Concert Etiquette
for Audience Members
1. Refrain from talking.
This is the first and greatest rule. This includes whispering to discipling your other children.
2. Refrain from unwrapping noisy candy wrappers during the performance.
If the composer wanted to include crinkle paper noises in the music, he/she would have written it into the parts.
3. Turn off all cell phones, pagers, watch alarms, and other noise making devices.
While many phone and pagers now have very symphonic-like rings, they don't always fit into the musical score, nor do they provide pleasant sounds to your neighbors.
4. Do not wave to your child during the concert.
After all, they do know who you are and they already know you are there; you most likely brought them to the concert.
5. Do not take flash photography.
You don't want your child to walk off the edge of the riser from flash blindness, do you?
6. Please do not walk up to the performance area with your video camera.
Video cameras work just as well from the back of the gym (besides, the light is usually not good enough for video taping anyway).
7. Do not leave as soon as your child's portion of the concert is over.
All of the students deserve a full audience for their performances. Remember, the next time your child's song could be last!
8. Applaud at appropriate times.
Some music has several sections. Remember, it's not over until all the sections have been performed. A helpful hint, when the conductor's arms come down, it's time to clap. If they stay up, the song is still going.
9. Do not leave the gym during the music.
Wait for a break in the concert to visit the restroom, unless you are carrying a screaming child, in which case you should leave quietly and quickly. PLEASE!
10. Go to the concert expecting the best.
You just might be surprised how good your student sounds when the other students join in!