bring your concert dress. Bow ties are provided by the Band. Please return bow ties in their baggies especially after your final concert.

Please give the conductor your undivided attention during our performances. Make sure you can see the conductor.

Please refrain from talking during the introduction of our pieces, even if it is the third time you have heard it.

Please be respectful when a free will offering is collected and blessed with a prayer.

No horseplay while on stage.

Turn you cell phone off or leave it with your case or in the car.

We always finish our concerts with The Stars and Stripes Forever march, and we often go straight from final number into the march. Have the music for Stars and Stripes on your music stand directly behind the final number and ready to go for a fast transition into our encore.

Too much to remember? Remember these...

Use common sense.
Be prepared.
Be respectful.
Enjoy our performances.
Have fun.