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Hosting a Region Rehearsal Can Help You and Your Program - Andrew Veiss
from 2022 May TEMPO
Hosting a Region Rehearsal Can Help You and Your Program
Hosting a region rehearsal can be an awesome experience for you and your program. It helps to expose you and your students to a top-notch ensemble and it will enable you to gain some highquality professional development. I have hosted the Region II Intermediate Band and Orchestra Auditions and the first rehearsal in South Plainfield from 2003 until 2015 and I have hosted the Middle School Honors Band in 2022. Hosting has done great things for my program.
Below you can find some of the benefits of hosting a rehearsal. Many times, the ensembles can use any open space. For rehearsals, we use my band room for the concert band and the cafeteria for the orchestra. Ensembles can rehearse in auditoriums, cafeterias, open atriums and any moderately large space your school can provide. I work closely with my district’s administration to ensure that we can continue to host every year because they see the benefit to our school and our community.
1. Directors can get Professional Development hours.
When you host a rehearsal, you can receive up to ten hours of professional development. If you need a certificate, please contact your region president. He or she should be more than happy to provide a document if you request it. Additionally, I always pick up many new techniques for conducting and running rehearsals just by observing another teacher. There is no better way to learn new and exciting ways to develop your band, orchestra, or chorus than to see another conductor at work!
2. Students can observe rehearsals!
When we have hosted a region band or jazz band rehearsal, it has been an incredible educational tool. The students who observed these rehearsals brought fresh enthusiasm and a new focus to my rehearsals because they have the opportunity to see an ensemble with the perfect instrumentation, optimal rehearsal conditions, and excellent discipline. In turn, they share the rehearsal techniques with their fellow students and it increases the productivity of my rehearsals. ticipate in the ensembles when our school hosts a rehearsal. If the rehearsals are in other locations, I usually try to help the parents by organizing car pools.
Also, when hosting an audition, students feel more comfortable auditioning because they are not in a strange place and they have “home-field advantage.” More students might be convinced to audition because of the increased comfort level and the close proximity to their homes.
4. Students can receive community service hours
Students who participate in CCD, scouts, and other organizations need community service in order to complete the requirements for their programs. When our school hosts auditions and rehearsals, students sign up to help run audition sheets, sell food items, set up rehearsals areas and help clean up after the rehearsal. In turn, they gain hours for their community service. This also helps the conductors, managers, and site hosts because it is just a little less work.
5. Fundraising!
Hosting a rehearsal gives you the opportunity to sell snacks, drinks, and other food to help raise money for your program. I usually have parents donate food and drinks and volunteer to sell. Our music program receives 100% of the profits from fundraising and our program easily raises hundreds of dollars with minimum effort.
6. Brings positive press for you and your school, and administrators can observe rehearsals.
In the current political climate, we need to do all we can to advocate for our programs and any “good news” will help promote your program. I usually do a press release to the local papers promoting our students participation in the auditions and the ensembles. Every time my students and I participate in a region event, I forward a program to my principals and my superintendent with my students’ accomplishments and my contributions highlighted. In order to successfully advocate for my program, I do all I can to share as much positive press with my administration and my community so that they see the value of music education in South Plainfield. I have had administrators come to the auditions and
3. Convenience for your students who are auditioning and/or rehearsing
It is very convenient for my students who audition and par-
they are amazed by the coordination of the ensemble and the ability of the students. Also, they enjoyed seeing the school community working together for a common cause.
STEPS TO SECURING A REHEARSAL FOR YOUR SCHOOL
The first step is to ask your principal or supervisor. Share with them the many positive aspects of hosting and let them know of the convenience for you, your students, and the community. You should make sure that you check with your school calendar to ensure that there is minimal conflict. Once you receive confirmation, contact the division chair and they will help you through the next process.
If you need an insurance certificate, the division chairs can request one and they are usually delivered to your business office within a couple of days. During the times of tight budgets, schools are apt to charge for the use of facilities. Our region has a small budget to pay for facility fees, but any assistance to minimize the fees is appreciated. With our auditions and rehearsal, we share the space with recreation basketball, so we do not have to pay for facilities or custodians. Some of our site will only charge for the occasional custodian, but many times, those fees are waived because the school sees the value of having the rehearsal or concert at their school.
On the day of the rehearsal, there is minimal work to do. Usually, the managers and conductors will come early and set up the room, and with every rehearsal I have attended, they help clean up at the end of the day and help you to ensure that your facilities are exactly as they were before they arrived.
Every year, some of our division chairs struggle to find places to host our region band, orchestra, and chorus rehearsals and concerts. We have come to the point of having to come close to cancel region events because we could not get people to host rehearsals.
Region ensembles can only work with your help! No matter what region you are located in, please reach out to your region president or audition chairs and volunteer to help! It can only help you and your program!!
Andrew Veiss is currently the Middle School Band Director at the South Plainfield Middle School and District Team Leader. Mr. Veiss is an alumnus of William Paterson University and New Jersey City University. He has taught various marching and concert percussion ensembles throughout New Jersey. If you have any questions or if you would like any assistance in this process, please contact me at aveiss@yahoo.com
