Concert Etiquette 101

These are not in any significant order. Just a list of general guidelines for those who have no clue.

1. I live in the West, so the general uniform for anything is Jean and a T-Shirt. Even at funerals and wedding receptions. I use this general rule. The more you pay for the concert the more you should dress up. And if it's a recital of someone you know, you should probably don something a little nicer than Jeans and a T-shirt out of common courtesy and respect.
2. Don't clap in between movements.
3. Turn off your cell phone, iPod, pager, iPad, laptop, and all that other stuff. And keep it off. Even if you get a freaking text. It can wait.
3. Don't talk. Especially while someone is performing. Wait until the clapping begins to say something if you can't control your word vomit.
4. Don't be late. And if you are, sneak in during clapping.
5. Learn a little bit about the composer/piece/style of music before you declare you don't like it. Program notes are useful for learning stuff like that.
6. If you are there supporting a performer, tell them they did good, even if they were atrocious. What went wrong is for them to discuss with their private lesson instructor or other teacher.
7. If in supporting the performer, and they play something really weird that you don't like (see rule #5) don't tell them it was weird and you didn't like it. They probably worked their butt off learning it and may absolutely adore that piece or composer. You don't have to say anything about whether or not you enjoyed it, but do tell them they did well.
8. Only give standing ovations if the performance was phenomenal.
9. Don't fall asleep. And if you're supporting someone, don't fall asleep and admit to falling asleep.
10. Enjoy the concert/performance as much as possible and think about what it made you think about, remember, or feel!!

Musical Pizza

I recently heard a joke.
"What's the difference between a music major and a pizza?"

"A pizza can feed a family"

Now, this joke is kinda funny. If you're not a music major. Me being a music major was slightly downed by the joke not only because of my choice of a college major, but because I think of myself as a pretty good cook. :)

I couldn't really let myself be too offended by the joke because the joker was an electrical engineer. And try as I might, I support his career every single stinking day. When I turn off my alarm clock. Take a shower, blow dry my hair and drive to school. Then I go to classes in fancy building designed and built by architects and assisted by... electrical engineers.

I'm very glad these architects and engineers do the things they do. I like my warm showers and lights on at night. But I can't help wondering what would happen if more people in the world supported MY career choice and all other aspects of other people's artistic endeavors?

I'm certain there would be no doubt in the world as the whether a music major could feed his or her family just as well as a pizza.