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...WHAT DO I DO?
Walking into a grand concert hall or an intimate recital hall can be very intimidating. Here are some tips to remember about classical concert going:
Always be on time! In classical music, unlike pop music, you cannot be fashionably late for a performance. If you are late, you will probably have to wait until the next movement or piece to be seated. Concert performances usually begin 4 minutes after the hour (can you believe it!), so leave plenty of time for traffic and parking.
If you have to use the restroom during the performance, open a candy wrapper, flip through the program or cough, try to do it during the loud parts since most halls are designed to hear a pin drop during soft passages.
Many classical pieces are broken up into movements (there is a pause between each movement). For example, sonatas usually have three movements while and symphonies usually have four. DO NOT CLAP BETWEEN MOVEMENTS. If you are at all confused, don’t clap until other people start clapping. For some unknown reason, everything freezes after a captivating slow movement. Try not to be the first person to move or make a sound. It’s a magical, almost mystical, time in classical music that’s nearly as significant as the music itself.
Backstage: If you have the opportunity to meet a musician after a concert, simply complement them on their performance and move on down the line. They are tired and probably have a lot of people to greet. If you don’t know what to say, you might mention a part of piece that you really enjoyed. Do not get into a deep conversation with them and don’t gush! Although it’s good for their ego, they can spot insincerity instantly. If the artist is a pianist or other instrumentalist, don’t shake their hand too firmly. A reception full of hard handshakes can hurt someone who makes a living with their hands. If you didn’t like the performance, don’t let your friends talk you into going backstage.
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Classical 24/7
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Now That I’m Here...
Concert etiquette for the rest of us
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We Couldn’t Have Said It Better
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