SINGER terms and conditions

Overview

Panoramic Voices welcomes singers from throughout the Austin area. Although the majority of our projects are open to any singer without audition, our ranks include many experienced singers. While Panoramic Voices seeks to provide an enjoyable social experience for its singer, we also maintain a serious approach with regard to musical standards, commitment, and positivity in interactions with one another.

Please periodically refer to our Singer Resource Page on our website for updates on specific project requirements. 

SAFE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT

Panoramic Voices aims to create a safe and positive environment for its people—leadership, staff, singers alike. In order to do this, we must safeguard acceptable standards of behavior from those associated with our organization. 

  • Be respectful of the leadership (Music Director, Section Leaders, Board Members, etc), staff, and other individuals associated with the organization. 

  • For everyone’s safety, please avoid attending rehearsals and performances if you are intoxicated, severely ill or contagious, or under heavy medication.

  • It is the goal of Panoramic Voices to be a hyper-inclusive organization. We welcome all people of good will, and expect our folks to be similarly welcoming of all others in our organization, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, parental status, veteran status, military discharge status, citizenship status or source of income or any other protected status.

    • Choose your words carefully. Pay special attention to the use of people's preferred names and pronouns. Make sure you are not using oppressive language (dis/ableist, racist, sexist, ageist, sizeist, etc.) 

    • Check yourself, especially when it comes to microaggressions and implicit bias. Be mindful of what you say and how you act. Impact is very different from and more important than intent. 

    • Respect the personal space of others, and be sensitive to verbal and nonverbal cues. 

We maintain a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to negative, untoward, abusive, bullying or other unacceptable behavior towards anyone in Panoramic Voices or any of its guests and collaborators. All singers are required to follow all policies enacted by the Board of Panoramic Voices regarding harassment, abuse, activities that create a hostile environment, or any other unacceptable behavior. Singers are encouraged to report behavior that violates these Terms & Conditions to any member of the Board of Directors or the Music Director. Any act of misconduct will be investigated in accordance with established  policies. 

Panoramic Voices holds its regular rehearsals at a central Austin location. The rehearsal location may change to the actual concert venue as we get closer to performances. Please note that all rehearsal and performance dates are subject to change. Singers will be notified of these changes whenever they arise. Please check the Singer Resource Page for more information about schedules and locations.

REHEARSAL AND CONCERT SCHEDULE

HEALTH PROTOCoLS

Singing is a communal experience that requires existing, breathing, and vocalizing in close proximity to others.  It is imperative that all singers monitor their health status and personal hygiene so that their fellow singers are not exposed to any illnesses or other harmful conditions. All singers must assess their health status prior to each rehearsal and performance, and must stay home if they are not feeling well. 

For the safety of all Panoramic Voices singers, singers who appear visibly sick, or are exhibiting symptoms of illness, may be asked to leave a rehearsal or performance at any time.  Symptoms of illness include (but are not limited to):

  • fever (100.4°F or greater)

  • cough

  • shortness of breath

  • flushed/red appearance

  • dizziness and/or unsteadiness

Singers who have concerns with the health of other Panoramic Voices singers are asked to bring those concerns to the attention of the Music Director, a Section Leader, or a member of the Panoramic Board, rather than take it upon themselves to raise the issue directly.

Singers are also asked to maintain appropriate bodily hygiene and refrain from using scented products such as lotions, perfumes, oils, and hair products when attending rehearsals and performances.  Singers who cause smells, scents, or odors may be asked to take action to reduce those odors.

Panoramic Voices follows CDC COVID-19 recommendations, as well as any applicable local or venue requirements. We strongly encourage singers to be vaccinated, including boosters.

Due to the potential risks to Panoramic Voices from an outbreak of COVID, flu, or other sickness in the choir, the board of directors may enact a mask mandate at its discretion. We also require anyone that has been exposed to COVID follow CDC exposure guidelines. Per these guidelines, if you have been exposed but do not have symptoms and have tested negative, you may attend rehearsals but must wear a mask.

By attending Panoramic Voices rehearsals and performances, you agree to follow all health and safety protocols as required by the event venue, Panoramic Voices, and other organizations that Panoramic Voices is performing with. There may also be mandates from government agencies that must be followed. 

You acknowledge that there is an inherent risk of exposure to illnesses and other health conditions, bodily injuries, and other harms, at all Panoramic rehearsals, performances, and other events. By attending such events, you voluntarily assume all risks related to these and all other conditions, and you agree to release and hold harmless Panoramic Voices, its officers, directors, employees, volunteers, and contractors (including  its rehearsal and performance venues), from and against any claims whatsoever related to injuries or harms suffered by you in connection with attendance at and/or participation in Panoramic Voices events. 

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Singers are asked to observe the following guidelines at rehearsals. Please:

  • Arrive to rehearsals or performance call times a few minutes early, so that we may begin on time. In case of unplanned absences or lateness, please send an email to chorus_manager@PanoramicVoices.org. If you miss a rehearsal, please get the Music Director’s notes from the Singer Resource Page, your Section Leader or an experienced singer in your section before the next rehearsal. Please also check the Singer Resource Page regularly for additional notes and updates.

