Do I need to know the music?

While prior exposure to music can enhance one's enjoyment of a performance, it is by no means essential. Discovering music in the concert hall environment can be a very exciting experience on its own. Whatever you feel comfortable with will be the right decision for you. Also, you may know more than you realize. Many of the works we perform have been featured in movies, television shows, and TV commercials.

Can I sing along?

While we appreciate your enthusiasm for the music, we do ask that the audience leave the singing to the rousing voices of our chorus. One exception, however, is our "Holiday Sing at Symphony Hall" where the audience is invited to join our talented singers in beloved carols and selections from Handel's Messiah.

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What should I wear?

The most important thing is to feel comfortable. Some of our guests like to dress up for the occasion, many will wear business attire, and others will be dressed more casually. A bit of advice many of our guests find useful is to dress as you would for a nice restaurant. You will feel very much in place if so attired, but again, we encourage you to make the right decision for you.

When should I applaud?

The tradition in America is to applaud when a conductor walks onto the stage and to then applaud at the conclusion of each full work on the program. Historically, however, this was not always the case. Indeed, it was considered scandalous if an audience was not moved to applause at the conclusion of each movement of a Symphony or Concerto. Many of our guests are "historically informed" and while not as common as it was in Beethoven's day, our audience has been known to depart from the American concert etiquette and break into applause after an especially rousing movement. We generally would not discourage you from joining them in applause.

How do I know when a piece or a movement has ended?

The conductor will normally bring his arms to his side if there is to be a pause between movements or at the conclusion of an entire piece. Sometimes, you will hear the orchestra retune their instruments in preparation for the next movement. Sometimes, however, the conductor will move almost instantly into the next movement of a piece of music. If you are concerned about applauding at an appropriate time, the most reliable advice we can give is that if you are in any doubt, wait until you hear a lot of people applauding.

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Where are the restrooms and telephones? How do I find my seats? What if I have an emergency and need assistance?

All of our concert halls have professional ushers trained to assist members of the audience in getting around the hall or finding the hall's accommodations. They can handle any seating concerns or personal emergencies once you have entered the hall.

Someone may need to contact me during the concert. May I leave my cell phone on?

Out of respect for your fellow concert goers and the performers, we require all electronic devices with ringers or alarms to be turned off prior to the start of the concert. If you need to remain available, we ask that you turn your cell phone or pager to vibrate or silent and that you quietly exit the hall before answering your phone.

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