Civic Engagement
Ensembles
2014-2015
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Civic Engagement Ensembles Defined:
Civic Engagement Ensembles gives Citizen Musician Fellows and selected
regular and associate members of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago the opportunity
to forge the personal connections vital to making classical music an important,
relevant force in the lives of people across many diverse Chicago communities.
Over the course of the 2014-15 season, participants in Civic Engagement
Ensembles will develop a wide range of skills essential for making a successful
life in classical music, including:
Innovation – Ensemble members will learn to develop new ways to engage
diverse audiences in classical music. Musicians will have the support of many
leading artists and chamber ensembles through workshops and master classes.
Collaboration – Collaborative work is a key component of Civic Engagement
Ensembles. Members will collaborate extensively with their fellow ensemble
members to prepare more than an hour of chamber music repertoire, spoken
remarks and interactive activities designed to engage diverse audiences in
classical music. Throughout the season, members will also have the opportunity
to collaborate with Civic staff, community partners and other emerging
professional artists.
Adaptability – Selected musicians will gain experience adapting their concert
material to engage audiences of varying ages, backgrounds and levels of musical
experience. Over the course of the season, musicians will learn how to bring
spontaneity and life to their performances through intelligent repertoire choices
and experimentation.
Mentorship – Through participation in the Chicago Youth in Music Festival,
musicians will have the opportunity to share their passion for music performance
with the next generation of young musicians.
Civic Engagement Ensembles is supported in part by Quaker Foods North
America and the Robert and Isabelle Bass Foundation. The Music Activity
Partnership (MAP) concerts within Civic Engagement Ensembles are funded by
the Polk Bros. Foundation.
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Civic Orchestra Staff
James Hall
[email protected]
Coordinator, Civic Engagement
Programs
(312) 294-3803
Molly Walker
[email protected]
Coordinator, Civic Orchestra and
Training Programs
(312) 294-3421
Jonathan McCormick
[email protected]
Associate Director, Institute
Programs
(312) 294-3405
Yoo-Jin Hong
[email protected]
Director, Civic Orchestra and
Training Programs
(312) 294-3422
Musician Resource Website
www.cso.org/civicmusician
Username – civicmusician
Password – Civic220 (Capital “C”)
The Civic Orchestra Office is located on the 3rd floor of the Education and
Administration Building at Symphony Center, 67 E. Adams St., Chicago.
If you need to meet with Civic staff, please call ahead to schedule an appointment.
Walk-ins are discouraged.
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Policies and Procedures
General Membership Conditions
Regular and associate members of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago are eligible to
audition for Civic Engagement Ensembles. Members agree to participate to their
fullest abilities for the duration of the season. Civic Engagement Ensembles staff
reserves the right to dismiss musicians due to lack of commitment, delinquent
attendance, leave of absence, change of Civic Membership status, or scheduling
conflicts.
Attendance
Attendance at all Civic activities, including Civic Engagement Ensembles, is vital
to the philosophy of the orchestra. Reliable attendance is of particular importance
to Civic Engagement Ensembles, where cohesion amongst ensemble members is
vital and participants serve as representatives of the Civic Orchestra to our partner
sites. Any absence or lateness will be taken very seriously.
What if I have a conflict with one of the assigned performances?
1. If a Civic Engagement Ensembles member assigned to a service is
no longer able to attend, they must inform Civic Engagement
Ensembles staff as soon as possible, and, without exception, no later
than 7 days before the service.
2.
A substitute must be identified by the member to whom the service
was originally assigned, unless otherwise determined by current
Civic Engagement Ensembles staff. Substitutes are selected by order
of involvement in Civic Engagement Ensembles, Civic Engagement
Ensembles alternates, Civic Engagement Ensembles alumni in
Civic, then current Civic Orchestra members. Please contact Civic
Engagement Ensembles staff for help in identifying substitutes.
Please note that Civic Engagement Ensembles substitutes are paid
$115 per concert. In all cases of substituting (including
substitutes for Citizen Musician Fellows), the cost of hiring the
substitute will be deducted from the pay of the absent member.
Is there a penalty for absence at an assigned event?
Participation in Civic Engagement Ensembles requires a significant
commitment of time and occasionally irregular hours. Recognizing
that scheduling conflicts are inevitable and ensemble members will
have commitments and responsibilities outside of Civic
Engagement Ensemble activities, each member is permitted to be
excused from up to two (2) events. Beyond this allowance,
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musicians are expected to work in good faith to address scheduling
issues with James Hall. Irresponsibility is grounds for dismissal
from Civic Engagement Ensembles.
Lateness
Late arrival at Civic Engagement Ensembles events undermines cohesion among
ensemble members and is damaging to the program’s reputation with our school
and community partners. It is the responsibility of every ensemble member to
research directions and traffic conditions well in advance of each service.
Ensembles are expected to arrive at each performance venue early enough to set
up, tune and prepare before the audience arrives; usually 20-30 minutes prior to
the scheduled start of each concert. Repeated and/or excessive lateness may result
in disciplinary action including dismissal from Civic Engagement Ensembles.
