Arkansas Winds General Membership Guidelines

• Our group is a mixture of amateur and professional adult musicians with varied backgrounds. Our membership includes professionals in the fields of education, health care, sales, information technology, media, engineering, management, art, homemaking and other occupations as well as college
  students. We can include high school students if they are mature and fulfill a need for their section.

• You must have been a high school all-region participant. This indicates the youth's willingness and ability to practice and understand what is required to participate in an ensemble.
• You must have permission from your band director. We do not intend to be in competition with area high school band programs. Also their band director will know whether they are ready to participate in an adult musical ensemble.
• You must have an adult band member as a sponsor. Your sponsor will act as a liaison in the band to assist and advise you. The sponsor will also help make sure the youth's parent is kept informed of important information.

• Consult with your section leader to determine how your abilities best enhance the integrity of the section and make
  sure your email address is on the Winds listserv. You can join the listserv by clicking on our update musician information link.

• NEVER, NEVER take music or a folder and NOT RETURN it by the next rehearsal or concert. You may want to take a picture of a difficult passage or page with your mobile device or make a personal copy using the band room copier. Lost music is one of the Winds’ biggest issues. Due to copyright requirements, we are required to purchase an entire second arrangement to replace one missing part. Even if you are not sharing a folder, there may be a person at the next rehearsal who will need that folder. If you are aware you will miss either a rehearsal or a concert, send an email to our listserv, arkansaswinds@listserv.uark.edu and make arrangements to get the folder and music to someone who will be at that rehearsal or concert.
• Practice on your own to help the overall quality of your section and the entire band. Practicing etudes and exercises will enhance your abilities to help your section and the band even if you do not take a folder home.
• Come to rehearsal on a regular basis, perform your personal warm up early, be seated and ready to play at the start of rehearsals and the group warmup at concerts.
• Make sure you are aware of the concert schedule which can be found at schedule.arkansaswinds.org .
• Let your section leader know as soon as possible when you will be unavailable for a performance. The section leader
  is responsible for making sure the section is balanced as well as providing opportunities for section members to
  expand their abilities. You are welcome to participate in rehearsals for performances you might miss, however, we
  ask you do not participate in the last few rehearsals so the proper performance balance can be achieved.
• Consider making a tax-deductible donation of $25.00 to help cover the Winds’ expenses. We do not currently collect
  mandatory membership dues.
• Any amount is greatly appreciated. If you feel so inclined, you can also make a larger donation to the Winds and be included as a donor in the concert program.
• Make sure your email address is subscribed to arkansaswinds@listserv.uark.edu which is the main communication
  method of our group. If you are not subscribed, click on our update musician information link.
• Visit our website, www.arkansaswinds.org, for information about the schedule, personnel, by-laws, guidelines,
  audio archives and history of the group. The personnel for each program is generated from the information at personnel.arkansaswinds.org so make sure your information is up to date.

• Make sure your concert attire will not distract from the overall professional appearance of the group. Concert
  information can be found at schedule.arkansaswinds.org .. Important member information can be found at at memberinfo.arkansaswinds.org .
• Formal Concerts
  • Ladies: Black dresses or pants suits with black shoes
  • Gentlemen: Long sleeve black shirts, black pants, black bow or long tie with black shoes and socks.
• Less Formal Concerts
  • Band Polo Shirts ($20.00; XX and XXX $25.00) and light tan or khaki pants or shorts for high temperatures.

We are serious about making great music and we love what we are doing. This group affords musicians, at all
levels, the opportunity to grow as musicians in a cordial, non-threatening environment.

Welcome and have fun!

Last Updated: March 17, 2017