The listed start times are anticipated down beat times. Members should arrive early enough to set up personal equipment and be ready to play by the start time.

End times are anticipated ending times predicated on starting on time. Please be prompt in picking up. If a parent or driver will be more than 10 minutes late please call and let us know. In return we pledge not to be more than 10 minutes late in releasing (except sometimes for dress rehearsals - see below)

The phone number to call if running late, or for any emergencies or messages is 703- 477-9666 or 703-629-6607. We can not always hear the phones during rehearsal, so do know that we listen to messages at the break and at the conclusion of rehearsals.

If a driver is running more than 15 - 20 minutes late for pick up, they may find that we have packed up and left. Our contract with the church sometimes requires us to vacate the premises by a specific time (including the parking lot). Unclaimed children are available for pick up from Jeff's house should you get stuck in a traffic nightmare at any time. We will always wait at the church for at least 15 minutes, but will in no circumstances leave students by themselves. Exceptions are made for students driving themselves.  Call if you're unsure where to go.

All musicians are expected at every rehearsal.  As elite performing groups, we can not maintain a consistent standard with only limited rehearsal time without full participation.  On rare occasions illness or an emergency may prevent a student from being able to attend.  Each band has different policies regarding this – see below.

All Bands

If any band member can not attend a rehearsal and has made prior arrangements to be absent or is critically ill and can not come, their music folder must still be sent in or dropped off. All music must be in each rehearsal each week. Make sure to make arrangements to send it in and get it back.

The rehearsal immediately before any performance is considered a dress rehearsal (students do not need to wear uniforms). Dress Rehearsals require attendance by all musicians and technicians from beginning to end, and they can sometimes run late. Be sure to plan accordingly - there is no flexibility in this requirement. See Dress Rehearsals Below.

AJA and CSC

Each band member is permitted up to the equivalent of two rehearsals each semester or session that they may miss for personal reasons without consequence under two conditions: it can not be a dress rehearsal, and the missed material must still be mastered by the next rehearsal. If a band member must arrive late to or leave early from rehearsal, their missed time is noted. The sum of a member’s missed rehearsal time must not exceed their allotted available personal time or they may lose their eligibility to perform, travel, or complete the session, at the sole discretion of the staff. Alternate players will be seated in the event of a dismissal.

Occasionally, an extraordinary circumstance causes a member to have a legitimate schedule conflict that may require them to need to exceed the two allowed missed sessions.  Should this occur, band members may submit, in advance, a written request to miss additional rehearsal with an explanation of the circumstances. These written requests are reviewed by the Staff and the Board of Directors.  The member may or may not be granted a one time excused absence at the sole discretion of the Staff and Board.  A student’s past participation, musical skill level, and the nature of the request itself all factors in the decision.  Typically, one time excused absences are granted only for school required academic activities, other musical performances, extended illnesses, serious injuries, or bona fide family emergencies.  If a one time absence is approved, the Staff may require the member to make up the missed rehearsal time with a section leader or instructor by appointment prior to the next regularly scheduled ensemble rehearsal.

WWE

Every band member is expected to be in every rehearsal. On rare occasions illness or an emergency may prevent a member from being able to attend. If a member can not attend a rehearsal they must be sure to call or email in advance and make arrangements to send in their folder.

The rehearsal immediately before any performance is considered a dress rehearsal (students do not need to wear uniforms). Dress Rehearsals require attendance by all musicians and technicians from beginning to end, and they sometimes run late. Be sure to plan accordingly - there is no flexibility in this requirement.

On Dress rehearsal day members do not need to wear concert attire – they should dress comfortably for a long, hard working session.  They may want to bring a little snack and/or water for themselves, though we frequently have some food on hand as a few parents typically offer to bring some goodies by.

During Dress Rehearsals we start with a working session to solve any lingering issues, and then run the entire show with full tech. Dress rehearsals can run late if we experience issues.  Be prepared to be flexible on this day.

Consult the News page for the specific call time schedule for any particular performance.  Call time for technicians, rhythm section and percussionists is usually 3 hours prior to performance time; for all other performers Call time is two hours prior.  For theatre performances Members should be dropped off at the stage door.  The house does not open to the general public until twenty minutes prior to performance time.

Musicians should arrive dressed comfortably to load in, set up and warm-up.  Members should NOT wear concert performance attire unless directed to. A dressing area backstage is always designated and is time to change prior to performance time.

Pizza and drinks are typically provided for performers backstage since load in, set up, warm up, and sound check frequently occur during the dinner hour.

VMA performing groups wear one of three performance outfits depending on location, circumstance, and time of day.

Formal

Men – Black from the waist down – tuxedo or dress black slacks, black socks, dress black shoes.  White from the waist up – white dress or pleated tuxedo shirts. Bow ties are provided. 
Ladies – Black from the waist down and white from the waist up; either dress slacks or skirt (below the knee) and dress blouse; or all black dress or pants suit. Dress black footwear. Avoid sheer fabrics and dress in layers as stage lights are penetrating.

