Membership: MYC is dedicated to educating a diverse group of musicians. Participating in MYC in any way makes you a member of the MYC community where empathy, mutual respect, and the exploration of big ideas through music expand how we see the world.

Members joining in the fall commit to MYC for the entire school year as we plan a full season experience around a particular theme to benefit our singers’ development and deepen our sense of community.

Attendance: The most valuable contribution musicians can make to their ensemble is their presence at rehearsal. Membership in MYC is a commitment to consistently prioritizing weekly rehearsals. Just like a sports team or the cast of a play, your fellow choir members are depending on your contributions in the rehearsal. We know that singers feel the most engaged and successful when they are consistently attending rehearsals. Accumulated absences directly impact a student’s confidence, preparedness, and sense of belonging in their ensemble. Prioritizing MYC rehearsals and limiting absences, to the extent possible to two per semester, ensures your singer has the best possible experience and is well-prepared to perform in concerts. This means planning family events around MYC rehearsals, to the extent possibly, to leave room for unexpected events like illness and family emergencies.

MYC believes that commitments are chronological, meaning that the commitment that was made first should be the commitment that is honored. When registering for MYC, please compare your school, sports, music, and other calendars as soon as possible and let us know of possible conflicts with your rehearsal schedule via the Absence Form. Most importantly, please disclose your MYC participation and share your rehearsal and concert schedule when you are auditioning for a play or musical, or when signing up for other extra-curricular activities that require your attendance.

Reporting Absences: Absences or late arrivals/early departures should be reported to the MYC office via the on-line absence form. 

School Music Program Participation: MYC considers itself a partner with school music programs in educating young musicians and promoting musical excellence. As a member of MYC, you are strongly encouraged to participate in your school music program whether through choir, band, or orchestra.

Participating in a school music group provides huge benefits to young musicians:

• Daily singing (or playing) and technique/musicianship building
• The opportunity to work with and learn from different music educators
• Additional opportunities (all-state groups, solo ensemble festivals, tours, competitions, musicals, college scholarships, etc.)
• Opportunities for leadership, to serve as role models, to give back to school music programs and keep them vital and dynamic

MYC endeavors to avoid scheduling conflicts with area school events, but this is not always possible.  Please discuss pending conflicts as early as possible.

Voice placement appointments for new singers (ages 11-18) are generally in late spring, late summer, and early winter.

Introductory Choirs: MYC offers Introductory Choirs throughout the year for students ages 7-fourth grade who are new to MYC.  Students in this age range participate in an Introductory Choir prior to joining a performing choir. These comprehensive music education sessions prepare singers for membership in a performing choir by teaching basic music vocabulary, vocal technique, group singing skills, and MYC’s rehearsal culture through games and fun activities.

Our Join a Choir page provides up to date information on both voice placement appointments and Introductory Choir.

Moving choirs: Taking into account a singer’s age, grade level, and experience, we believe each of our ensembles provides an excellent environment for a singer’s growth and musical development.

Although each ensemble is unique, our conductors all share the same dynamic teaching philosophy valuing thoughtful content and a nurturing process in rehearsals. What a singer might learn as well as contribute in an ensemble are equally considered when making placements.

Most singers, depending upon their age and experience, will sing in a particular choir for more than one year. While the timeline will be different for every singer, the philosophy is the same. It’s not a race to move to the next choir: it’s our goal that each singer have the right types of experiences in a choir, including leadership, before moving. This philosophy helps ensure the success of both individual singers and the ensemble and provides singers with the best possible comprehensive choir experience.

Although the exact process may change from season to season, the information we use to make placement decisions is the same. We look at singers’ vocal, musical, and rehearsal skills. We consider age, grade, and social development. We consider each singer’s time spent in our program. In short, we do whatever we can to get a picture of the “whole singer”.

Code of Conduct  We care deeply about cultivating a culture of empathy and respect within the MYC community and so will always strive to model an attitude that assumes the best of our students. We are committed to being clear in our communication and gentle in setting expectations within a rehearsal and relying on the self-motivation of our singers to contribute in positive ways to the rehearsal experience for themselves and for their peers. When conflicts occur or a student needs a reminder, we rely on the underlying ethos of mutual respect and genuine desire for a positive outcome for everyone involved.

Reporting a concern:  MYC would like every singer to have the best experience possible and we realize that sometimes adjustments need to be made in order for that to happen.  If you or your child has a concern about their choir experience, it is best to discuss the issue with your child’s conductor first as they can often make immediate changes to improve the situation.  If you feel the situation has not improved or feel uncomfortable approaching the conductor, please contact the MYC office who will work with you and the conductor to resolve the concern to the best of our ability. The MYC staff encourages singers and parents to bring concerns to our attention as soon as possible so we can make appropriate adjustments before the issue escalates.

Concert Wardrobe: Reflecting the community aspect of choral singing, all MYC singers wear concert black wardrobe for performances. Singers may choose to provide their own concert black wardrobe or rent from MYC for $30/season.

Volunteering: Parents are encouraged to share their time and talents with MYC:

• Volunteering is a great way to feel connected to our mission and to meet members of the MYC community;
• Your contributions of time and talent allow us to invest resources back into programming and expand our capacity.
• It’s fun! Really!

Volunteering opportunities are shared via the Weekly Notes but if you have something specific to offer, please contact us at any time.

Additional Policies

PRIVACY POLICY:  The Madison Youth Choirs acknowledges the need to request certain information from its employees, independent contractors, present, prospective, and former members and their families, volunteers, donors, and third parties who interact with employees, such as customers, vendors, or other members of the public.  This information may include, but is not limited to contact information, including address, phone, and email, family status, and income levels.  This information is used by MYC for various aspects of operations, communications, and fundraising.

The policy of the Madison Youth Choirs is to respect the privacy of individuals.  Information gathered by the employees, independent contractors, or others working on behalf of MYC shall not be shared with any other party unless specifically authorized by the individual whose information is involved or unless MYC is legally required to provide such information.

MYC NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY:  It is the policy of the Madison Youth Choirs that participation in all aspects of MYC’s programs be open to any and all.  There shall be no discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex/gender, national origin, age, disability/handicap, status or service as a veteran, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable law.

This policy applies to all Madison Youth Choirs employees, independent contractors, present, prospective, and former members and their families, volunteers, donors, or third parties who interact with employees, such as customers, vendors, or other members of the public.

STATEMENT ON PERSONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR MEMBERS OF MYC:  It is the policy of the Madison Youth Choirs to have no affiliation with any religion, nor to discriminate against any individual, group, or organization on the basis of religion.  Further, it is MYC policy to respect everyone’s free exercise of their religious beliefs.

MYC recognizes that two important factors influencing performances are the nature of music suitable for performance and the availability of facilities for concerts.  MYC acknowledges that the history and tradition of choral music has given a rich heritage of music based on religious themes or written for specific religious purposes; and that religious edifices are often the most logical sites for public performances, either within or outside the framework of religious worship services.  It is further possible for the Madison Youth Choirs to hold performances in non-religious edifices, but under the sponsorship of a religious denomination.  This policy must be understood to place no limitations on the performance of any music in any venue.

This policy shall be understood to generally discourage rehearsals and performances on Saturday mornings or Sunday mornings in the Madison area so that MYC staff and members can participate in religious worship of their choice; exceptions to this policy are allowed in exceptional situations with prior consultation of both parents and MYC members.  Furthermore, care shall be taken in planning for such out-of-town events, and when and if possible, appropriate alternative arrangements must be made to accommodate those staff or members wishing to attend religious worship services of their choice.