Casey Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) is committed to everyone having enjoyable and safe rehearsals. This includes keeping our instruments safe.

• Players are responsible for the safety of their own instruments and accessories. It is recommended instruments go back in their cases when not being used (eg. during breaks) and/or moved to a low traffic area

• Players must mindful of other people’s instruments and move carefully

• CPO does not carry insurance for individual member’s personal instruments. It is not mandatory but is strongly recommended players carry their own insurance. This may be available through your home and contents insurance but it is your responsibility to check or obtain it another way.

• The cost of repairing damaged instruments will be the responsibility of the owner

Document prepared by: Perren Bonsall (Secretary) January 2023

Why is this policy needed? The Casey Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) follows a commitment to keeping orchestra performances accessible for everyone. Part of this accessibility involves keeping the performances tickets to a reasonable cost. Not paying players helps to keeps ticket prices down. Playing for the love of music, rather than financial reward is at the heart of a community orchestra and leaves members free to treat the orchestra as an enjoyable pastime, rather than a job.

The orchestra has faced situations, due to unforeseen circumstances, in which we need to make the decision to either pay a musician to join us, or proceed to perform with an orchestral gap. In an effort to control the costs of this and to provide transparency to orchestra members, the committee has voted to offer a flat-rate payment to musicians who join us to fill a gap, under emergency circumstances.

What constitutes an emergency circumstance?

• A key player cannot attend the concert at short notice (key player being a soloist or the only person playing their part or instrument) OR

• We have been unable to find a musician to cover a key part and the performance date is in 2 weeks or less

Requirements:

• An agreement will be signed by the guest musician and an office bearing committee member. This will include the number of rehearsals and performances the guest musician is expected to attend, the number of hours they will cover and if they will provide their own instrument/accessories

• The payment offered will be $50 per call (rehearsal or performance)

• The musician will invoice the orchestra for the full amount at the completion of the agreement

• Payment for rehearsal attendance is contingent on concert performance (unless agreed otherwise)

Document prepared by: Perren Bonsall (Secretary) January 2023

1) This Policy is effective from 20 August 2022

2) This Policy articulates the Casey Philharmonic Orchestra’s commitment to providing an accessible and inclusive environment free from discrimination, sexual harassment, victimisation and vilification.

3) This policy applies across all activities of the orchestra.

4) Casey Philharmonic Orchestra recognises the Bunurong/Boonwurrung peoples as the original inhabitants and traditional custodians of the lands on which we meet, rehearse and perform. We acknowledge that this land was stolen, and never ceded, and past injustices need to be acknowledged. The orchestra acknowledges and values Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and knowledge, and their elders past, present and emerging.

5) The orchestra is committed to providing equitable access to participation in the life of the orchestra.

6) The orchestra does not tolerate or condone discrimination, harassment, victimisation or vilification, based on age, cultural background, disability, ethnicity, family responsibilities, gender identity and expression, language, marital or relationship status, parental or carer status, religious belief or activities, sex (including intersex status) and sexual orientation, learning, life experience, work experience and socio-economic background.

7) Orchestra activities are underpinned by the following principles:

a. all people have inherent dignity and the right to be treated fairly

b. differences among members are respected and valued

c. everyone has the right to an environment free from discrimination, sexual harassment, victimisation and vilification

d. individuals’ needs are best met by inclusive practices and individual adjustments where required, that anticipate and accommodate the needs of a diversity of people, minimising the need for adjustments to respond to individual needs, while maintaining quality and other standards.

Drafted 9 Aug 2022

1) This Policy is effective from 20 August 2022

2) This Policy outlines the Casey Philharmonic Orchestra’s obligations for and commitment to the responsible management of personal information held about players, members, Friends of the CPO, prize winners, audience members and any other parties the orchestra collects information about.

3) This policy applies to all collection, use, disclosure, storage and destruction of Information by the orchestra, and includes procedures addressing unauthorised access, modification or loss of personal information.

4) Photograph and visual media are essential to Casey Philharmonic Orchestra’s concert promotion and recruitment. The orchestra relies on public display photographs from concerts and rehearsals. However, to protect privacy all players (and parents/guardians) have the option to opt out of any photographs that highlight them as individuals being displayed, or where the player/member’s face is prominent in a group of 5 of less players. No photos of audience members as individuals or groups of less than 10 faces will be taken and displayed without explicit consent from the individuals involved.

5) Personal information collected in the course of activities must be used only for the primary purpose of collection, a related secondary use reasonably anticipated by the individual.

6) The orchestra respects the privacy of information collected, and will not disclose email addresses, phone numbers, addresses, or other personal information provided, to anyone beyond those who need to know for specific functions as listed below:

a. Member list. As per the Rules of Association, all members have the right to inspect the financial accounts and member list of the association, but this does not include personal contact information.

b. Member/player contact information (email addresses, phone numbers, addresses) will only be available to committee members (includes section managers), and where appropriate to follow up, principal players. It must not be disclosed to other players or parties without consent.

c. Friends of the CPO and audience maillist contact information will only be available to committee members, notably those responsible for regular communication with these lists. It must not be disclosed to other players or parties without consent.

d. Working with children’s check and any criminal check specific data will only be available to Child Safety Officer(s). Where any negative findings are returned on such checks, these will only be conveyed in a general sense to the committee, as required for the committee to make decisions to maintain Child Safety. Child safety issues will only be discussed within the committee, not third parties, unless external reporting is required.

