This document provides guidelines for etiquette at classical music concerts. It recommends avoiding distracting noises during performances, dressing appropriately, only clapping between movements or at the end of a piece, following the lead of other audience members on when to clap, clapping to acknowledge performers when they come on stage, and staying after for potential encores at the end. The document encourages learning classical music etiquette to help everyone enjoy the performances.

1. Classical Music
Audience
Etiquette

2. Quiet Please

3. Audience noises like
crinkling wrappers
whispers
cell phones or
someone suddenly leaving
can be distracting for the audience as
well as the performers.

4. Try to keep these kinds of sounds to a
minimum and use breaks between
pieces and the intermission to leave or
cough.
http://100a215.blogspot.com/2011/06/i
mportance-of-body-language-in.html

5. Dress

6. Many classical music concert-goers
tend to dress up a little to go to a
concert. Even if you don’t come in your
formal-wear, you might want to avoid
wearing anything too grungy.
http://www.gazprom.com/social/supportingcultural-projects/chinas-young-talent/

7. When to Clap

8. It can be difficult to know when to clap
at a classical concert. That’s because
some musical pieces are broken up into
sections, called “movements.”
http://www.martinhigginsmusi
c.com/the-engraving-process/

9. It can be tempting to clap between
movements, but audience members
who follow good concert etiquette only
clap after the last movement of a piece.
http://www.papermag.com/2008/0
6/eight_items_or_less_clapping_g.
php

10. If you’re not sure when to clap, just
follow the lead of the audience
members around you.
http://en.minghui.org/html/ar
ticles/2008/3/27/95811.html

11. It’s also customary to clap for performers
when they come on stage, before a
single note is played. This is to thank and
acknowledge the performers for sharing
their talents.
http://www.superstock.com/stockphotos-images/1589R-07471

12. End of the Concert

13. At the end of a concert, if there is
enough clapping, the performer or
performers may return to the stage to
bow again or even perform another
piece, called an “encore.”

14. Stick around after the last piece has
ended and you may have the
opportunity to see even more wonderful
music being performed!
http://counterpoint22.wordpress.c
om/2010/12/12/the-deadly-risksof-classical-music/

15. Show respect for a long-standing
tradition of sharing beautiful music by
becoming familiar with the rules of
etiquette at classical concerts. Help
everyone enjoy the music!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/festivalsandevents/7770820
/Classical-music-festivals-2010-summer-guide.html

16. Adapted from the Community Arts Music Association (CAMA)
website: http://www.camasb.org/yad/yad-etiquette.shtml