Personnel Policy
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Orchestra Personnel Policy 8/5/13
Signed 8/10/13
The Festival Board of Directors and the Musicians of the New Hampshire Music Festival recognize the strong sense of community that exists among Festival performers and credit much of the success of the Festival over the years to that bond. It is our mutual hope that this sense of community will remain an integral part of the NHMF. At the same time, the parties recognize that the ongoing success of the Festival also requires that the Organization attract and hold the best possible musical talent. The Festival Board of Directors regard both of these goals – community and attraction of talent – as complementary and mutually supportive and, in that spirit, endorse the following principles for personnel practices in the Music Festival:
1. The following Orchestra positions will continue to be filled by Musicians listed on the NHMF Permanent Roster, subject to the principles set forth in this document:
violins
violas
cellos
basses
flutes
clarinets
oboes
bassoons
horns
trumpets
trombones
tuba
percussion
timpani
Harp
Keyboard
Musicians in these positions will be placed on the NHMF Permanent Roster following a probationary period of two consecutive years of full-time playing. All other orchestra positions are subject to the hiring discretion of the Music Director, in consultation with the section Principal and Personnel Manager.
2. Evaluations of musical performance will be fair and equitable, using practices commonly applied in the majority of similar Music Festival orchestras. If in the judgment of the Music Director a member of the Orchestra has an artistic deficiency, that member will be informed by the Music Director of the nature of the problem in writing, with copies to the Orchestra Committee and the Board’s Personnel Committee, and will have a reasonable opportunity to address it. A musician may be dismissed by the Music Director only for artistic deficiencies, subject to a review process by the Orchestra Committee. The Music Director may not initiate termination proceedings in his or her first or last season of employment with the Festival.
3. If a member of the Orchestra has a non-artistic problem, but one that affects the welfare of the Festival, the Administrative Personnel Committee consisting of the Executive Director or his/her designee, the Music Director, the Personnel Manager and the chairperson of Board’s Personnel Committee may take action up to and including termination. The committee is expected to inform the member of the problem in writing, with copies to the Orchestra Committee and the Board’s Personnel Committee, and to provide sufficient opportunity for the member to correct the problem. A representative of the Orchestra Committee must accompany the Musician to all meetings. In certain rare cases, where the problem is of a grave nature and poses serious harm to the welfare of the Festival, the action may be immediate. Any termination for non-artistic reasons will be reported as soon as possible to the Personnel Committee of the Board of Directors.
4. Musicians on the NHMF Permanent Roster may request a one-year leave of absence to be granted by the Music Director. Musicians who extend their leave for more than one year may forfeit their position on the Roster. These decisions are at the discretion of the Music Director, in consultation with the Orchestra Committee, and will be sent in writing to the Musician, with copies to the Orchestra Committee and the Board’s Personnel Committee.
5. All Employees of the Festival have a right to work in an environment free of discrimination, including freedom from sexual harassment. Discrimination against persons on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age or alien status is illegal, and will not be tolerated.
6. The above principles are necessarily general and are intended to be translated into appropriate personnel practices by a Policy Review Committee consisting of the Executive Director or his/her designee, the Board’s Personnel Committee, the Music Director, the Orchestra Committee and the Personnel Manager, acting in a non-voting capacity. This committee will work in consultation with the members of the orchestra. Once these practices are defined and agreed, they will come before the Board and Orchestra for approval. Any additional issues that arise will be addressed by the above parties.
7. This agreement, which has been adopted by the Musicians and the Festival Board of Directors, shall remain in effect until such time as both parties mutually agree to amend it.