Concert Etiquette

We’ve all experienced, seen, or at least heard of certain rules for attending a formal orchestra or band concert. These "rules of etiquette" have been in place for many years and they exist to help make the performance as enjoyable as possible for both performers and audience. However, there are dozens of etiquette lists floating around out there, so instead of re-hashing what has already been written, let's delve into a few of the more important edicts of concert attendance.

Probably the most paramount rule to remember is: Please remain quiet during a piece. Obviously, this should be done to allow your fellow concertgoers to enjoy the performance (and to allow the musicians to concentrate) without extraneous conversations, candy wrappers, baby outbursts, watch alarms, or cell phones. All professional performers and most community groups will make a pre-concert announcement by simply asking that you either finish your personal business before the show starts, or be prepared to leave quickly and quietly if something does come up. If you absolutely must get someone's attention, lean over and whisper.

I was at an NSO (National Symphony Orchestra) concert where Maestro Leonard Slatkin had just finished explaining the background on the next piece. He turned to the orchestra, raised his arms, and then the entire hall filled with the chirping of a cell phone! Slatkin patiently put his hands down, honed in on the perpetrator, and after the second ring, calmly said something akin to "Go ahead and answer – we'll wait." About ten seconds later, he was able to start the piece. I silently applauded him for his actions. We musicians understand that emergencies do arise, but it's only fair that audience members do their part to eliminate/minimize disruptions.

Applause is probably the most wonderful non-musical sound a performer can hear. It tells us that there's an appreciative audience out there, and it spurs us on to give our best for our adoring fans. In fact, there are a few different ways to show us that you enjoyed the music. However, there are specific times when clapping or other sounds of approval are frowned upon.

Clapping in the middle of a piece, even after a particularly impressive solo, is a no-no unless you are watching a Dixieland combo or a Swing band. It sounds stuffy, but that's the golden rule: hold your applause until the end. Also, during a piece with multiple movements (sections), please do not clap in between movements, as it is considered bad form. Quietly stretching, clearing the throat, or politely coughing are fine, but please hold the rousing applause. It may go against natural human tendency, but you can take a cue from the conductor: If his/her arms are still raised, the piece is not over. Wait until the baton is down by his/her sides; then you may clap.

Speaking of which, clapping is not the only way to show appreciation. For those who like to vocalize, you can go Italian and shout, "Bravo!" (great). If French is more your style, you can use the timeless, "Encore!" (more) to try and get the performers to put forth one final effort. Of course, not everyone is quite that continental, so a more American "Yay!" might work, too. Of course, any level of suitable vocalization depends on the performers and the venue. (i.e. After enjoying the Chicago Philharmonic's rendition of Beethoven's 9th Symphony, yelling "You guys ROCK!" might have the rest of the audience thinking you're some sort of reprobate.)

So...keep any unruly kids at home, arrive early, pop that cough drop before the lights dim, take your hat off, and enjoy the musical sounds that pour forth from the stage. When appropriate, let us know if you enjoyed our performance, and you will always be invited back.

For more on concert etiquette, please follow the links below. Thanks.

National Association of Music Education

Columbia Concert Band

Wikipedia

Yo Ho, Blow the Stand Down

It's a good bet that most musicians rely on their sheet music staying in front of them during a performance. Any movement will come solely from the performer as they play their instrument or, if necessary, turn pages, accompanied by the comforting knowledge that the sheet music will remain as placed. This is not a problem in a concert hall, theater, church, private home, or any other indoor venue, but all bets are off when the group moves outside for any reason.

Most of us musicians have played outside and many can tell stories of performing during extreme cold, sweltering heat, torrential rain, sometimes snow, or maybe even a strange odor wafting across the stage. One of my most vivid memories of college marching band was being pelted by sleet during a halftime show. What was our feature piece? A hot Latin number called "I Go To Rio". Gee, how appropriate.

However, nothing matches the unadulterated terror (okay, maybe just nervousness) that strikes the very hearts of most band musicians like the dreaded wind gust. You're playing along and the page is suddenly snatched from your folder by an unseen hand! Not only does it disrupt your concentration, but it will most likely also disrupt the concentration of the unfortunate band mate whose head it smacks into, if you're lucky. If not, I hope you had that march memorized...

To prevent this, a majority of us use clothespins, different types of clips, or those thick slabs of polymethyl methacrylate (commonly known as "Plexiglass") to keep the music in place. These usually do the trick, and yet it boggles my mind how many players do not fully prepare the foundation of their little Sheet Music Kingdom: their music stand. All the clips in the world will not help if your entire stand is blown over, friends. Also, the higher you raise your stand, the more precarious the situation becomes. (Percussionists, can you relate?)

So, you can continue trying to balance your entire folder on one of those wimpy wire stands, or you can get something solid that will withstand a blustery onslaught. Yes, it helps to put only the music you're playing on the stand, but some stands are so light that it's hardly worth the trouble. Then there's the health hazard – if your stand falls forward, the head, back and arms of the person in front of you are in danger.

I recommend Wenger or Hamilton for heavy stands, and Manhasset to a degree (although some models are still kind of light). They're easy to carry, many fold up, and I've seen these (and others) listed in the $20-$50 range, although some are more expensive. (Hey, if you can buy a musical instrument, you can shell out some bucks for a decent music stand!) You can find good stands at Giardinelli or Musician's Friend or simply type "music stands" into your favorite search engine. For those in the Maryland suburbs of DC, you could also try my favorite local outlet for equipment: Chuck Levin's, in Wheaton.

The next time your see a loose stand spin around like it's possessed, or someone's stand falls and their music suddenly swoops upwards like a flock of spooked pigeons, ask yourself: Isn't your peace of mind worth having a more wind-resistant stand? I bet it is.