General
FAQ
TOP
GENERAL
ARRIVAL
& DEPARTURE
SCHEDULING DORM
LIFE
MUSICAL
PRIVATE
LESSON
CONCERT |
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What
weekend, recreational, and social activities are
available?
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Weekends consist of concerts and recreational activities (may include off-campus
trips).
- Saturday
mornings will consist of weekly morning class/ensemble schedules.
- Sunday
mornings are free for practice, recreational time, or for
students who wish to attend religious services.
- Some
performances will take place during selected Sunday afternoons.
All
social and recreational
programs
are organized and supervised by the dorm supervisors and counselors.
Activities include (but are not limited to) off-campus trips;
movie nights; bowling; movies; running
club (known as "Fun Run"); rollerskating; dances; trips to
local lakes or parks; etc. Students may also opt to practice
during free times.
Camp
Yearbook: "Cadenza"
Students can take part in the writing and editing
of NYSMF’s
summer publication “Cadenza”. They may also assist
in the preparation for the final dance at the end of the festival.
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What
HEALTH CARE services are available?
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NYSMF
is staffed by RNs, in accordance with the New York State Health
Department’s regulations. Daily arrangements are made for
students who need to take medication on a regular basis. Students
will be sent to A.O. Fox Hospital for severe injuries and/or emergencies.
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May
I apply for SCHOLARSHIPS or FINANCIAL AID?
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NYSMF
offers a
limited number of scholarships and financial aid packages available
for eligible students. To apply, please complete and
return the NYSMF
Financial Aid/Scholarship Form, which is included in the NYSMF
Application Forms.
Students
and parents are urged to seek financial assistance from local
sources such as school music organizations, county/state/national
music education organizations, youth orchestras and bands,
music clubs, service clubs (i.e. Rotary, Kiwanis, etc.), businesses,
local churches and foundations.
One
such opportunity for VA and NC students is here:
The
National Society of Arts and Letters is offering $10,000
in scholarships in both voice and visual art for students
ages 16-22. Visit the NSAL Website www.arts-nsal.org and
select Scholarships/Virginia-North Carolina Chapter for
details.
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How
will NYSMF contact me about "stuff"?
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Email
is NYSMF's preferred means of contact for all administrative matters,
including admissions status, news notices, billing issues, etc.
This ensures there is a clear record for you and for NYSMF, and
prevents
any
confusion.
Please
let us know
if you
prefer
being
contacted by other methods - phone, fax, mail, telepathy, smoke
signals, sonar, etc.
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Do
you have any kind of DRESS CODE?
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Yes
indeed we do, but fear not, we promise it's nothing unreasonable.
- EVERYDAY
DRESS CODE (not very strict)
Your regular, everyday clothes generally will be fine. Please,
however, avoid anything that could be construed as potentially "offensive", "embarassing", "inciteful", "vomit-inducing",
etc.
Generally, use this old rule of thumb: if you have to ask, don't bring
it.
- CONCERT
DRESS CODE (strict)
White shirt/blouse, black pants, black socks, black shoes.
- NOTE: Conductors have final discretion on any concert dress that differs
from this basic concert dress code.
- OPTIONAL: black ties, black jackets. They will look really good
onstage, though.
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Arrival
and Departure FAQ
TOP
GENERAL
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE
SCHEDULING
DORM
LIFE
MUSICAL
PRIVATE
LESSON
CONCERT |
|
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May
I have DRIVING DIRECTIONS to Oneonta, the fabled "City
in the Hills"?
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You
may read, print, and download directions from our website on
this page. It contains every possible means of getting to Oneonta
and NYSMF -- including interstellar and sub-orbital methods. Check
it out.
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What
should I bring with me to NYSMF?
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Our
crack staff has assembled an exhaustively complete checklist
of what to bring with your to NYSMF.
Click
the appropriate icon to download the checklist
in either Word or PDF format. |
PDF |
Word |
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SPECIAL
NOTICE FOR ALL ELECTRIC BASS AND GUITAR PLAYERS
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PLEASE
bring your small portable amplifier with you to camp! They are
an essential part of your instrument (you can't play without an
amp, after all), and we do not have enough to go around. EVEN
IF YOU HAVE TO LEAVE BEHIND YOUR EXTRA SOCKS OR YOUR BEST CINDERELLA
GOWN, BRING YOUR AMP.
