Concert and Performance Etiquette
1. Parents and students should plan to stay
for the ENTIRE evening of performances on the night of student’s band concert.
2.
Seating is provided for students while they are not performing.
Students need to remain seated in the provided area for the non-performing band.
3.
As a band member/performer, always arrive early for
warm-up, with instrument and all necessary items for performing (mouthpiece, reeds,
etc.).
4. The final moments before a performance set the mental and emotional
tone for the performance itself. Strive to focus your attention on these.
5. While en route to
the stage area, imagine that you are already performing and act
accordingly. No audience deserves impolite performers approaching the
stage; a negative impression is immediately formed and is hard to overcome.
6. Concert attire must
be worn in an appropriate manner with shirt tucked in and shoes on. Leave hats and other
items such as these at home. Do not untuck
shirt, change shoes, etc., until you have left the school or
performance site for the final time.
7. Once on stage, be
aware that the audience is watching. Look proud and glad to be there. When
not attending to the tasks of getting a stand, chair and instrument ready, focus
your attention on the podium so you don’t miss an instruction or cue to begin.
8. While on stage, be
sure to do nothing that would be distracting to the audience, such
as talking with someone in the ensemble. If something out of the ordinary happens,
focus your attention on the Director rather than bringing the audiences’ attention to
the problem. REMEMBER that the audience will follow your eyes!
9. Upon completion of
your performance, follow previously given instructions, such as standing in unison with
the ensemble to show courteous appreciation for applause and
how to exit the stage.
10. When you are in the audience, please remember to respond as you would
like audiences to respond while you are performing. Nothing is more disrespectful
than members of the organization being rude while others
perform. APPROPRIATE APPLAUSE is expected.
11. You should not move around or talk in an area while others are
rehearsing or performing.
12.
Please remember to be courteous to others. Do not enter or exit the
performing area during performances. Turn your cell phone off
or place it in silent mode.
THE TEN RULES OF CONCERT ETIQUETTE
(For Adults)
1. Refrain from talking.
This is the first and greatest rule. It also includes
whispering to or disciplining your other children.
2. Refrain from unwrapping noisy candy wrappers during the performance.
If the composer wanted to include crinkle paper noises to the music, he/she
would have written it into the parts.
3. Turn off pagers, cell phones and watch alarms.
While many cell
phones and pagers have symphonic-like rings, they don’t always fit into the musical
score, nor do they provide pleasant sounds for your neighbors.
4. Do not wave to your children during the concert.
After all, they do
know who you are already, and they know you are there; you most likely brought them to
the concert.
5. Do not take flash photography.
You do not want your child to fall off
the stage from blindness, do you?
6. Do not walk down the center aisle with your video camera.
Video cameras work just as well from the back of the auditorium. (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, next time
your child’s song(s) could be last.
8. Applaud at appropriate times.
Some musical selections have several
sections. Remember, it’s not over until all of the sections of that selection have been
performed.
9. Do not leave the auditorium 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 might just be surprised
how good your student sounds when the other students join in!
www.musicfriends.org
MARCHING
BAND CONTEST ETIQUETTE
One of the most important parts of a band show is the
audience. It is very disappointing for band members who spend weeks and months preparing
a show to walk into a large stadium and find that the seats are empty. There are many
types of spectators at a band show and they have many different reasons for coming to
the show. However, they all have one thing in common and that is that they should be
allowed to enjoy the experience.
Things you should do at a band show.
· Support all bands. Regardless of which band is on the field you should applaud or even
cheer when they do a good job. Reaction from the crowd will encourage the band to
perform better
and will result in a more enjoyable show for the audience.
· Watch the whole show. Observe different elements of the bands performance. Your
interest may be percussion but, you might be surprised with the work the color guard is
doing. Often, several things are going on at once in a show. If you watch a show several
times you may see something new on each occasion.
· Show up early. This is especially true for supporters of larger class bands. Many
smaller class bands have great shows. Arrive early at the next show and see what you
have been missing.
· Buy something from the concession stand. In many cases a band competition may be the
major source of a band programs yearly budget. They have made a large investment and
would appreciate your support. In most cases you will find that the prices are much less
than what you will pay at your local movie theater.
Things that you
should avoid
It is important to realize that although it is fun to visit
with family and friends during a contest, it is unfair to distract other spectators from
enjoying the show. This is true at any performance, including a marching band
performance. Be respectful of all other spectators and hopefully they will extend you
the same courtesy.
· Do not leave or enter the stadium while a band is performing. Try to avoid any
unnecessary movement, especially while a band is performing. At most contest the time
for each band is fifteen minutes. Each show last around 7 to 9 minutes so that gives you
plenty of time between bands to leave the seating area for concessions or to enter the
stadium.
· Do not talk on your cell phone. Turn off your cell phone or set it to vibrate. If
someone calls you on your cell phone you can return the call between bands. Please do
not talk on your phone during a performance.
· Do not allow children to play in the stands and distract
other spectators. Obviously, children are the future of this activity. It is good for
them to see why big brother and big sister are always at practice and are not at home.
However for their safety and as a courtesy to others they should not be allowed to run
up and down steps and play in the aisles so others may enjoy the show.
· Do not make negative comments about other bands. That color guard uniform that you
don’t like may have been made by that guard members mother that is sitting behind you.
That man sitting in front of you could be the arranger or drill designer or even the
band director. If you don’t have something nice to say then you probably should not say
it. Remember how hard your bands members have worked to get their show ready for the
field. Chances are that the other bands have worked just as hard to get their show
ready.
· Do not obstruct the view of others. Please avoid standing in front of people trying to
watch the show. If you have a banner to display, try to do so from the top of the stands
or in some way that others can still see the bands.