Large Ensemble Attendance and Grading Policy

Large ensembles, which include the Peabody Symphony and Concert Orchestras, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Orchestra, Improvisation & Multimedia Ensemble, Peabody-Hopkins Chorus and Singers, and Camerata, are graded using the same letter grading system as classroom courses. Large ensemble grades are based primarily on the following four factors, all of which are considered when assigning ensemble grades:

• Performance and preparation
• Contribution to the ensemble
• Cooperation and professionalism
• Attendance

Attendance alone does not determine the final grade, but does determine a student’s maximum attainable grade before other factors are considered.

Unexcused absences or latenesses to ensemble services will cause a student to accrue grade reduction points as indicated below:

Based on the total number of grade reduction points accumulated during a semester, a student's maximum attainable grade before other factors are considered will be as follows:

At the discretion of the ensemble's manager, the following factors may also have an effect on the student's grade or the amount of credit received:

• Being granted three or more excused absences or latenesses within a semester.
• Being released from a program for any reason.
• Failure to take the mandatory ensemble placement audition scheduled at the beginning of the school year, or failure to schedule and take a make-up audition in a timely manner.
• Arriving at a concert dressed inappropriately.

Any student who misses a dress rehearsal, or who misses a week or more of rehearsals in preparation for a program, may also be removed from the concert at the ensemble manager's or the conductor's discretion. Also, any student who misses a dress rehearsal or a concert may be expelled from the ensemble for the remainder of the semester. Willful neglect of ensemble responsibilities may also subject a student to expulsion from the ensemble.

Many of the large ensembles will have occasional rehearsals that fall outside of the ensemble's regular rehearsal days and times. These out-of-sequence rehearsals are usually very critical rehearsals, such as dress rehearsals or combined orchestra/chorus rehearsals. All out-of-sequence rehearsals are in the schedule from the very beginning of the school year and students are expected to make note of them and plan to attend them. Because of the importance of these rehearsals, students are excused from their regular classes during these times to allow them to attend these rehearsals. This is communicated to all affected faculty members by memos from the Dean of the Conservatory.

Ensemble members arriving at rehearsal after tuning has begun—or, in the case of choral ensembles, after warm-up has begun—will be marked late. Leaving a rehearsal prior to its scheduled completion is considered the same as being late in terms of the grade reduction points assessed.

To request permission to be excused from a large ensemble rehearsal or performance, or to be excused from being late or leaving early, students are required to fill out and submit an Excuse Request Form. Paper versions of the form have been discontinued. These requests are reviewed by the manager of the ensemble who will either approve or deny the request. Any absences or latenesses not documented by an approved Excuse Request Form will be considered unexcused. Forms submitted later than a week following the date of the absence or lateness will not be approved.

In accordance with Conservatory policy, absence or lateness due to schedule conflicts with classes or private lessons are not excused. This also applies to make-up lessons. Conservatory faculty are aware of this policy and should not attempt to schedule a lesson that would conflict with your large ensemble rehearsals. It is each student's responsibility to arrange their schedule to avoid conflicts with ensemble services. It is particularly important that students schedule their recitals so as to ensure that no conflicts are created with any ensemble rehearsal or performance, as no excuse requests will be approved under these circumstances.

Professional Leave

Under special circumstances, students may request professional leave from a rehearsal or performance. Leave will be granted on a first-come basis for those with direct conflicts involving major performance or audition opportunities. Requests for permission to miss a rehearsal for such professional reasons must be submitted no later than two weeks before the date of the rehearsal in question. Requests to be granted leave from an entire program—that is, a concert and all its associated rehearsals—must be submitted no later than two weeks before the first rehearsal for that program. Ideally, to be given fullest consideration, these requests should be submitted at the beginning of the semester. All instrumental students except string players who are excused from any rehearsal are required to find a substitute player, and must check with the Ensemble Office prior to the start of the rehearsal for approval of the substitute. Students requesting permission to miss a rehearsal for an audition opportunity should first check with the organization offering the audition to determine whether it could be rescheduled to a time that does not conflict with their prior ensemble obligations.

Medical Leave

Students with physical conditions requiring short-term medical leave involving up to a week of rehearsals, but who still expect to perform in the program, are required to attend rehearsals even if they cannot play or sing, unless they are confined to bed or pose a risk of exposing other ensemble members to a contagious disease. Students requesting absences of longer than a week which they expect will prevent them from performing on a program must submit suitable medical documentation, in English, from a licensed care practitioner to the Ensemble Office in a timely manner. Tendonitis and other similar repetitive motion injuries do not exempt students from fulfilling the ensemble requirements for their degree programs. Instrumentalists who are suffering from such repetitive motion injuries on a long-term basis may be assigned to a choral ensemble during their recovery at the discretion of the Director of Ensemble Operations. Vocalists who are on vocal rest are still required to attend choral ensemble rehearsals. In case of sudden illness or a medical emergency, it is the student's responsibility to notify the manager of their ensemble as soon as possible. Instrumentalists other than string players should attempt to make arrangements for their music to be delivered to the Ensemble Office prior to the start of the rehearsal. The student should submit an Excuse Request Form to the Ensemble Office within one week of the incident. Students who miss a dress rehearsal, performance, or two or more consecutive rehearsals due to illness or other medical reasons must submit suitable medical documentation, in English, from a licensed care practitioner, along with their Excuse Request Form.

Instrument Problems

Missing a service due to an instrument being repaired will not be considered an excused absence. If a student's instrument is being repaired or is in sudden need of repair, they should contact the Ensemble Office so that a substitute instrument can be provided.

Opera Rotations

During opera performance runs, orchestra members who are scheduled to be off for a particular performance but are still considered on-call, must remain in the vicinity and able to be contacted in case they are required to substitute for another player.

Other Emergencies

It is recognized that there are sometimes unforeseeable and uncontrollable circumstances which can prevent a student from being on time, or even making it to a rehearsal at all. These occurrences are rare, however, often independently verifiable, and are considered on a case-by-case basis. They can include, but are not limited to, extreme weather conditions, family emergencies, traffic accidents, legal matters, and other situations over which the student has little or no control. They do not include things like oversleeping, failing to allow enough time to arrive, having to get something to eat, and so on.

Students should notify the Ensemble Office immediately, if it is safe and possible to do so, if they will be late or absent from a rehearsal due to a legitimate emergency, and should submit an Excuse Request Form along with any supporting documentation within one week of the lateness or absence.