Member Handbook - Middleton Band

Information Pack
Ethos
Webelievethatabsolutelyeverybodyshouldhavetheopportunitytolearnto
playaninstrumentandtakepartingroupmusicmaking.
Assuch,thebandaimstoofferanyyoungpersonaged7-18theopportunity
tolearntoreadmusicandplayabrassinstrument,togrowinconfidenceand
developtheirskillswithinafunandsafebrassbandsettingatabsolutelyno
costtomembers.
Unlikemostlocalyouthorganisations,itisourpolicytoofferallourservices:
instrumentloan,musicaldirectionandtuitionforfree.
Allweaskinreturnisthatmembersarefullycommittedtoimprovingtheir
playingandregularlyattendrehearsalsandengagements.
Inadditiontoprovidinginstrumentsandmusicaldirectiontoouryoung
musicians,weprovideafantasticopportunitytomakenewfriendsand
developlifelongskills.
Wealsoprovideourmemberswiththeopportunitytoexperienceandtake
partinawiderangeofengagementswiththeyouthband,aspartofthesenior
bandandinpartnershipwithotherlocalandworldclass,musicalgroups.
MiddletonYouthBand2016
2
Free Instrumental loan
Buyingabrassinstrumentcanbeanexpensiveaffairandcanbecomeabarriertolearning.
NotatMiddletonband!Whilstsomeofouryoungmusiciansdohavetheirowninstruments
orareusinganinstrumentfromschooloralocalmusicservice,manyofouryoungsterstake
advantageofourfreeinstrumentloans.
Wehavearangeofinstrumentsavailabletoloanatnocosttomembers.Theinstrumentis
absolutelyfreetousewhilstthememberplaysfortheMiddletonBandorganisation.No
catches!
Theonlyloanprovisosarethattheinstrumentislookedaftercarefullyandtheband
memberandtheirfamilymakeasolidcommitmenttothememberattendingrehearsalsand
engagementsregularly.
Rehearsals
WeeklyrehearsalstakeplaceeveryMondayeveningfrom6.30pm–7.30pmwiththe
exceptionofbankholidaysandbetweenChristmasandNewYear.Mondayrehearsalsare
ledbyourMusicalDirector,usuallywithsomeadulthelperssatwithinthebandtosupport
theyoungmusicians.Parentsarewelcometostayandlisten.
MonthlySaturdayworkshopsusuallyoccuronthefirstSaturdayofthemonthfrom10.00am
–12.30pm.Attheseworkshops,weworkindetailonchallengingrepertoirethroughbotha
fullbandrehearsalandalsosmallergroupsectionalswithourfriendlytutors.Wehave
foundthesesessionshavereallymadeabigpositiveimpactontheprogressoftheband
overall.
Duringrehearsals,membersareresponsibleforsettingupandputtingawaytheirown
equipmentsuchastheirchair,musicstand,music,instrumentsandareexpectedtogive
theirbesteffortandfullattentiontothemusicaldirectorandotherstaffatalltimes.
Safeguarding, DBS and Risk management
Wearefullycommittedtoensuringthesafetyandwellbeingofouryoungmusicians.
Wehaveacomprehensivesafeguardingpolicyandallourtutors,volunteersandother
adultswhoregularlyhavecontactwiththeyouthband,arefullyDBSchecked.
Inaddition,wehaveadoptedtheBritishFederationofBrassBandscodeofconductforall
adultswhointeractwiththeyouthband.Boththesafeguardingpolicy,thecodeofconduct
andageneralriskassessmentareavailableatanytimeonourwebsitefromtheaddress
below.
http://www.middletonband.com/youth-band/safeguarding-risk-management/
3
.
Concerts & Fundraising
Asanotforprofitorganisationprovidingourinstrumentsandservicestoouryoung
musiciansforfree,werelyentirelyonincomegeneratedfromengagements,fundraisers
anddonationstoruntheband.
Assuch,weundertakeawiderangeofconcertsandfundraisingengagementsthroughout
theyeartowhichmembersarerequiredtocommittoattending.
Whereattendanceisnotpossible,duetoothercommitmentsorextenuatingcircumstances
suchasholidays,illness,bereavementetc.weaskthatmembers/theirfamilyletusknowin
goodtimesowecanarrangefortheparttobecovered.
Thebandregularlyprovideanuptodatelistofengagementsbothonpaperandinseveral
placesonlineforaccessanytime:
http://www.middletonband.com/youth-band/downloads/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MiddletonYouthBand/
WerecommendthatmembersandparentsjointheaboveFacebookmembersandparents
grouptokeepfullyuptodatewithallourexcitingnewsandevents.
Uniform
Membersarerequiredtosupplytheirownuniformforconcerts.Currentlyuniformconsists
of:awhitecollaredschoolshirt(anylengthsleeve),ablackbowtie,blacktrousers/skirt
(kneelengthorbelow),blacktights/socks,blacksmartshoes.Wecanassistwiththe
purchaseofabowtieifrequired,thoughebayhavethemforafewpounds.
Thebandwillsupplyawaterproofcoatformemberstowearonoutsideengagementsand
towearonthewaytoandfromengagements.Thiscoatwillremainthepropertyofthe
bandandmustbereturnedtothebandalongsideanyloanedinstrumentshouldthe
memberdecidetoleavetheband.
Communication
Generalrehearsalandupcomingengagementqueries/contact
LouiseCrane-MusicalDirector07944396136webmaster@middletonband.com
Tobooktheyouthbandcontact.
[email protected]
ThebandcanbemessageddirectlythroughbothourFacebookpageandgroup
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MiddletonYouthBand/
https://www.facebook.com/MiddletonYouthBand/
4