1. You must know a good deal about classical music before you may attend a concert.

Music can speak directly to any listener. A live concert is meant to provide enjoyment, relaxation and inspiration. This does not presuppose any prior knowledge.
But if you wish to learn more about music, you are welcome to attend our pre-concert talks (one hour before the concert is scheduled to begin).

2. Concert-goers are required to dress formally.

Formal attire such as tuxedos or evening gowns may enhance the sense of occasion, but there are no longer any hard and fast rules about what to wear at a concert.

3. You should applaud after every piece of music even if the musicians still hold their instruments in readiness.

For the sake of musical coherence it is common nowadays to applaud only at the very end of a work. When you listen to a symphony, you should not clap before the final movement is over. A movement is one of the sections into which a work is subdivided. The number of movements is indicated in the programme notes. As a rule, a conductor pauses for between 10 and 20 seconds before embarking on the next movement. In Beethoven�s Choral Symphony, for example, there are three such breaks. If all else fails, you can always wait until the rest of the audience begins to applaud.

4. Coughing is not distracting.

The acoustics of a concert hall are so good that even disruptive noises can be heard by virtually everyone. If you cannot suppress a cough, please use a handkerchief to muffle the sound.
Our concerts are often transmitted live on the radio or recorded. This is an added reason to avoid any unwanted noise.

5. It is sufficient to put a mobile phone on silent mode.

Those seated next to you will even hear the vibration alarm. Please make sure that you and other members of the audience can fully enjoy the concert without any distraction. You should not phone anyway during the concert.