Musician on a rant...

[mrs_hower726]

Why is common courtesy not common when you are listening to a musical or theatrical peformance? I'm talking all situations, concerts that your children are performing in, professional symphonies, ballets, operas, musicals, the list goes on and on.

For example:

Cell phones/pagers/beepers/anything that goes beep: Turn them off! If you can't turn them off for 2 hours (on average) then maybe you shouldn't be there. It is very disrespectful for the performers.

Screaming/crying babies: If you have a screaming child, please take them out of the room. The performers work too hard to be distracted by a screaming child and the other concertgoers don't appreciate the unwanted sound either. I can't wait for the recording of the concert I played in yesterday, I know 2 of the pieces will have screaming baby in them) We'd rather hear the door of you leaving with screaming baby then to hear screaming baby stay (also, when the conductor gives you a look, it's not good.)

I know it's not always possible, but think of having a babysitter if you plan on going to a performance that will be a decent length of time. It is so hard for a young child to sit and be quiet and behave for a long period of time, especially when the performance is not kid oriented.

Photography: Don't take pictures while the people on stage are performing. Flash photography is EXTREMELY distracting and can cause accidents on stage with actors who can't see for a couple of moments due to the flash of a camera. I don't know how many times I've been temporarily blinded with a flash and either played incorrect notes or had to stop for a moment until I could focus on the music again.

Wow, sorry to go off on such a long rant, but when you go to one of these concerts, be courteous for the performers and actors, we really do appreciate it!

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

I've been very lucky at the theater & ballet the last few years. I hope the streak continues

 

[olena]

Right on!

Thankfully, our audience is savvy enough and we rarely have a problem. When we do concerts with a college group, we get more of the parents who have no sense of concert etiquette.

Sorry about your concert. I've got one coming up this Saturday, with a solo, too.

 

[ckay87]

I agree with you about everything. However, I'm more forgiving than your average bear regarding cell phones. If I'm not reminded, I often forget to turn it off. I almost never use the stinkin thing, yet there it sits in my purse, just waiting to go off at the wrong moment. Did I ever tell you about the call I received during prayers at church????

If you're involved in regular performances where cell phone interuptions are common, I would say a pre-show reminder is essential. Maybe someday we'll get to the point where it's second-nature for people to remember. But I am personally not there yet.

 

[olena]

If you're involved in regular performances where cell phone interuptions are common, I would say a pre-show reminder is essential. Maybe someday we'll get to the point where it's second-nature for people to remember. But I am personally not there yet.

The President of our choir does that, which may be why we have had few phone problems. Our conductor also hosts a casual, pre-concert discussion about the music and the composers, which has become very popular and helps set the mood for the evening.

 

[goofy4tink]

It amazes me to hear, yes..hear...., how many people pay no attention to the 'turn off all pagers, cellphones, beepers, etc. during the performance' spiel. How do I know?? Because it's those people, who feel the rules don't apply to them, that have their cellphones ringing away. Then, you hear them say...'Yeah, I'm at the show now.' and they continue chatting!! In our community theater auditorium, the cellphones mess with the sound system we have...it's really nasty. The producer has actually had to go back out on stage at intermission to remind people to turn the electronices off.

And crying babies..man, I can't imagine why someone brings a baby to a show/concert. How uncomfortable it must be for the person who has to care for the child. Surely they would have had a better time if they had gotten a sitter.

 

[agnes!]

If I were onstage and I heard a cell-phone go off and the recipient started a conversation (as opposed to - *gasp!* - not taking the call), I would stop the show and step out of character to do so. I would ask the person if the call was important and tell them we'd hold the show until they were finished.

agnes!

 

[TishaB]

Oh gee....now you've poked the bear.

I realize my child is not a professional dancer but she has been in training for 9 years and I've shelled out lots and lots of time and money. Our recitals are held in a very nice performing arts theater. Do not wear baseball hats or shorts, of course turn off your cell phone, if you, as an adult must absolutely leave the theater before intermission, please do so between dance numbers. And my biggest theater pet peeve........do not upon pain of death shout out little ashleigh, carol or whoever during the performance. We are in a theater not a gymnasium...this is not basketball game!!

Whew, thanks I needed that.

TishaB

 

[Camicar]

My dd attended an arts preschool and I was consistently amazed at how many parents would come to their children's recitals and spend the entire time talking on their cell phones. If you don't care about ruining the experience for the other parents, how about respecting your own child?! At dd's graduation -- which was a half-hour long variety show put on solely by the kids, my dh and I ended up telling a front row parent to either shut up or leave. Everyone else started clapping when he put away the cell phone -- but the problem is that no one is willing to stand up to these clods, so their rudeness and disrespect go unchecked. To wit:

Screaming/crying babies: If you have a screaming child, please take them out of the room. The performers work too hard to be distracted by a screaming child and the other concertgoers don't appreciate the unwanted sound either.

No kidding. I was recently looking at a published scrapbook layout about a young girl's piano recital and it was really all about how poised her dd was in the face of some baby screaming throughout the entire thing. It incensed me. Why didn't the teacher stop the recital and tell the screaming baby (and the parent) to go outside?!

