Musical Etiquette.

This week's concert left me with plenty of ideas regarding ensembles, rehearsals, and concerts. I've been in this music gig for almost 13 years, and attended hours worth of HWE rehearsals and collegiate concerts within the last 8 years, so I suppose what I have learned just by watching people is fairly credible. I must educate. This is how you act when you are involved with music.

The director:
I haven't had as much experience with this, but I know enough to make a few nice pointers.
1. Never say "I don't know"
2. No one likes a director that wastes time.
3. Positive attitude = positive results. You're not going to get anything out of a band if you tell them they suck all the time. Then again, you're not going to get anything if you tell them they're perfect. A balance is necessary.
4. Be polite to the piano accompanist. Piano is not easy, and if you're rude enough, they have every right to quit on you. This is often overlooked, but I realize from my own limited experiences as an accompanist that there is nothing better than an appreciative director. If the pianist makes a mistake, NEVER tell them what they missed. It's OK to stop and try the mistaken section again. If the pianist makes a mistake, they know. You don't have to state the obvious. Always say "thank you" when rehearsal is over.
5. Never put down a player individually. If you have a problem, wait until after rehearsal to address it. I've seen plenty of bad things happen regarding public humiliation.
6. Give breaks during long rehearsals. It is not healthy to force chops. This also keeps people's minds fresh because it breaks the monotony of rehearsing for so long.

The musician:
1. Be quiet and respectful of the director during rehearsal. In the band world, the director is always right, followed by the field commander (during marching season), or the section leader (during concert season). If you disagree with them, bite the bullet and wait until after rehearsal to discuss it.
2. When in doubt, do what the section leader does.
3. Practice on your own time. Show up to rehearsal 10 minutes early, warm up, tune up, and be ready to play a few minutes before rehearsal begins.
4. NEVER GLOAT. I don't care if you're first chair in the President's Own, you should never brag about yourself to others. This tends to catch up with you once you make a mistake.
5. You are not the only person in the band. Whole notes are not solos. Listening across the ensemble for balance is essential for making nice sounds.
6. Never talk while the director is working with another section.
7. Always have a pencil. If you miss a note more than twice, mark it.
8. Be a good stand partner if need be. I always hated sharing a stand with stand hogs that never would move the stand over a few inches so I could see the music.


The listener:
Whether the listener has any musical ability or not, everyone has some disposition to listen intelligently. Intelligent listening comes only from wanting to listen intelligently. I suppose that goes with anything. If you want to be good at something, the desire must be present.

This goes with my ideas of auditorium rules.
1. TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONE OR OTHER ELECTRONICS. Nothing pisses me off more than when someone's cell phone starts ringing right in the middle of a sonata. If you are going to a concert, you're there to listen to the music, not answer the phone. All phones have a silent mode. What really bugs me is the fact that the concert venue usually reminds people to turn off their cell phones.

2. People should not bring their crying 3-month-old to a concert. This is inconsiderate for both the performers, the remainder of the audience, and the baby. People go to concerts to listen to the music, not crying babies. This includes parents of small children. Either you should accept the responsibility of being stuck at home with the kid you wanted, or hire a babysitter for the evening. There's no way you can enjoy a concert when you have to deal with your crying kid.

3. How to keep from clapping when you're not supposed to:
I've had my fair share of trouble with this one. Knowledge comes with experience and exposure to an extensive amount of literature after a while. Before long, if you go to enough concerts, you begin to memorize the basic outline of most standard literature. My best suggestion for realizing when to clap or not clap is to pay attention to the program notes. DO NOT CLAP BETWEEN MOVEMENTS. Most programs include movements. An idea that never fails is to wait 4 seconds after the ensemble has stopped, and if people are still clapping, then you know for sure.

4. If you need to leave the concert early, or you arrive late:
WAIT UNTIL THE PIECE THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING PLAYED IS OVER.
There's nothing worse than a distraction coming from someone in the audience that decided to leave 10 seconds after a piece has started, or they meander into the auditorium as loud and obnoxious as they possibly can. This is one of my pet peeves. If grandma is having a heart attack, then by all means, leave whenever, but not if you are thirsty. You can wait if you're thirsty. Be considerate of the musicians on stage that have busted they're butts to provide you with entertainment.

5. Shut your face during the concert. People go to concerts to listen to music, not listen to you jabber the entire time. If you happen to see someone talking while you are trying to listen, shoot them the "evil eye". This usually ends any ruckus they are making.