Attendance Policy & School Music Expectations

To request an absence, please submit an Absence Request Form at least 2 weeks in advance. This form must be filled out for any absence to be considered excused.

Click here for the Absence Request Form

Note: This form is available at rehearsals every week if a musician/parent needs help signing out and can be found on the Musician & Family Portal.

Just telling your conductor and/or orchestra manager in-person or via phone/email is not a sufficient form of absence notification. Filling out the form 10 minutes before a rehearsal starts is also not sufficient notice!

If there is an emergency the day of the rehearsal, please contact your ensemble manager in addition to filling out the form. Special consideration may be taken into account for medical and family emergencies.

• Each musician will be allowed a total of 5 excused absences and 3 unexcused absences for the entire season (September to May). Philharmonic string players are allowed 7 excused absences because they rehearse twice a week. All principals also must speak to their conductor before signing out.
• All musicians will be allowed no more than 2 absences per concert cycle (3 for Philharmonic string players), as long as they have not reached their absence limit.
• For extended medical leave or anticipated recurring school commitments in a particular cycle, for example, marching band, pit orchestra, or a seasonal sport, please contact your ensemble manager in advance to make arrangements. Many PYP musicians participate in such things and play in a PYP ensemble; it can be done!

Note: COVID-related absences do not count toward your total.

What is considered EXCUSED?

• Performing with your school ensemble, or ad hoc special rehearsal called before a concert or competition.
• Family emergency.
• Participating in other required one-time school or organization event, eg. debate, sports, science fair, etc.

Note: This is a representative, not exhaustive example list. Timely notification to your manager is also required for these absences to be considered excused.

What is considered UNEXCUSED?

• Any absence without timely notice (at least 24 hours in advance) or, in the case of a sudden crisis, notify ASAP.
• Missing a PYP ensemble concert.
• Lateness without timely notice (at least 24 hours in advance) to either rehearsal or theory class; each instance counts as 1/2 of an unexcused absence.
• Missing two weeks in a row (the second week would be considered unexcused) When you have taken all your excused absences, all subsequent absences will be unexcused.

Each ensemble has four concert cycles that end on each of their four major concerts, listed below:

PYP/PYCO/PYWE/PYPE: Fall Concert, Concert-at-Christmas, Winter Concert, Spring Concert

PYSE: Fall Concert, Concert-at-Christmas, Cushion Concert, Spring Concert

Concert attendance is mandatory: all musicians are expected to participate in all concerts for their ensembles and should reserve those dates on their calendars as soon as the PYP season schedule is out. This is a longstanding policy that all musicians are expected to adhere to. Performances are the most important events in the season. Conductors count on you to show up as each of you are responsible for a part of the ensemble. Balance and instrumentation are also important factors that are taken into account when putting together the ensembles for the year. Every musician’s contribution matters.

Missing a concert should only happen under extreme circumstances, and at least a month’s advanced notice must be given. Giving less than a month’s notice of your absence from a concert will jeopardize your seating placement in your section.

All PYP musicians are expected and encouraged to participate in their school music programs, when such programs exist, unless there is no way around a scheduling conflict for academic reasons (e.g. a singleton class scheduled opposite the only band or orchestra class, but this situation comes up very infrequently).

By participating in your school music ensembles, you play an important part in helping to build meaningful, successful programs in your schools and communities. In addition, you benefit by playing with a group every day, becoming a better sight reader, and learning more and different repertoire.

We also hope and expect PYP will be a top priority for you. Your attendance during rehearsals and concerts is a crucial part of the training and experience at PYP.

To enable you to participate in school music programs and other activities that are important to you, each musician may take a limited number of absences for the entire season, as briefly described below. Please take your absences wisely as your absences will reflect your commitment to PYP.

It is your responsibility to pay attention to how many absences you have taken! You can check your attendance record with your ensemble manager.

If you exceed your allotted number of unexcused absences for either a concert cycle or the season, there will be an immediate penalty determined by your conductor. If you exceed your allotted number of total absences for the season, you may be asked to leave the organization. You may audition the following season.