7) Personal information must be kept secure and protected from unauthorised use, access, disclosure, modification or loss, whether deliberate or inadvertent.

Drafted 9 Aug 2022

Standard & Expectations

Casey Philharmonic Orchestra is a young, new, vibrant, amateur community orchestra in the City of Casey, formed to perform orchestral and chamber music at public concerts in the outer southeastern suburbs of Melbourne. The vision of the orchestra is to build a welcoming community orchestra that provides opportunities for local amateur musicians, aiming for high quality performances while also strongly valuing strong relationships within the orchestra, and collaboration with other local arts organisations.

As such, all players are expected to:

1) Play at a suitable standard for the music being performed, and the discretion of the section manager. The orchestra does not mandate an exam level for entry, but this music is often at around AMEB Grade 8 standard or higher.

2) Casey Philharmonic Orchestra welcomes younger and newer players, and seeks to assist player development. Players at a standard lower than above are welcome to join at the discretion of the section manager, provided they demonstrate capacity to play some of the parts in a manner that does seriously compromise overall performance quality, and a commitment to practice, lessons and ongoing improvement.

3) All players are expected to learn their parts in home rehearsals, and commit to attending rehearsals regularly. A minimum attendance of 2/3 of rehearsals for a performance is required, unless prior approval is gained from their section manager.

4) Musicians not meeting the above expectations may be asked to either leave the orchestra while they take further lessons, or to not perform a concert. In this case, their place in the orchestra line-up is not guaranteed, and they may be replaced by other musicians in the longer-term.

5) Adhere to all aspects of the Code of Conduct below.

Similarly, conductors are expected to:

1) Prepare scores and know the music intimately ahead of rehearsals.

2) Rehearse the orchestra efficiently, communicating clearly with players about interpretation and expression required, and get the orchestra to performance standard before concert dates.

3) Communicate any concerns about players, repertoire or the orchestra to the President, Vice-President or Artistic Director privately, and in a timely manner.

4) Adhere to all aspects of the Code of Conduct below.

Code of Conduct

1) The Casey Philharmonic Orchestra, and its subsidiaries, are committed to creating a safe, fair and respectful environment for all members of the Orchestra community. This means that everyone has the right to feel safe and to belong within the Orchestra.

2) ALL members and volunteers of Casey Philharmonic Orchestra and any subsidiaries need to think about their behaviour and make sure that they are conducting themselves appropriately.

3) Children have rights including:

• the right to participate and be heard

• the right to be safe and not harmed by anyone

• the right to live and grow up healthy

• the right to express their views and have a say about decisions that affect them, and

• the right to information, such as information about the policies and procedures that affect them.

4) Acceptable Behaviours:

• Treat everyone in the Orchestra with respect; this includes other players, conductor(s),

concertmaster(s) and committee members

• Be considerate, courteous, and understanding of others, and listen to the views of others in a

respectful way

• Listen to the conductor(s), concertmaster(s) and committee members while participating in

Orchestra functions and rehearsals and follow their instructions

• Report anything that makes me uncomfortable to the Child Safety Officers or another member

of the committee

• Encourage other players in the Orchestra to do their best and will do my best in return

• Include others in activities

• Respect the venue(s) and the property of Casey Philharmonic Orchestra including:

o Take care of the rehearsal and performance venues

o Take care of my instrument and put it back in the case to make sure that it stays safe

o Make sure that my instrument and concert dress (where required) is clean and well

looked after

o Report any issues I have to the Conductor or other adult as soon as possible

• Bring my instrument and music to every rehearsal and all other engagements

• Do my best to be on time to all events and rehearsals

• Do my best to practice outside of rehearsals, and prepare adequately for performances

• Call my section leader or another committee member if I cannot make it to rehearsal or

another engagement

5) Unacceptable Behaviours:

• Treat another member or volunteer in a disrespectful way

• Physically hurt another person within the Orchestra community

• Speak disrespectfully or verbally hurt others

• Tease, bully or harass another person within the orchestra community

• Exclude people from activities

• Leave the Orchestra rehearsal/performance venue without a parent or guardian

• Use alcohol or drugs within the Orchestra community

• Enter any toilets, change room, or bedroom other than my own

6) I will follow these instructions above and make sure that my behaviour is appropriate in all Orchestra

settings. If I see something that needs to be addressed, I will report it to a committee member or the

Child Safety Officers.

7) I understand that if I do not follow these instructions, and/or I behave inappropriately in Orchestra

settings that I may be asked to leave at my own/my family’s expense.

Drafted 9 Aug 2022