Believe
me, it will make your life much easier, and your conductors and
instructors will thank you profusely. Thanks!
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When
should I arrive? Where do I "check in"?
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Students
should arrive between 10am - 1pm on the first Sunday
of their first session:
- June
29, 2008 (Session One)
- July
13, 2008 (Session Two)
- July
27, 2008 (Session Three)
Please
follow the signs on campus to check in at our Registration Area.
There, you will meet the entire NYSMF Administration, Faculty,
and Staff; take care of any remaining payments; and receive your
room key; and schedule your Placement Audition. You will also
find lots of counselors waiting and willing to help you schlepp
your bags to your room!
If
you arrive after 1pm, please check in at
the NYSMF office.
Placement
auditions will be held from 2:30pm - 4:30pm.
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Can
I get picked up from Albany Airport, Bus Station, or
Train Station?
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Most
certainly! We offer transportation to and from the Albany Airport
at a cost of $75 one way. (Taxi service runs about $135
or so, and they sometimes will only meet students outside the
terminal, those evil taxi companies.)
We
will meet students inside the terminal and ensure that they are
safely escorted to the Festival.
If
you would like to use our airport service, please indicate
this on your application. You may pay the shuttle fee online
at our Online Payments page.
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Do
parents/chauffeurs need to stick around after registration?
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Once
parents have completed registration and settled any remaining
account balances, they may depart any time they like.
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Where
may parents stay overnight, if needed?
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The
Oneonta area
has a goodly amount of hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts, and
the like. A current list is conveniently provided by the Oneonta
tourism website. Lots
of additional useful information for getting around Oneonta
is available on the NYSMF website here.
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What
if I have to ARRIVE EARLY or DEPART LATE?
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If
you need to arrive a day or two early, or leave a day or two
late, we can accommodate you for a fee of $100 per day. You may
pay
this
fee on our PAYMENTS page, and
please send us a note with the specific dates as far in advance
as possible so that we can make the necessary arrangements.
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WHEN
does each session officially end? |
Each
NYSMF session officially ends when the All-NYSMF
Choir sings its final note on Saturday evening (July 12, July
26, or
August 9, 2008), generally around 9:30pm. You may leave
any time after then, since every student and staff member of
NYSMF is
required to sing in the All-NYSMF Choir.
Students
who leave before the conclusion of that Saturday night concert will
be automatically disqualified from receiving NYSMF Awards and/or
Scholarships.
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When
the session is over, when must I (tearfully) leave? |
You
may of course stay for one last Saturday night with all of your
new NYSMF friends and colleagues, perhaps sharing pizza and memories,
but
your room must be cleaned and your belongings safely moved out
by 8 am the following morning. Students
who leave before the conclusion of that Saturday night concert
will be automatically disqualified from receiving NYSMF Awards
and/or Scholarships.
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Do
you have a CHECK-OUT procedure? |
You
will receive a CHECK-OUT checklist at least 24 hours before
the end of the current session of
NYSMF. You may also pick up the checklist anytime before the end
of the session from the NYSMF main office.
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I
want to EXTEND MY STAY. How may I do that? |
Simply
let your parents know your plans, and then let us know in
the NYSMF main office anytime before the last Wednesday of
the session. We'll contact your parents and take care of
the rest -- and you can look forward to two to four more
weeks of music!
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Dorm
Life FAQ
TOP
GENERAL
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE
SCHEDULING
DORM
LIFE
MUSICAL
PRIVATE
LESSON
CONCERT |
|
|
How
will I be housed at NYSMF?
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Students
will be housed in two-person dorm rooms, with each student having
their own desk, bed, dresser, and closet. There will be two or
three rooms in a SUITE, which includes a common area and a bathroom.
Our
staff of rugged, seasoned music festival veterans have compiled
a list of WHAT TO BRING that you may download here. Highlights
include a pillow; sweaters (them Oneonta nights can get mighty
turribull cold); a three-ring binder; a folding music stand;
and EXTRA LONG SHEETS.
