Orchestra info

Rehearsal venues

Click here for a map of venues

Newman Rooms: The Old Palace, Rose Pl, St Aldate's, Oxford OX1 1RD
Wesley Memorial Church: New Inn Hall St, Oxford OX1 2DH
St Peters Chapel: New Inn Hall St, Oxford OX1 2DL
Music Faculty: St Aldate's, Oxford OX1 1DB

Upcoming concert dates

Can be seen in the Concerts section

Code of Conduct

This is intended to be less of a formal code of conduct and more of a guide to help you understand what we expect from members of the orchestra. Positions in OUO and OUSinf are extremely competitive so it is a privilege to be a part of the orchestra and we have put this list together to make playing in the orchestras the best possible experience for everyone.

1. Arrive early. Firstly, we very much encourage you to arrive at least 15 minutes early, or with enough time to both get your instrument out and warm up so that we make the most of everyone’s busy time. Also, it’s helpful to come even earlier to help with set up. We do not have a dedicated musical space to rehearse, so the room must be set up before rehearsal and put away after rehearsal; many hands make light work! If you are late (it happens, but try to avoid it), please avoid taking your seat while others are playing; if you can, wait for an appropriate break in the action to slip in.
2. Clearing up. There are lots of things to do after rehearsal, often including packing up percussion to take back to the faculty. Please help out as much as you can, the very least being to move your chair to wherever it needs to be to clear the room to how we found it.
3. Bring a stand. We normally practice in spaces which do not have rehearsal equipment like stands, you will need to bring your own to each rehearsal. If you don’t have one, you can order one online or ask for advice on shops which sell them in Oxford.
4. Bring a pencil (and use it). You wouldn’t sit through a lecture without taking notes… It’s much more fun for everyone if we can keep making our playing better rather than rehearsing the same bits as last week. Also, bowings will be sent around at some point by the section leader, please make sure to mark these in your parts.
5. Music responsibility. We’ll hand out sheet music at the first rehearsal, you will need to look after it for the rehearsal period and then leave it on your stand at the end of the concert for us to collect in. Getting replacements for lost or damaged parts can be expensive and time-consuming so please help us avoid that. If you’re sharing a part with a desk partner, make sure the music gets to the rehearsal even if you can’t make it.
6. Practising. We all know that you won’t always be able to find time to fit in personal practice on OUO music between a Tuesday and Thursday rehearsal, but please do put in the practice that you feel you need to be comfortable with the music. This is especially applicable to people playing more exposed parts and anything which the conductor may have highlighted that could do with some personal practice before the next rehearsal.
7. Be courteous. We all go to rehearsals to have fun and enjoy playing together, just make sure we remember this when we need to query something with each other or the conductor.
8. Don’t tune loudly or chat during tuning. We all like being able to play in tune, and a bit of quiet for a few moments while we listen to the oboe really helps with that. It’s very tempting to chat while the other sections are tuning but please hold off for a minute!
9. Approach anyone with any questions, nicely. We really want to hear any of your questions and/or suggestions to make you feel comfortable in the orchestra. You should feel able to ask anyone questions, especially any committee members. There is also a feedback/suggestions form on the website that you can use and it can be anonymous if you like.
10. Don’t miss rehearsals. Our evening rehearsal times are generally good for not clashing with other commitments, and we really need you to prioritise OUO rehearsals so that everyone can get the most out of their time in the orchestra. Our concert-day rehearsal can often present challenges with clashes but you should do your absolute best to avoid these, your fixer might be able to help you with some advice if you talk to them early. You should even ask your tutor nicely to re-arrange your tutorial time/group to be able to make it.
11. Communicate absences. There will be unavoidable reasons to miss a rehearsal but these need to be communicated as soon as you possibly can to your fixer. Unless these are last-minute changes, they should be communicated before term, or at the very start of term.
12. Lastly, enjoy the music and the social side of OUO. OUO is a privilege, a great opportunity to play in an orchestra at a really good level, with loads of friends, and relax from your degree for a few hours. Enjoy it and get stuck in!

We will always try and help you fulfil these expectations but repeated failure to do so may result in you not being asked to join for the next concert.

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