Frequently Asked Questions about attending a classical music concert.

Listening to live music can be an amazing experience. Live music can fill you with emotion. Depending on the pieces played, you may feel joyous, nostalgic, sad, energized, contemplative or even romantic. It can be a lot of fun to watch musicians create music, bringing their own feelings into a piece and making it leap off the stage, impacting the mood of audience.

Some people think that Classical concerts are stuffy events. Not true! However, like anything else, there are a few rules to follow, designed to make everyone’s concert experience more enjoyable. Below are some Frequently Asked Questions that may answer your questions about attending a Chicago Sinfonietta event.

Do I have to dress up?

Contrary to popular belief, people do not wear tuxedos and fancy gowns to Classical concerts. Most people do like to dress up a little, usually in business attire. Casual clothes are also fine. Wear whatever you think is appropriate for a festive occasion. Most importantly – have fun!

When do I clap?

The most confusing thing about Classical music is knowing when to clap. Works of Classical music often have several sections or movements. Instead of clapping when the music stops after each movement, proper etiquette requires that you wait until the entire piece is complete. You can discover how many movements will be played by looking at your program book. Each selection will have the piece’s title, followed by the movements, which are often in Italian. There is usually a brief pause of about 15 seconds between movements.

You can follow along with this to know when each movement stops and, finally, when the piece is over and you can clap. If all else fails, you can always wait until you hear others start clapping and show your enthusiasm then.

Is it OK to arrive late?

If you arrive late, you will not be let into the concert hall until after the conclusion of the first piece on the program. This is so that your entrance won’t interfere with other patron’s listening experience. If you want to experience the entire concert, arrive early so that you can get settled into your seat, read through the program book, and be ready to listen to the music.

How long will the concert last?

How long a concert lasts depends on the music that is being played. Classical concerts typically last between ninety minutes and two hours, including an intermission. Due to set changes, such as bringing a piano onstage, sometimes there is more than one intermission.

Can I talk during the concert?

Talking and whispering during concerts is not recommended. Try to be as quiet as possible so as not to disturb the other people in the audience or distract the musicians on stage — yes, they can hear you! Focus on the music and the way it makes you feel. Between pieces or at intermission, you can share your emotions with your neighbor. During the performance, please remain quiet.

Can I bring my cell phone?

As a courtesy to the other patrons, please turn off cell phones and pagers before the concert begins. Even on the vibrate mode, the ringing of a cell phone can disturb the people around you. It is better to have them completely turned off during the performance. And don’t forget to make sure they are turned off after intermission as well.

What if I need to cough?

Of course, you can’t avoid coughing. However, please do what you can to minimize the interruption by bringing cough drops and unwrapping them before the concert starts. Have them on hand so that you don’t need to dig in your bag or pocket, creating more noise.

Will I recognize any of the music?

You may recognize more than you expect. A lot of television shows, cartoons, commercials, and movies use Classical music in their themes or as background music. Some familiar songs include Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries in Bugs Bunny cartoons, Rossini’s William Tell Overture as the theme to the Lone Ranger, and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in United Airlines commercials.

Am I supposed to understand the music?

Music is meant to be felt or experienced, and to provoke thought. Listen to the rhythms and the way the instruments interact with each other. Does it suggest anything to you? Classical music can be funny, with surprising interruptions from a tuba, or sad, which melancholy melodies from a violin. It can make you reflect upon memories or make a spiritual discovery. However you react to the music is correct. There is no wrong or right way to hear or understand the music. The important thing is to simply listen.

Understanding what the composer intended with the piece can influence how you are affected by it. The program notes can help you with this. They will describe what the composer was thinking about or if he or she was trying to emulate sounds found in everyday life. Knowing this information is not required, but it can make for a more powerful listening experience. There are also a number of terrific web sites where you can find information about specific pieces. We particularly recommend www.meetthemusic.org

How do the string players know which way to bow?

The stringed instruments are played with a bow that is made of horsehair attached to a length of thin wood. When the hair is drawn across the strings of the instrument, it causes them to vibrate and produce sound waves.

In order for all the string players to play together and sound alike, they try to match the direction in which they bow (up or down). During rehearsal, the principal players of each string section will decide how to bow the music. It is then written into the parts. The other musicians also constantly watch the principal players to see how they are playing and try to match them as closely as possible. The result is a unified sound.

Are the musicians really paying attention to the conductor?

Many people wonder what the conductor is really doing, waving a baton and gesturing to the orchestra. Although it’s often hard to tell, the conductor is giving the musicians a great deal of information, such as tempo (how fast or slow), dynamics (how loud or soft), phrasing (indicating the energy of a musical line), and most importantly, when to start and stop. There are also many other more subtle things the conductor is indicating, such as the balance between different instruments or sections of the orchestra, the articulation of a rhythm, and the style in which he or she wishes to have the music played. Often, the conductor is simply reminding the musicians of things that were discussed in rehearsal.

On many stages, it is difficult for one side of the orchestra to hear what is happening on the other side, so the conductor serves to unite everyone. In a concerto, when a soloist is performing in front of the orchestra, the conductor becomes truly crucial. Since the soloist is projecting out to the audience, the musicians have a very difficult time hearing them, so the conductor must keep everything locked together and anticipate what the soloist will do.

What’s up with all the people coming and going from the stage?

As the concert begins, most of the members of the Orchestra will be seated on stage. Then, the concertmaster (the first chair violinist) will come out and take a bow, and the audience claps in greeting. The concertmaster then turns to the orchestra and indicates for the oboe to sound an A. The orchestra members use this to tune their instruments.

Next, the conductor and any soloists come out and the audience applauds in greeting again. As a greeting to the orchestra, the conductor will often shake hands with the concertmaster, then bow to greet the audience. Finally, the conductor will turn from the audience and, with a gesture of the baton, begin the music.

The next time the audience applauds is after the completion of the first piece of music, at which time the conductor will turn around and face the audience. Then, he’ll leave the stage. If the applause continues, the conductor may return to the stage to bow and may also invite certain members of the orchestra to stand up and bow. Eventually, he’ll leave the stage and the orchestra and stagehands will prepare for the next piece. Once the stage is ready, the conductor will return, and the music will fill your ears once again.