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Checklist of
what to bring with you to NYSMF (PDF format) |
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What's
this about EXTRA LONG SHEETS?
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I
will now tell you a story to try and explain the phenomenon
that is an extra long, extra narrow mattress, which may shed
some light on the matter. Just because it's a complete fiction
from my own fertile imagination shouldn't detract from your
enjoyment.
(play
guitar intro here)
Once
upon a time, there was a beanpole who wanted to grow up to
become the world's most successful mattress maker. Envious
of the glory achieved by Mr. Sealy, Mr. Serta, Mr. Dux, and
the master of them all, Mr. and Mrs. Craftmaticbed, the beanpole
vowed to beat them all at their own game.
Alas,
the beanpole could never understand the mystery of the twin,
full, queen, or king mattress sizes. And forget the California
King! Utterly perplexed as to why anyone would possibly need
so much surface area on which to sleep, the beanpole instead
focussed on making a mattress that would be comfortable for
all the peoples of the world who were made of sticks of bamboo,
or rebar, or PVC piping.
The
beanpole came up with a unique mattress that is a little longer
and a little narrower than a standard Twin, and filled it with
sharp sticks, pointed rocks, ancient springs, and mustard.
And he proudly dubbed it the Beanpole Extra Long Mattress.
At
first the world laughed at the Beanpole Mattress. "Who," they
jeered, "will buy your mattress when they already have
thousands of dollars' worth of twin sheet sets?"
The
Beanpole was sad and went to Madison Avenue in NYC to try and
burn itself to death. But as it was desperately flicking its
Bic lighter, an Evil Ad Exec rushed up and said, "Don't give
up, Mr. Beanpole. I can save your brilliant invention."
"How?"
grumbled the Beanpole, who, not having any thumbs, fingers,
or any limbs to speak of, was losing patience with itself.
"It's
alllll marketing," said the Evil Ad Exec. "And I understand.
I was just a simple Tomato Stake, until I came to Madison Avenue
and got a job with Burson-Marstellar Advertising. Come."
And
so they concocted a plan to market the Beanpole Mattress as
the World's Best Dormitory Mattress. Targeting every college
in America, they pitched the idea that supplying freshman with
a twin mattress would be disastrous - can you imagine what
a freshman would do, if they ever heard the words "twin" and
"bed" together???
Quietly,
they contacted the Fitted Sheet Industry for their support.
They convinced them to create a brand new sheet size, and thus
expand their market by up to 25%, after years of only being
able to sell twin, full, queen, and king size sheet sets. Now
there were FIVE mattress sizes, and those mattresses would
be needing sheets, muuu hahahahahaha.
It
was a rousing success! Every college in America bought 10,000
Beanpole Mattresses, and in a wild orgy of imagination, changed
the name to "extra long".
And
so the Beanpole married the former Tomato Stake, and the two
retired to an organic farm in Seattle where they support zucchini
and roses.
And
THAT is why you need to bring a set of "extra long" sheets
with you to NYSMF.
Aesop and Kipling would have been proud.
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How
will campers be SUPERVISED?
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NYSMF
maintains a 3- or 4-to-1 proportion of campers to faculty/staff.
Counselors
will be housed in
the dormitories
alongside
the
students, providing
24/7 supervision. Some faculty members may also be housed within
the dorms, providing additional supervision. All
NYSMF Counselors are 18 years of age and older. Many will have
had training in Emergency Care, First Aid, and CPR.
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What
kind of SECURITY is in used at SUNY Oneonta?
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All
NYSMF students, staff, and faculty will be issued magnetic
access "KEYCARDS", which must be used for entry into any campus
building.
New
York State Troopers patrol SUNY
Oneonta 24/7. We are fortunate that they also
have
an office right on campus, providing near-instantaneous response
in emergency. The
dorm offices will also be staffed during all evening and late
night hours, controlling dormitory and building access.
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What
will my MAILING ADDRESS be for the summer?
