Attending a Classical Concert

by Angela
(Kansas)

Homeschooling field trips should take a stop at a classical music concert. Go any time of the year and forget the weather! Outdoor concert are fun in good weather. Check the weather! :)

The best way to find concerts to attend is to search your local symphony's website. Or even check out the concert listings of the local concert hall. Sometimes you might get to see a visiting orchestra! Sometimes local orchestras will do free concerts for the school children and generally homeschoolers can go to these. Just contact them and ask if a group of homeschoolers can come!

Children really like it when they know a little about the pieces that they are going to hear. When you look at the schedule for the concert it will tell the list of the pieces that are going to be performed and who wrote each piece. You could read a short story about the composer to the children. Sometimes you can find a little bit of background to the pieces, like why the composer wrote the piece or the story that it is telling. Wikipedia is a handy start.

Sometimes the piece will have a solo which means that there will be one musician playing in front of the rest of the orchestra. It is a good idea to teach the children about the instrument. You could teach them about the different families of the orchestra: Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, and Percussion.

Children will be amazed to see an orchestra perform. There's nothing like a live orchestra to make you feel the music. Point out to the children ahead of time to watch the violinists' bows. They will all move at the same time and so will the cellos'. For your more energetic ones they will really like to watch the percusionists playing the drums and cymbals. Hide your pots and pans when you get home from your homeschooling field trips!

After a piece that was really awesome, the audience will sometimes give the musicians a standing ovation. It's to show them that you really enjoyed that piece! I once went to a concert where the audience was mainly full of children. Everyone was clapping at the end as the conductor and soloist came back on stage. The conductor tried to cue us to stand. It was a while before only about half of the audience stood! But do remember if you didn't like the piece don't have to stand.

Once the concert is finished you might be lucky and get an encore. It happens when the whole concert has been really great. The conductor will then come back out and the whole orchestra will play either another piece or a short part of something they just performed. I just love encores. It gives you a little something more than what you had expected for your homeschooling field trips!

Concert Etiquette

When you take children to concerts it is good for them to know some general concert etiquette rules before they attend so they will know how to properly behave on their homeschooling field trips to the concert hall :)

It may seem like there are too many rules, but don't let that discourage you. Just remember the main rule is to stay quiet so that everyone around you can enjoy the concert also!

• You will want to arrive a little early to have time to go to the restroom, get to your seat, and even look over the program some.


• Turn off all cell phones and other similar devices. Anything that will make noise that could distract the performers or audience.


• Sit still and quiet during the performance. Do not leave in the middle of a piece unless you have a crying baby.


• Don't clap between movements. A good idea is to wait until the conductor turns around.


• You also shouldn't normally have anything in your mouth like gum or candies during the performance. If you need a cough drop, try to unwrap some before the concert or in between movements or pieces so as to make the least noise.
  

One of my favorite pieces for children is the Carnival of the Animals. There is some one who narrates a little story about some of the different animals. After each little narration the instruments of the orchestra play a little piece making sounds that imitate the animals like the elephant, the lion, the kangaroos and the cuckoo. Other fun pieces for young ones are the William Tell Overture and Peter and the Wolf. Be sure to read the stories before you go!

Our family likes to look up the pieces ahead of time to watch on YouTube. It's really nice to have an idea of things you would like to see being played, like a little solo from the oboist and then the trumpeter's solo.

Enjoy your next classical concert! And remember to come back and tell us about the experiences of your homeschooling field trips to the concerts in the comments below!

Angela from Music-Facts.com