Reserving rehearsal/meeting spaces in Symphony Center
Civic Engagement Ensembles are permitted to use designated Symphony Center
spaces for rehearsals, meetings and coaching sessions as per the guidelines
detailed in the Civic Orchestra Handbook. Please note that Civic Engagement
Ensembles-related room reservation requests must be made at least five (5)
business days in advance, and should be directed to James Hall ([email protected])
Civic Engagement Ensembles Activities
I. Training
Mandatory training sessions are scheduled throughout the season to provide
members with the tools to engage their audiences. Members are expected to
participate in all training activities.
Bootcamp with fifth house ensemble: This year’s boot camp training is with
Chicago’s fifth house ensemble. Fifth house will show Civic Engagement
Ensembles musicians their approach to interactive and educational chamber
programs for school audiences. Fifth house encourages Civic Engagement
Ensembles musicians to stay in touch. Feel free to contact:
Melissa Snoza, flute and executive director: [email protected]
Anna Duncan, program director:[email protected]
CSO teaching artists: Each ensemble will be paired with a CSO teaching artist
for two meetings in the first half of the season. These teaching artists work in the
public schools where Civic ensembles perform, and are very familiar with the
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school audiences. The CSO teaching artists can provide feedback to ensembles
about their programs.
Brenda Fineberg (brass): [email protected]
Cari Dinglasan (woodwinds): [email protected]
Avo Randruut (percussion): [email protected]
Michael Riendeau (strings): [email protected]
CSO coaches:
Each ensemble will have the opportunity to meet with CSO musicians up to two
times throughout the season to receive additional two-hour musical coaching
sessions. Ensemble group leaders should schedule these meetings directly with
their CSO coach, and, if a meeting is to take place at Symphony Center, contact
James Hall to make room reservation requests.
Coaching with Civic Principal Conductor:
Civic Orchestra Principal Conductor Cliff Colnot will offer Citizen Musician
Fellows and Civic Engagement Ensembles members a special workshop on score
study, advanced rehearsal techniques, intonation, musical entrepreneurship and
chamber music. After the workshop, ensembles will have the opportunity to
schedule one-on-one coaching sessions to further study these concepts.
Citizen Musician Fellowship Workshops:
Members of Civic Engagement Ensembles will also be eligible to attend select
workshops and training sessions offered to the Citizen Musician Fellows.
Office Hours with Yo-Yo Ma
Civic Engagement Ensembles participants will be given the exclusive opportunity
to meet one-on-one with Yo-Yo Ma for individual guidance and career advice.
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II. Concerts
Civic Engagement Ensembles chamber concerts are designed to engage young
children, families, and the general public in classical music. Programs should be
adaptable to each audience.
Music Activity Partnership (MAP) Concerts
Each ensemble is required to perform up to 8 MAP concerts. The Music Activity
Partnership was created in coordination with Chicago Public Schools to
compensate for gaps in CPS music curricula. The program concentrates on
schools in low-income or isolated areas. Three classrooms at each MAP school
participate in MAP activities for the duration of a three-year partnership.
The focus of MAP is two-fold: 1. to enable teachers to create and execute
music-based curriculum in their classroom, and 2. to provide students with
opportunities to learn basic concepts of classical music. In addition to Civic
Engagement Ensembles concerts, MAP provides students and teachers with:
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Seven visits to each classroom by a teaching artist who will lead students
in musical activities
Free tickets and transportation to one CSO concert each season
One visit each season from a CSO chamber ensemble
Instruments, posters, books and/or compact discs for each classroom
Teacher-training workshops at Symphony Center. These workshops
integrate music into the core educational curriculum
Civic Engagement Ensembles concerts give MAP students an opportunity to
interact directly with performing musicians. Since this experience is so integral to
the MAP program, we encourage musicians to familiarize themselves with MAP
and CPS as much as possible. Each musician receives a copy of the MAP
“Musical Journal.” This journal will give you some sense of what MAP students
are studying. For a more comprehensive account of arts education in Chicago
Public Schools, please view The Chicago Guide For Teaching and Learning in the
Arts, which informs the MAP program: http://chicagoguide.cpsarts.org/.
Western Suburbs School Concerts
This season, Civic Engagement Ensembles musicians will have the opportunity to
support the Negaunee Institute’s programming through additional performances
in middle and high schools in the Western Suburbs. Ensembles will receive
additional stipend for these performances.
Civic Chamber Music Concert Series
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Each ensemble is required to perform up to 3 park and community concerts as part
of the Civic Chamber Music Concert Series. These concerts are for the general
public and should be planned with consideration for all age groups. The focus of
these performances is bringing free concerts to neighborhoods that do not have
easy access to classical music. Audience interaction should be a core component
of all concerts, with the goal of celebrating the commonalities between audience
members and classical musicians.
Ensembles are strongly encouraged to think creatively about ways to make their
community concerts engaging and fun.
