Join the Band
Joining the Band
The band welcomes all adult musicians of all skill levels. To join simply show up with your instrument ready to play at one of our regular rehearsals. These rehearsals take place each Thursday throughout the year [check this website for holiday and other cancelations] at the Kinkaid School located on San Felipe just west of Voss Road [ see map ] and begin promptly at 7:00 PM. An E-mail telling us of your plans to attend [see Contact Information] would be appreciated, but not required.
Our only requirement is that you try your best and come prepared. The band's standards are high and music is selected, rehearsed and performed with that in mind. For people whose skills are limited or are simply rusty from disuse - hang on for the ride - we won't be slowing down for you, but we believe the best incentive to learn comes from being challenged to keep up with those around you. And don't worry, we never put any individual on the spot just because they may have difficulty with the music - we want to help you grow and improve as a musician, not embarrass you.
We welcome you, but experience has taught us that many who show up wanting to join never return, therefore we never give out music to new members on their first day. We understand that many people may not find our band to their liking for any of a number of reasons, but we hope never because we made them feel unwelcome. If you do decide to not stay with our band, we highly encourage you to try any of the many other community bands in the Houston area. We list several of these bands on our Links page.
Also, as new member you may be asked to sit out an upcoming concert if that concert is scheduled close to your date of joining. This is not a judgement on your playing skill, we just feel that regardless of your skill, that attendance to several rehearsals are required to assure that all members in the band perform well together and have absorbed all the performance instructions and directives that may have been given in bits and pieces over a period of many rehearsals.
Dues
The Band asks that twice a year members pay dues of $35 per person. This is strictly voluntary, but it is important to help us cover the many expenses incurred throughout the year. We hope that if you can pay, that you will.
Dues are typically collected in September and February, but you may pay at any time.
When paying by check, please make the checks payable to:
The Houston Symphonic Band