| Etiquette |
| How long are concerts? |
| Concerts are typically one and a half hours to two hours long, with one 15 minute intermission. If you have to leave a concert before it ends, please do so between program music pieces. |
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| What if I am late? |
To avoid disturbing other patrons and out of courtesy for the performers, please observe the following late seating policy:
After a concert begins, patrons will be seated during an appropriate pause in the program, or after a piece has been completed. |
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| What is concert etiquette? |
Remember do not unwrap candies, cough drops, during the concert, simply unwrap them before concert and at intermission.
Remember do not whisper, talk, hum, sing, or conduct with the music.
Remember turn off all cell phones, pagers, watch alarms, or anything else that rings or beeps.
Remember no food is ever allowed in the Recital Hall or Church Sanctuary. |
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| What should I wear? |
| No one wears tuxedos or evening gowns to our concerts. Business casual dress is acceptable. |
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| When do I clap? |
| There are two times to clap at a concert: as a greeting and as appreciation. People generally applaud when the guest artists come onstage. You usually do not applaud again until the end of each piece of music, to show your appreciation to the performers. It is generally considered proper concert etiquette to clap only after a piece is complete not between movements. When composers write music, they want the audience to hear the complete work as a total experience. Some longer pieces may have several sections, or movements, separated by a brief pause. The program list the movements in the piece, so you will know how many there are. If you are unsure, you can always wait for the rest of the audience to applaud. At this point, let loose. Yell” bravo!”(for men), “brava!”(for women), and “bravi!”(for the whole group). Keep the applause going for as long as you want to show the musicians, or soloist how much you enjoyed their performance. |
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| When should I arrive? |
| We suggest you arrive 30 minutes before the concert is scheduled to begin. This will give you time to find parking, find your seat, relax, and read the program. If you arrive an hour before the concert starts, you may listen to the pre-concert lecture and learn more about the pieces you will be hearing. Pre-concert lectures are 30 minutes before each concert. |
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