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Your
friends, relatives, parents, and pets may mail you letters, postcards,
and most important, CARE PACKAGES filled with cookies and powdered
drink mix (yumm, don't forget to share) at the following address:
YourName
c/o NYSMF (New York Summer Music Festival)
SUNY Oneonta
Ravine Parkway
Oneonta, NY 13820 - 1768
Don't
forget -- any CARE packages, especially home-baked cookies,
are very thoughtful to share with your new NYSMF friends. Please?
NOTE:
NYSMF cannot guarantee
the timely arrival of any mail or packages. Believe me, we're
not especially happy about it, either, but we can't do much
about it.
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May
I request my friend as my roommate?
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Sure,
but BOTH your parents AND your friend's parents must independently
notify us by email at least 48 hours before you both arrive
at NYSMF.
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May
I have appliances in my dorm room?
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You
may bring small electronic devices including computers,
hairdryers, gaming devices, etc. You may also bring a dorm-size refrigerator,
room fans, window fans, etc.
You
may NOT bring any kitchen appliances, air conditioners, etc., UNLESS
you have a medical condition that requires any of these devices,
AND you have sufficent documentation documenting dis. If you have
any questions, please contact us directly.
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I
have special DIETARY NEEDS. Can you accomodate them?
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Sure!
Please let us know as soon in advance as possible, and we'll
communicate your needs to the SUNY food service people at SODEXHO.
They are happy to accomodate any special dietary
needs, from nut allergies to kosher foods to strict vegans to silicon-based
lifeforms requiring daily intake of shards of metal and machine
oil mixed garnishing a tire-rubber lasagna.
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I
have special DAILY MEDICAL NEEDS. May I take my meds
on my own?
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Unfortunately,
NO. New York State Health Regulations for overnight
summer camps clearly state that no camper may keep ANY medications,
either OTC or prescription, in their rooms. ALL MEDICATIONS MUST
BE GIVEN TO THE NYSMF NURSE UPON ARRIVAL, AND MAY ONLY BE
DISPENSED BY A QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL.
You
may, of course, come to the nurse's or the dorm office any time
you require your personal medication and administer it yourself.
For example, if you require a puff from your athsma inhaler,
or your antihistamine to control a known potentially allergic
reaction, just ask any NYSMF counselor or staff member and they
will accompany you to get your medicine.
Please
don't misinterpet any of this. We do indeed trust, respect,
and like you.
But simply put, due to the strict Health and safety regulations,
neither you, your parents, your cats, your dogs, your lawyers,
nor any
other
summer
camp
- including
NYSMF
- has
any say in this.
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Can
I have GUESTS stay overnight in my room?
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Unless
your guests have been or shall be NYSMF students, we are - BY LAW
- not allowed to host any guests in the same rooms as
NYSMF students.
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Is
ther INTERNET ACCESS anywhere?
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Every
dorm room is wired for internet access. PCs and Macs will both
work. In order to activate the port in your room, you will have
to perform the following dance for the our host's computer people:
- You
will have to purchase a USER ACCOUNT from our host, SUNY Oneonta
Telecommunications
Services, located in the Netzer Administration Building just
south of the Fine Arts Building.
- They
charge
$10-$15 for a non-transferable summer account
- You
must supply
your own ethernet cable (aka LAN cable, internet
cable, broadband cable, 10/100/1000BT cable, or fat phone
cable) to connect to the port in your room
- You
must REGISTER your computer the first time you connect to their
servers.
- You
must be prepared to UPGRADE your system to meet their "standards",
which may include antivirus upgrades, Windows XP or Vista upgrades,
and/or Microsoft Office upgrades which REQUIRE the use of the
original installation disk, as well as any other diabolical
requirements they may demand.
- WIRELESS: There
is SOME wireless access on campus, however, if you have already
registered your computer using a WIRED connection, you will
NOT be able to re-use your account on the wireless connection.
Alternatively,
you may use the public computers in the college library, or just
use your time at NYSMF as a welcome break from the big bad internet.
Please
note that while we do NOT endorse one computer platform over
another ... 90% of our PC/Windows users have had nightmarish
experiences trying to connect to the internet at SUNY Oneonta,
while 0% of our Mac users had any problem at all. We're just
reporting the facts. That's all. No subliminal messages here.
Nope. |