‘School Matinee’ Concert at Logan Center for the Arts (915 E 60th Street)
Civic Engagement Ensembles members will have the opportunity to design and
perform a chamber concert for CPS audiences at the Logan Center for the Arts in
Woodlawn, in collaboration with the Professional Theatre Youth and Dance
Academy.
Citizen Musician Fellows season culmination concert
In collaboration with the Citizen Musician Fellows, Civic staff, and Hubbard
Street 2 dance company, select Civic Engagement Ensembles musicians will
participate in an experimental concert in Buntrock Hall at Symphony Center
which serves as the culminating event of the fellows program.
Responsibilities: Concerts
All Concert Musicians:
 Secure & commit to date(s) in calendar.
 Attend and be prepared for all training sessions.
 Rehearse music and your presentation sufficiently.
 Arrive on time (meaning, early enough to park, set up, tune, warm up).
 Bring your own music stands.
 Keep your performance area clean; find a place off-stage to store jackets,
cases, etc.
Citizen Musician Fellows:
 Must be reliable and check email regularly for updated information
regarding visits. It is this person’s duty to relay any pertinent information
to all members of the group.
 Keep the Civic Engagement Ensembles staff well informed of any
problems or issues with personnel.
 Must provide subs with sheet music and briefing on the group’s
program.
 Act as the primary point of contact between the ensemble and each
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venue.
At least two weeks before each school visit, the ensemble leader must
contact the teachers and provide information on the subject of the
presentation and the works that will be performed. James Hall should be
copied on all communication with partner sites.
III. Mentorship
Chicago Youth in Music Festival
This season, musicians in Civic Engagement Ensembles share their passion for
classical music performance with the next generation of talented young musicians
through participation in the Chicago Youth in Music Festival.
Payroll Information
Non Citizen Musician Fellow Members will all receive a stipend which will be
distributed over 15 pay periods during the season, beginning on October 15th,
2014 and ending on May 15th, 2015.
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2014/15 Civic Engagement Ensembles Base pay:
$2500
2014-2015 Scheduled Pay Dates:
Hiring paperwork is available at www.cso.org/civicmusician. You cannot
participate in Civic services until all paperwork has been completed. In
accordance with Federal law, you must be active on CSO payroll before the start
of services or you will not be allowed to participate; this may result in a loss of
pay, and/or status.
2014-2015 Scheduled Pay Dates:
October 15, 2014
October 31, 2014
November 14, 2014
November 28, 2014
December 15, 2014
December 31, 2014
January 15, 2015
January 30, 2015
February 13, 2015
February 27, 2015
March 13, 2015
March 31, 2015
April 15, 2015
April 30, 2015
May 15, 2015
Compensation for mileage, public transportation fares and parking is figured into
fees and no additional costs are covered by the Civic Engagement Ensembles
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program. Members who carpool regularly are encouraged to contribute
equally to costs involved with gas and parking.
Have an F-1 visa or H-3 visa?
Yes, you are legally permitted to participate in Civic Engagement Ensembles
activities and be paid for them if your visa is valid.
Going out of town?
It is your responsibility to notify the staff at least 48 hours prior to the pay date in
order to ensure that your check is forwarded to an appropriate address. Direct
Deposit is highly encouraged.
Need a sub?
Subs are paid $115 per performance. In the case of all absences requiring
substitutes (including Citizen Musician Fellow absences), the pay for the
substitute will be deducted from the absent musician’s pay.
We strongly discourage subbing, especially beyond the two allowed absences, at
which point subbing will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. If you need a sub,
Civic Engagement Ensembles performance opportunities are offered with the
following order of priority: alternate Civic Engagement Ensembles members first,
regular Civic members second, associate members third, personal contacts last.
Personal contacts will need to submit a W-9 with a copy of their driver’s license
and passport, or visa information.
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2014-15 Roster
Brass Trio
Matthew Barker
Allison Tutton
Joseph Peterson
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
(713) 594-7297
(360) 477-3279
(425) 870-6072
[email protected]
[email protected]
(626) 318-9239
(408) 636-6962
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
(502) 645-1216
(847) 922-1366
(301) 275-3875
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
(510) 461-6414
(224) 766-1023
(631) 680-9731
(312) 730-3431
(716) 949-4226
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
(651) 470-5208
(206) 753-7163
(412) 427-7866
(520) 260-9808
(859) 351-2162
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
(972) 533-7618
(724) 316-2782
(305) 282-8101
(231) 499-6017
String Quintet
Steven Chang
Jessica Ling
Erin Rafferty
Austin Fisher
Jessica Wolfe
String Quintet
Mark Kagan
Janet Lyu
Davis King
Rebecca Kuo
Anna Scheider
Woodwind Quintet
Lindsay Flowers
Allison Poh
Zachary Good
Robert Curl
Melanie Erena
Percussion Quartet
Bernadette Manalo
David Eisenreich
Simon Gomez
Steven White
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