Concert Etiquette

What is it?

Concert etiquette refers to a set of social norms of people who attend musical performances. These norms vary depending on the type of music performance. We invite patrons of all ages to attend our performances. We also want all audience members to enjoy our performances and have a pleasant experience. There are some simple helpful tips of concert etiquette that may enable everyone to have an enjoyable experience.

Helpful Tips

Arrive on Time

Arriving late to a live performance is distracting to others. If you are late, please enter quietly and between selections from the rear of the concert hall.

Turn off Cell Phones / Pagers / Other Electronics

Cell phone noise (ringing and talking) is a distraction to other concert attendees and to the performers. Please do not talk on cell phones during the performance. All other electronic devices should be turned off when the performance begins and remain off until intermission or the conclusion of the concert. If you bring children to the concert, please bring quiet alternatives to keep them “entertained”.

No Food or Drink Inside Concert Hall

Eating and drinking during concerts is generally not encouraged. The main concern is of course cleanliness and noise. Please be considerate of those around you and be sure to clean up after yourself.

Small Children

Small children and infants have a difficult time sitting quietly in formal concerts.  If you bring a small child or infant, please be considerate of others and remove the child from the performance if the child is crying or is disruptive. Please exit the concert hall as discreetly as possible until the child has settled down.

Exiting the Performance

Leaving the performance prior to completion is a distraction to others. If you must leave, please exit quietly and discreetly through the rear exit.

Applause

Please hold your applause until the end of multi-movement works -you do not applaud between movements (even if it was wonderful!).

Other Guidelines

1. Use the restroom before the concert!
2. Go easy on perfumes and colognes. Many people are allergic and it can cause unnecessary sneezing, throat clearing, or other distractions.
3. If you bring a child, teach etiquette as part of the experience.
4. Plan ahead: Unwrap all candies and cough drops before the concert begins.
5. Before the concert begins, make sure cell phones, beepers, and watch alarms are off or set to silent.
6. Refrain from talking, whispering, humming, singing- along, or beating time with a body part. It is very distracting to others!
7. Refrain from filing through a purse or bag until a pause or intermission.
8. Stay for the entire concert. Leaving while the concert is in progress is discourteous and distracting.
9. Just remember, as a rule of thumb, don’t do anything that makes people notice you instead of the performance.