Concert Etiquette and Information for Youth

Photo by David Bazemore

Every concert is an opportunity to listen closely, notice something new, and share a live music experience with others. These simple tips can help you feel at home in the concert hall.

Listening Together

During the music, audiences and performers value a quiet space for listening. Before the concert begins, silence or turn off phones and other devices, and save conversations, snacks, and movement around the hall for before the performance, intermission, or after the concert whenever possible.

What to Wear

There is no required dress code. Wear what helps you feel comfortable and ready to enjoy the performance.

Applause and Timing

Some classical works have several sections, called movements. Audiences often wait to applaud until the end of the complete work. If you are unsure, follow the performers, the conductor, or the audience around you. Your concert program can also help you see how a work is organized.

After the Final Bow

When the performance ends, take a moment to applaud the musicians and conductor. Sometimes an encore follows the final applause, so it can be fun to watch what happens onstage before leaving. On the way home, share what you noticed, enjoyed, or want to hear again.

Meet the Orchestra

Orchestras are made up of musicians playing different families of instruments. Their seating can change from one concert or piece to another, so use the chart above as a guide and look for what is different when you attend a performance.

Strings

Violins, violas, cellos, and double basses make up the string section. Listen for their range of sounds, from the high violins to the low basses, and notice how the concertmaster leads the first violins.

Woodwinds

Flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons are part of the woodwind section. You may also spot instruments such as piccolo, English horn, bass clarinet, contrabassoon, or saxophone in some pieces.

Brass

Trumpets, horns, trombones, and tuba make up the brass section. Listen for the bright, bold, or warm colors they bring to the orchestra’s sound.

Percussion

Percussion instruments add rhythm, color, and emphasis. Look and listen for timpani, cymbals, drums, and other instruments, which may be placed toward the back of the stage.

The Conductor

The conductor guides the orchestra’s tempo, balance, and expression. Watch how the conductor uses gestures to cue musicians and shape changes in volume, pace, and character.