Four levels of membership exist in LYS – permanent member, probationary member, alternate, and appointee.  Musicians in all four categories must adhere to LYS policies.

1.  A Permanent Member is a musician who has successfully auditioned for LYS two consecutive years.  This member will not be required to audition for third or fourth years of participation.  If, for some reason, a permanent member is unable to attend rehearsals or performances or violates LYS guidelines, the member may be removed and replaced with an alternate or appointee.

2.  A Probationary Member is a musician who has successfully auditioned for LYS for his or her first and second year of participation. If a probationary member is unable to attend rehearsals or performances or violates LYS guidelines, the member may be removed and replaced with an alternate or appointee.

3.  An Alternate is a musician who has auditioned for the ensemble and has been named to be the musician who will step in at a given instrument in case the permanent or probationary member on that instrument is unable to continue.  The alternate musician may be asked to join the ensemble at any time during the season.  Alternates are normally chosen at the spring auditions, but no requirement exists ensuring that alternates will be auditioned at other times or be necessarily selected for any instrument.

4.  An Appointee is a musician who has been appointed by the music director and the LYS coaches to replace a musician who is unable to continue in LYS.  An appointee will be appointed only when an alternate had not been selected during regular auditions for that instrument.  Appointees need to audition in the spring for the following year if they wish to attain probationary or permanent member status.