Class Notes: What to Do at a Concert

Different kinds of performance settings require different kinds of listening and participation. At an amplified outdoor rock concert or sports event, we can hear nearly everything (not that we always need to), even above the din of the crowd. A solo lute concert in a candlelit church invites a much closer kind of listening, and in turn a quieter and less physical kind of attention from the audience. At the same time, there are ever new distractions for classical audiences, such as mobile phones.

To young concertgoers just starting to venture into halls where they'll hear classical performances, the expectations for audience behavior are usually not explained and can be otherwise confusing. Is it OK to talk during the performance, as one would do at a folk or rap concert? Can you arrive late, as baseball fans finding their seats in a stadium often do? Text? Answer your phone?

The Class Notes™ video What To Do at a Concert is designed to help teachers clarify some of the expectations for classical audiences. It uses humor to get at the heart of why classical music calls for a more expansive and focused share of our attention than other kids of performance do — and why that kind of generous listening is worth it.

To view more Class Notes™ videos, go here.