David Runnion wrote:

>Actually, I find this thread sort of sad and disturbing.  Yes, there are
>lots of distractions in the concert hall, but there always have been, it
>is certainly better now than in Beethoven's day ...

I think that David has some very valid points here, and I am of a mixed
mind when it comes to this issue.  Being that I am the artistic director of
a professional chamber choir in the world's most musically mannerless city,
I have found that I cringe at the bad behaviour when I attend the concerts
of others.  When I am conducting my own, I rejoice that people came and
don't really notice the noise.  I am concentrating on the music anyway and
tend to block the rest.

David is correct that we must continue to go to concerts and encourage
others to do so.  What has delighted me is that The Helios Ensemble is
building a dedicated and appreciative audience out of people who probably
never attended serious music events before.  Why and how? Because we have
personally invited our friends, day-job co-workers, fellow parishioners and
relatives to fill the seats.  The magic is that when they got there, they
had a wonderful time and now wouldn't miss us for anything!

Have they occasionally clapped between movements? Yes.  But it fixed
itself immediately when I simply held up my hand as I turned to the next
page in the score and did not turn around to acknowledge the applause.
Very simple.  They learned by one gesture that they shouldn't clap till
I turned around and stepped off the box.  No one was offended, no one was
harmed.

The key to success in the arts is not to have a bunch of experts like us
sit at our computers and bitch about the rude members of the audience.  The
key is for us to invite novices to concerts with us and teach them how to
behave.  Tell them about the music that they will hear, and most important,
explain WHY concert ettiquette is important.  If they understand the
traditions and significance, they will participate as readily as many of
us might participate in the liturgy in church.

"But Kevin, concert tickets are expensive and I can't afford to buy a
ticket for some plebian just to save great music."

Don't spend money I say.  Start with the universities.  Many of us live
near at least one.  I live within and hours drive of half a dozen.  There
are many high quality free concerts at universities.

I have an idea.  Let's all pledge to invite a member of the great unwashed
to a concert during the next month.  Odds are that we will turn on quite a
crowd to great music and they will buy their own tickets!

Kevin