Semi-Formal

Men - Dress Slacks, Shoes and Socks, Dress Shirt and Straight tie. No Jackets.
Ladies - Dressy Blouse and Skirt (below the knee) or Dress (Tea length). Dress shoes for all - color is encouraged! Dress Festive!

Casual: Khaki pants and VMA band shirts. Neat footwear (no open sandals)

There are three different outfits students are required to wear while traveling: (1) Formal Concert Uniform (see dress above) which is white pleated tux shirt, black tux pants, black socks and dress shoes, and bow ties which are distributed at each concert; (2) Casual Uniform which is Khaki pants or shorts depending on weather, comfortable shoes, and the blue band shirts (black for technicians) you are provided; and (3) Travel Uniform which consists of the official tour Tee shirt you receive before departure, and tour jackets (also provided) when called for. When we travel we wear the T shirts and or jackets so we can find each other easily. We do not permit obscene or offensive slogans on any clothing while representing the band, and all appropriate body parts must be covered at all times. Members are reminded to use good judgment - you are "Ambassadors".

In addition to performance attire, travelers need appropriate clothes for the climate of the destinations we are visiting. This typically includes shorts and tee shirts; whatever you need to survive an entire day at the beach if included on the itinerary, and of course comfortable walking shoes. Several under shirts are good for layering as we do wind up wearing the same uniform shirt more than once between washings. It is handy to change out the under layer and feel slightly more fresh. Include a sweater or sweatshirt (only one) for cool climates. Remember how many days we’re gone and pack lightly; travelers must carry everything they pack plus equipment we assign you - don't over pack.

If a member must take any medication while in our care we are required to adhere to the following guidelines.

We must have a current Emergency Care Form on file for ever member.  Any health conditions and or restrictions on care or medication must be noted on this form.

We must have written permission signed by a guardian for a minor to take any over the counter medication not included on the emergency care form above.

We must have any prescription medication to be administered during rehearsal or travel provided to us in its original container with the pharmacy prescription label legible and intact.

This can be hard to predict. Most meals and entertainment are typically included in trip fees; however there are usually a couple of times, no doubt, that travelers will want to buy snacks or sundries. There are also sometimes a few meals on the itinerary that are not included in the package tour fee (indicated on the itinerary that comes home). In addition, traveler’s can rent boogie boards, surf boards, goggles, etc at beaches and pools. We suggest an estimated amount of spending money to bring prior to departure. We make sure that users of prepaid debit cards, credit cards and ATM cards have opportunities to access their accounts during the tour; however you should check with your bank or card issuer to be sure these cards are good in the countries we are visiting. This has been a problem in the past, particularly with some prepaid debit cards. Each traveler’s chaperone will help students with this. Be sure to have enough cash for the first 48 hours of the tour.

We are an educational program that teaches independent travel skills to pre teen and teen age students. We help students learn to manage time, money and resources. While we can't say it is impossible for documents or cash to be lost, it is hard for this to occur as we provide a tremendous amount of supervision and oversight. We will do all we can do to encourage travelers to take personal responsibility for themselves and their belongings while providing a very secure support network for them in the event they do forget or misplace something. We also travel with reserves and are prepared to support students as so needed.

These are group trips. All activities are group in nature and the purpose is to come together to celebrate the wonderful accomplishments students make during the session while providing them an opportunity to engage in cultural exchange and experience a travel adventure. There are times when a student may want to do something that we will not be able to permit them to do for logistical, safety, or practical reasons. If we can't imagine saying yes to the entire band under similar circumstances, then the answer will probably be no. Travelers need to understand the need to be flexible.

Prohibitions

Students will never be alone or in a pair. They are always in small groups of at least 3 or more, determined by the tour leadership during the course of travel.

Boys and girls are never to be together in a non-public environment or with a door closed without a chaperone present. Hotel rooms are not public areas.

Students will always be with someone from our group, again most frequently in a group of 3 - 4 people (chosen by us, with student guidance), and frequently in the company of a chaperone, though we may afford short free time excursions as the tour progress if students demonstrate responsibility and respect.

On our tours privileges are earned by cooperative behavior, and the opposite is true as well. If travelers are late to check-ins or are otherwise irresponsible or irritating then they may not be afforded the same privileges as others. There are consequences for negative or unacceptable behavior on our trips.  Accidents may occur, mistakes will be made, and lessons will be learned. That is part of the purpose of these trips.

Expulsion

The use of violence, controlled substances, weapons, or the endangerment of any other person while traveling are grounds for immediate expulsion from the program and/or the tour.

Our decisions are final and any related costs including those to transport a student home are your responsibility. Thankfully, we have only had to do this a few times and not recently.