Rehearsal Guidelines

We are no longer enforcing a COVID Policy. However, if you test positive, feel ill or have been exposed to COVID, then please do not attend rehearsal.

Please attend as many rehearsals as possible. We often tweak pieces during rehearsal. We have to repeat the process again for people who missed those rehearsals. We realize that personal and professional commitments sometimes interfere. Just let us know when you can’t make a rehearsal. Since vacation and business travel absences are known in advance, please provide sufficient notification of those scheduled absences. We understand that absences due to illness will be more short term notification. Call the Band Personnel Administrator and/or send e-mail.

Please come to rehearsal on time. We are a prompt organization. We always start rehearsal at 6:50 PM. If you're early, you're on time. If you're on time, you're late. The reward for promptness is that we almost never run late. We are often done with rehearsal a few minutes early. Come 10-15 minutes early and help set up too.

The door must be attended or locked. Once we start rehearsing, the door will be locked. Anyone arriving after rehearsal has started will have to knock and wait to be admitted.

Please bring your music stand. Do not depend upon using the music stands at the rehearsal location.

Please make sure your music folder is at rehearsal, even if you are not. We strive for every member of the band to have his or her own music folder. Music can be added to or removed from the folder at any rehearsal. By making sure your folder is present, you help ensure that your folder is consistent with the pieces we are rehearsing and performing.

Please tape your sheet music together. Many folders contain individual pages of sheet music. If not taped together, they can become separated making it more difficult for the band's librarian(s) to keep our music library organized.

Please give the conductor your undivided attention. Our rehearsal time is most effective when everyone listens to and can hear the conductor. Keep chatter to a minimum.

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 temptation. You can check it after rehearsal. Emergency responders please feel free to access your mobile device in the hallway when needed.

Please give the speaker your undivided attention during announcements. Every rehearsal has at least one set of announcements usually between transitioning to a musical number. It’s important for all band members to know what is going on. Keep chatter to a minimum. Put the cell phone away, including text messaging. You can catch up during the upcoming break.

Help to clean up when we’re done. We need to break down our equipment after each rehearsal. It goes fastest if we all help. This also includes any of your personal items, such as empty disposable water bottles. Take it all with you. We are guests of the Eatontown Education System, and let's be good guests. Even if you see trash that wasn't ours pick it up. Let's leave the space cleaner than we found it.

Consult our online practice resources. While not technically not a rehearsal item, we maintain a page of Online Practice Recordings of our pieces for each concert season. These often include professional records, videos of other concert bands, etc. Musicians can reference these at their leisure to become more familiar with our performance pieces, hear how a rhythm is played or practice at home playing along with full accompaniment.

Register your e-mail address with the band. All band communication is performed through the internet. We post information on our website. If you are not connected, you will not know what is going on. This especially important during winter with respect to our Hazardous Weather policy.