  • Pay attention to what is happening during the rehearsal, whether it’s the Music Director, the Section Leaders, or a fellow chorister leading it. Although Panoramic Voices rehearsals are conducted in a relaxed and fun manner, respect for the music and each others’ time is of utmost importance; therefore, time for chatting with friends and fellow choristers, or using your cell phone for texting or making calls, should only be done during the break or before and after rehearsals, not during. 

  • Come prepared and practiced. Practice lists and suggestions for home practice will be provided on the Singer Resource Page.

  • Bring your own closed water container and stay hydrated. 

  • Bring a pencil to rehearsal so you can transcribe the Music Director’s notes onto your music. Tablet users are free to use whatever will allow them to do this on their devices.

  • Number the measures in your sheet music.

  • Procure a plain black, standard-sized binder/folder for your music. If using a tablet for your music, please be sure it has a black case/cover.

As always, it is up to the discretion of the Music Director, in consultation with the Section Leaders, as to whether a singer who has accumulated multiple rehearsal absences is performance ready, considering knowledge of the concert repertoire and experience.  Panoramic Voices reserves the right to remove any singer who is unprepared from any performance.

REHEARSAL GUIDELINES

We expect all singers to be helpful in maintaining our inclusive model by remaining open to alternative voicing based on the musical needs of the project. This is why we ask that you indicate your preferred (as opposed to your known) voice part. For instance: a singer who is used to singing Soprano 1 in another ensemble may be asked to sing Soprano 2, a number of Alto 2’s may be asked to help out a smaller Tenor 1 section, etc. Your openness to the Music Director’s request for alternative voicing is appreciated and will help balance voices across all sections.

All singers must check their emails from Panoramic Voices and the Singer Resource Page frequently during a project, and take responsibility for knowing all the information stated in those communication channels. Rehearsal time is precious and should not be used for asking questions already answered in the materials that can be found on the Singer Resource Page or in emails. 

PERFORMANCE GUIDELINES

Please observe the following guidelines at performances:

  • Hold your black folder/tablet with black cover in your upstage hand (away from the audience) when entering and exiting the stage.

  • Refrain from talking on stage, even if it’s to give “instructions” to a fellow chorister.

  • Raise and lower your black folder/tablet when the conductor steps onto or down from the podium.

  • Turn the pages of your music as quietly as possible. 

Performance attire

Formal version

  • Solid black dress or any combination of a solid black top plus solid black skirt or dress pants

  • All: black shoes (with black socks, when necessary)

Casual version

  • Official Panoramic Voices Performance  T-shirt  (short sleeve black T-shirt with official white Panoramic Voices logo) plus solid black pants or skirt or jeans

  • All: black shoes (with black socks, when necessary)

Note: The attire described above applies only to performances, and not for Dress Rehearsals.

Also Note: Official Panoramic Voices Performance T-shirts may only be worn at events officially sponsored and sanctioned by Panoramic Voices.  

Panoramic Voices is a singer-driven collective. In its first twenty years of existence, Panoramic Voices charged an annual participation fee ranging from $150 to $480 per singer/per season. In our desire to be as hyper-inclusive as possible, we’ve worked out a method by which singers can simply pay for their sheet music (with exceptions for those for whom this would pose a hardship) and for those who can to make a tax-deductible donation to help with the organization’s expenses such as hiring musicians; remunerating composers for new commissions; paying for top-notch musical staff; renting concert venues; advertising our concerts; supporting other non-profits via benefit concerts, and other expenses.

To help sustain all of Panoramic Voices’ good works in the community, we ask that each singer bear in mind the cost of our organization’s year-round work (an annual budget of roughly $175,000), and to be as generous in their support as is possible!

Singers’ Costs

Panoramic Voices engages in as much professional marketing for concerts as allowed by our modest marketing budget. To ensure that we sing to full audiences and heighten awareness of our own events within the ever-active Austin arts community, we expect our singers to actively promote the organization through social media, email, direct invites to family/friends, etc. 

While there is no minimum ticket sale requirement for our singers, we request that singers do their utmost to help sell tickets to help ensure their hard work is rewarded by singing to the fullest house possible.

As an ambassador of Panoramic Voices, recruitment of other positively-minded singers throughout the season is always encouraged!

Singers’ Ambassadorship

As a tax-exempt, non-profit organization, Panoramic Voices does not engage in political, lobbying, or campaign activities. Singers are prohibited from engaging in such activities while participating in Panoramic Voices-sponsored events.  To avoid any confusion, singers may not wear their official Panoramic Voices Performance T-shirt when engaged in personal political activities. 

POLITICAL ACTIVITY

NO REFUNDS 

Panoramic Voices is a community-driven organization with limited financial resources.  As such, Panoramic Voices cannot provide refunds of any fees, amounts, or donations paid by singers for any reason, including, without limitation:

  • If a singer cannot complete a project for any reason

  • If a singer cannot participate in a performance for any reason

  • If a singer violates these Terms & Conditions, or any other Panoramic Voices policy, and is not permitted to continue participation

UPDATES 

These Panoramic Voices Singer Terms & Conditions may be updated from time to time. The current version of the Terms & Conditions will be publicly available at all times on the Panoramic Voices website. 

Policy approved by the Panoramic Voices Board of Directors on June 17, 2025.