Concert Attire
NPAS Concert Dress Options
Informal Attire – Men & Women:
- Black polo shirt (collared) with black buttons or no buttons (v-opening).
- NPAS logo on the left breast. (NPAS will have the shirts embroidered as a ‘pass through’ cost for members.)
- Black slacks/pants (not leggings), black shoes, and black socks/hose.
- No visible jewelry or flashy rings/watches.
Formal Attire – Women:
- Black dress – mid-calf to ankle length. Sleeveless to long sleeves. (The dress can have but is not required to have a matching jacket.) Modest neckline on the dress. Skirt slits, if any, should be modest. The “dress” may consist of a separate top and matching bottom.
- Closed-toed black dress shoes.
- No visible jewelry or flashy rings/watches.
Formal Attire – Men:
- Black tuxedo or black suit. White button-down shirt.
- Black socks, black dress shoes, and black bow tie.
- Cummerbund optional
- No visible jewelry or flashy rings/watches.
Holiday Concert Attire – Christmas 2023
- Formal dress with touches of red. E.g., red socks or bow tie or pocket scarf for men. Red jewelry or small scarves or belt for women.
Annual dues can be paid in cash, by check, or via Venmo.
Additional Membership Information
Membership Guidelines
Membership Guidelines downloadable.
The following membership guidelines maintain the highest standards of musicianship, performance artistry, and personal discipline:
- Acceptance of membership in NPAS implies a commitment to participate in all scheduled concerts unless personal circumstances prevent your participation.
- Be present at every rehearsal. Missing singers are a problem to a choral ensemble. Even when an absence is prearranged, the group chemistry is changed and you are missed. Part of the ensembles job is to work on their blending of voices, vowels, and intonation. When one member is absent it changes the entire dynamic of those efforts.
- Members may not miss more than three of the scheduled Monday evening rehearsals (prior to the first dress rehearsal)and still perform in the concert.
- A sign-in sheet is prepared for each concert program and includes all scheduled rehearsals and performances. Please initial in the box by your name for each rehearsal date. No one can initial for someone else. The music director will speak to you if you miss two rehearsals.
- Dress rehearsals are MANDATORY. Singers who miss the dress rehearsal will not be allowed to perform in the concert. If the member knows that s/he will miss the dress rehearsal, s/he must bring this to the attention of the director prior to the dress rehearsal to seek an exception to perform.
- Any exceptions to these guidelines must be approved by the director.
- Each NPAS member is not only a singer, but also a financial supporter.
- Dues are $150 per season for returning NPAS members (regardless of when in the season they return) and pro-rated for any new members joining after the first concert. Dues payments are non-refundable.
- Payments must be made to the Treasurer. Cash must be in an envelope with the member’s name on the outside of the envelope. Checks should be made out to NPAS.
- Total dues must be paid in full by the last rehearsal for the first concert the member sings in.
- Any member who cannot pay dues in a single payment must contact the Treasurer so the Treasurer knows when to expect payment.
- Any member having financial difficulties paying dues must contact the Treasurer. The Dues Team (Treasurer and 2 other NPAS Board members) will work with the member to develop a plan that is agreeable to both the member and NPAS.
- Failure to pay dues by the stated deadline or to adhere to the agreed-to payment plan will result in loss of NPAS membership until dues are paid in full.
Rehearsal Etiquette
Be PRESENT and ENGAGED
- Be on time. Rehearsals begin at 7:00 PM. Be in your seat early. Every singer’s time lost impacts the group. For example if 12 members are 5 minutes late at some point, an entire hour of rehearsal is wasted.
- Bring music and a pencil to every rehearsal.
- Use your pencil in rehearsal annotating so that mistakes are not repeated.
- Talking should be kept to a minimum with most comments directed to the conductor.
- Fellowship is wonderful when enjoyed in an appropriate and timely fashion. Choral members should learn to enjoy camaraderie before and after rehearsal and during rehearsal breaks. Too much fellowship during rehearsal times will result in a lack of focus.
- Prepare music in advance whenever given the opportunity.
- No gum during rehearsal and keep water in a sealable container.
- Turn off your cell phone before entering the rehearsal area.
- Please do not refresh cologne, perfume, lotion, or other scents before attending rehearsal.
Stage Etiquette
- In consideration of other singers with allergies or sensitive noses, singers are asked not to wear perfume, cologne, shave lotion, or other scents (deodorant is encouraged, however).
- Music must be hole punched and carried in a black folder.
- During solos in the concert, singers should keep their focus out into the audience and NOT follow along in their music.
- No talking on stage during the concert.
- Turn off all cell phones and beepers.
Music Return Policy
Music must be returned to NPAS within 30 days of the concert. Following these 30 days an invoice will be sent to the singer for the cost of the music. Future membership in NPAS will be withheld if the invoice is unpaid.
Singer Rehearsal Info
During the concert season, rehearsals are every Monday 7-9 pm at St. Timothy’s on the Northshore, 335 Asbury Dr., Mandeville, unless otherwise indicated.
A Singer’s Guide To Marking Music
- Number the measures.
- Highlight your part IF you own your own music.
- Circle notes or place an X above pitches or rhythms you miss or have difficulty with.
- Write in any special accents, phrase markings, or dynamics given by the conductor during rehearsal.
+ marks the peak of a phrase.
< (accent) means to accent the note and then immediately decay.
_ (tenuto) over a note means to length the note.
(staccato) mean to shorten the note.
f=forte=loud
ff=fortissimo = very loud
p=piano=soft
pp=pianissimo = very soft
mf=mezzo forte=medium loud
mp=mezzo piano = medium soft
5. Write in where to breathe and where NOT to breathe.
͡ between two notes = no breath.
| between two notes = quarter note breath.
√ between two notes = 8th note breath.
^ between two notes = lift.
- If you are having difficulty finding a starting pitch, find where to get your pitch from and draw a line
between that pitch and your starting pitch.
7. Write in descriptive words used by the conductor such as: tall, round, dark, lyric, light, open, etc.
8. Underline stressed syllables.
9. Circle consonants under notes for enunciation which need to be crisper and stronger.
- Draw a line to show where the consonants actually occur.
Do Not Stand With Me
11. Use upward and downward arrows to indicate intonation issues.
12. Mark if the tempo is going to speed up or slow down.
Slowing is usually marked with “Ritard” and a squiggly line.~~~
Accelerating is usually marked with an arrow foward.→→*** There are many more elements of the music that can be marked, but it is best if you devise your own
system. Write down what works for you and what YOU will remember.
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