Thank you for contacting BYSO! We will respond as soon as we can. In the meantime, here are some frequently asked questions and their responses.
Audition Placement
I have not received my student’s audition placement email.
Audition placements were emailed to all auditionees on Monday, August 26 to the primary email address of the household account. Be sure to check this email address and the junk/spam folder of this address. If you still don’t see it, the office can resend it to you once it is open.
My student auditioned for a different ensemble than they were placed in. Can the office please check on this?
As it says on our website, preparation of materials to audition for an ensemble does not guarantee placement in that ensemble. Adjudicators place students in the ensemble in which they will best thrive. For example: a student who prepares audition materials for Premiere is not guaranteed to be placed in Premiere.
My student was placed in Intermezzo or Overture, but I did not know about these ensembles. What are they?
Intermezzo String Orchestra and Overture Ensemble are two new ensembles in BYSO this year, created to accommodate more students after a humongous growth in interest in our programming over the summer. You can read about them in our press release and on their respective ensemble pages. To view information about the new conductors for each ensemble, read this press release.
My student was not placed in the ensemble we wanted. Can BYSO please consider placing them in a different ensemble?
In short, no. Placement is final for the entire year. We understand that sometimes placement results can be disappointing. Adjudicators take great care in placing students based on the skills they present in their audition. It is recommended that your student join the ensemble in which they were placed and work with their conductors and coaches on the skills they need to develop to be placed in their ensemble of choice.
May I know if my student was placed as violin 1 or 2?
Part assignments for all instruments, including violins, will be posted on our website by September 20.
We would like feedback from the adjudicators about our student’s audition.
Audition feedback is not available.
Schedule Conflicts with Fall Quarter
My student might have too many conflicts with rehearsals during Fall Quarter. What do we do?
Please review the Attendance Policy in the BYSO Student Handbook. If you are certain that your student will miss 3 or more rehearsals this quarter, it is advised that you request for your student to go on leave.
My student has a conflict on Monday (or Tuesday) night. Could we switch to Tuesday (or Monday) instead?
In short, no. Placements are final for the entire season. Students may not switch between ensembles or switch between Monday/Tuesday rehearsal nights even if there are scheduling conflicts.
My student needs to go on leave this Fall Quarter. How do I let the office know?
In the enrollment email you received, a unique link was provided named GO ON LEAVE that will lead you to a form where you can sign your student up to go on leave. The required $50 administrative fee will be payable via this form. There is no need to email the office that your student is going on leave.
My student might have a conflict with the Fall Quarter Concert, but would be able to attend all rehearsals. What do we do?
The following is included in the BYSO Student Handbook:
If a student in Cadet, Intermezzo, Debut, Overture, Premiere, Sinfonia, Philharmonia, and Youth Symphony has a scheduling conflict with the concert, they will still be permitted to enroll in BYSO that quarter and attend all rehearsals. Their seating placement will be impacted their inability to play in the concert.
If a student in Flute Choir, Flute Orchestra, and Percussion Ensemble has a scheduling conflict with the concert, they will not be permitted to enroll in BYSO that quarter and attend rehearsals due to the nature of the small ensemble size and part assignments.
Tuition
How do I pay tuition?
Each student that successfully placed in a BYSO ensemble received an email on Monday, August 26 that contains a unique link to pay tuition. If you did not receive this email, please check the primary email address on your account and the junk/spam folder. If you still do not see it, the office can resend it to you once it’s open.
Tuition payments can be made annually or quarterly. If you choose to pay quarterly, you will receive a new tuition link prior to each quarter in the season.
How do I request financial aid?
Instructions on how to request financial aid are contained in the email you received with your student’s audition results.
Waitlist Questions
Why was my student placed on the waitlist? Can I know more details?
Please review the BYSO Waitlist Information page on our website, which addresses many common questions about waitlists including: waitlist ranking information, why waitlists are being used, and wait times to find out if a spot becomes available.
My student is on the waitlist. Can they move down a level?
Placements are final for the entire season. This means that students may not move to a different ensemble, even the level below, if they are on the waitlist. The only ensemble they may join is if a spot opens up in the ensemble for which they are on the waitlist.
Rehearsal Questions
How do I know my student’s rehearsal schedule?
Rehearsal schedules, dates, times, and more are included on each ensemble’s page on our website. They can be found by clicking “Ensembles” in our main menu. Be sure to check this page on a regular basis throughout the season, as it will contain important information and announcements relevant to your student’s ensemble.
When will music and part assignments be available?
Ensemble music will be posted on our website in the form of PDF links, which students are expected to download, print, and bring to their first rehearsal on September 23/24. These links, along with part assignments, will be posted on our website by September 20. As soon as they are ready, instructions on how to access music will be emailed to all enrolled BYSO students and their parents/guardians.
