Concert Etiquette Rules

Hey Everyone,

I know some of you are planning to come to my concert tonight, so I thought I'd give you a little education on concert etiquette, just so you know the rules for classical concerts - it's a good thing to know! :)

1. Enter & exit the seating area only before or after a selection, never in the middle, preferably during applause if you are late or leaving early. Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes ahead of time to avoid being late. Classical audiences can be very unforgiving of disruptions.

2. Never talk during the music or in between movements of a piece. If you must say something, write it down in the margins of your program & show it to them instead.

3. Cell phones should be powered OFF during the performance. It is rude to text during the concert, and also the frequencies of the recording equipment, if present, can be disrupted by cell phone communications.

4. Food, drink, candy, gum, & mints should be consumed outside of the performance venue before or after the performance, or during intermission. They food & drink are not permitted in most venues, and candy, gum, & mints can be disruptive.

5. In general, do your best to keep silent during the concert. Avoid rustling in a purse, opening a velcro wallet, using cell phones, flipping noisily through the concert program, etc. Pay close attention to the intricate balance between silence and sound in the music as it performed.

6. It is customary to applaud the conductor when he/she comes onto the stage. He/she will typically bow to the audience before beginning the concert.

7. Some classical pieces of music are broken down into parts called "movements." In between these movements the music will stop for a few seconds. Do not applaud until the conductor has dropped his hands and has turned around to acknowledge the audience. It is a good idea to wait until several people have started clapping if you're not sure. It's embarrassing to be the only one applauding when it's not an appropriate time.

8. Whistling, yelling, or otherwise congratulating the performers is generally not appropriate for classical music concerts. Simply applaud with enthusiasm if you enjoyed the performance.


Hope you all enjoy the concert, or attend a classical concert sometime in your future to practice these guidelines! :)