 

[mrs_hower726]

It amazes me to hear, yes..hear...., how many people pay no attention to the 'turn off all pagers, cellphones, beepers, etc. during the performance' spiel. How do I know?? Because it's those people, who feel the rules don't apply to them, that have their cellphones ringing away. Then, you hear them say...'Yeah, I'm at the show now.' and they continue chatting!! In our community theater auditorium, the cellphones mess with the sound system we have...it's really nasty. The producer has actually had to go back out on stage at intermission to remind people to turn the electronices off.


And crying babies..man, I can't imagine why someone brings a baby to a show/concert. How uncomfortable it must be for the person who has to care for the child. Surely they would have had a better time if they had gotten a sitter.

Yep, there is one community theater that I play in the pit orchestra that has the same problem with the cell phone vs. sound system wars. I LOVE being on the receiving end of the static interference.


I also don't understand why people bring babies to concerts/shows. The worst is when I was in college. I was an usher for a brass quintet concert. I had to ask a music education professor to leave the concert her husband was performing in (a trumpet professor) because her screaming 1 year old child was interrupting the performance (I'm not allowed to repeat what she said to me after we got outside). I told her that she was a professor and she was supposed to be setting the example for proper concert etiquette then mentioned that college students are always looking for ways to make money and an education major would jump at the opportunity to babysit your daughter for a couple of hours. If looks could kill, I would not be posting here right now!

 

[missypie]

At our son's last choir concert, the family behind us was TERRIBLE...a mom, a toddler and grandparents. The toddler was very noisy and the mom finally took her out. But the GRANDPARENTS were just as bad...talking constantly and sighing audibly before each song (because I gather they were so bored.) I hope whatever student they were there to watch didn't realize it was his/her famiy that was being so disruptive.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

Let us not forget the outdoor symphony concerts where someone ALWAYS gives their child bubbles to play with. These concerts are held at Tryon Palace (NC first governor's mansion) that is right off a river. The bubbles are blown over the orchestra by the wind off the river. After about 45 minutes of this, the conductor turned and said "This is NOT the Lawrence Welk show!"- I joined the applause.
What were the parents thinking?!

 

[olena]

If I were onstage and I heard a cell-phone go off and the recipient started a conversation (as opposed to - *gasp!* - not taking the call), I would stop the show and step out of character to do so. I would ask the person if the call was important and tell them we'd hold the show until they were finished.

agnes!

I actually had a conductor do that. He stopped us and turned and glared at the person until they left. Then we restarted the song.

 

[Talking Hands]

Photography: Don't take pictures while the people on stage are performing. Flash photography is EXTREMELY distracting and can cause accidents on stage with actors who can't see for a couple of moments due to the flash of a camera. I don't know how many times I've been temporarily blinded with a flash and either played incorrect notes or had to stop for a moment until I could focus on the music again.

If photographing a concert I suggest getting a camera that is good enough in low light to not need to use flash. I frequently do this at my daughter's concerts.
I will say that most musicians I know only use their music for reference and are not dependent on it. They have rehearsed and practiced enough before a concert that they have pretty much memorized the music.

 

[missypie]

I will say that most musicians I know only use their music for reference and are not dependent on it. They have rehearsed and practiced enough before a concert that they have pretty much memorized the music.

It depends on the gig. Sometimes, when they are the accompaniment and the budget is low, they have one rehearsal and the performance and are relying on strong sightreading skills.

 

[agnes!]

I actually had a conductor do that. He stopped us and turned and glared at the person until they left. Then we restarted the song.

I know for a fact that Katherine Hepburn stopped the show when a patron was disruptive - either a pager went off or someone was talking - at one of her stage plays.

A light-flash going off can blind someone who is moving around the stage - dancers, actors, etc. - and they can really injure themselves while they are temporarily blinded (besides the fact that camera-flashes are terribly disruptive to the entire concert or theatre experience).

agnes!

 

[olena]

It depends on the gig. Sometimes, when they are the accompaniment and the budget is low, they have one rehearsal and the performance and are relying on strong sightreading skills.

Or in my case, my music is liberally marked with extra notes and reminders. I have a hard enough time seeing normally. The spots that flashbulbs leave in my vision take twice as long to fade as for a normally sighted person.

 

[Talking Hands]

It depends on the gig. Sometimes, when they are the accompaniment and the budget is low, they have one rehearsal and the performance and are relying on strong sightreading skills.

My daughter doesn't have that type of gigs. If she is accompanying it is as part of a large orchestra. Her current gig is accompnying La Traviota.

 

[missypie]

I think part of the problem is that people don't see things like performances as special any more. You go to a show on Broadway in the summer and a huge portion of the audience is in shorts and t-shirts.

The choral directors in our district talk to the audience each time about "concert etiquette." They talk about how they are trying to teach the students the difference between a sporting event, a rock concert and a classical concert.

 

[Missy1961]

I go to theater all the time--Broadway & community theater (2 of my nieces act, while my sister is in the orchestra). I believe that in NYC, you can get a ticket if your cell phone goes off. (I turn mine off before I go into the theater) And the community theater does a cute little presentation before each show reminding people to turn them off--because it interferes. They usually have a member of the cast doing this as if it is part of the show--singing the words to one of the songs for instance. Then they make an annoucement before the second act. I don't think I've ever heard a cell phone go off in that theater!

But I've got to say--just because I don't dress "up" for a show doesn't mean I don't think of it as something special. I love theater, so every performance is special to me. Doesn't matter if I'm wearing jeans or a fancy dress.