1. Don’t bite off more than you can chew! Slowly start with listening to familiar music
If you have never listened to classical music before, it is a good idea to start with the pieces you are familiar with, such as TV and/or radio advertisement/background music and classical and Korean music masterpieces from middle and high school music class.
2. The best way to listen is to listen carefully
If you want to actively train your ear for music or learn how to enjoy music better, take a moment to listen to it carefully. Listening to something you don’t want to can make you completely lose your interest in music, so it is better to start off by listening carefully to your favorite music.
3. Frequently and repeatedly listen to music with a continued interest
If you feel lost when learning music for the first time, it is a good idea to look into books and magazines that help understand music. If you put books, magazines or music dictionaries next to where you listen to music and read them often, you’ll turn into a music expert in no time.
4. The right way to appreciate music is to feel, understand and love it
Musical knowledge can help you understand music better. However, you don’t need to know about music to understand it. Understanding music doesn’t mean that you know a lot about it. It means that you know music and also know how to feel it.
Concert Manners
1. Be prepared and dress comfortably and neatly
You need to prepare your clothes and mindset before meeting a masterpiece. It is best to get rid of any and all things that might distract you from enjoying the concert. Wear comfortably and neatly. If you have any personal belongings or bouquets, store them at the coat check or the information desk.
2. What should children do at concerts?
Children under the age of 7 can enter concerts for children, but only elementary school students and up are allowed to attend most concerts. Even if children are allowed to enter the concert, you must still be mindful of how much the children can understand the music. It is best for children and adolescents to be accompanied by parents or teachers when visiting concerts.
3. 10 minutes early is on time
Entering the concert hall is prohibited once the concerts start. It’s best to arrive at the venue 30 minutes in advance to check your seat and to get seated 10 minutes before the concert.
4. Mute all sounds except for music!
This is basic etiquette. Make sure to silence or turn off your phone in advance before the concert. The performers and audience’s ears are all extremely sensitive during the concert, so please make sure to refrain from coughing, rustling or chatting during the performance.
5. Follow the usher’s instructions if you’re late
Many concert halls prohibit entry once the concert starts to enable the performer and the audience to concentrate on the performance. However, even if you’re late, there is a chance that you might be able to enter the hall between the movements or songs. Follow the usher’s instructions and sit in the nearest empty seat then move to your seat during the intermission.
6. A concert hall is not a café or a coffee shop!
Entering the concert hall with food or beverages is prohibited. Some people tend to mistake a concert hall for a coffee shop with background music. Take care of your hunger and thirst before the concert starts. It’s best to take care of yourself in advance so that you can focus your attention towards the stage and enjoy the music well.
7. What if you see a seat that is better than yours?
Some people tend to move around once the concert starts after seeing an empty seat better than theirs. Any and all kinds of behavior that may disturb the people around you are prohibited. It’s best to use the intermission to ask the related staff for permission before moving to another seat.
8. Photos and recordings are only permitted outside the concert hall!
Photography and recording are strictly prohibited mid-performance. Some people use small digital cameras or their cell phones to take pictures of the performance, but this is considered very rude. If you need pictures of the performance, ask the host of the performance.
9. Intermission
The intermissions are there to enable you to focus on the remaining performances better after a break. Take this time to go to the bathroom or rest comfortably by drinking water or beverages. If you decide to leave the concert hall, refrain from conversing too loudly or running around the lobby.
10. When should you clap?
1) During symphonies or concertos which have three to four movements
Clap once all of the movements are finished
(Do not clap inbetween the movements)
2) Vocal music
If you take a look at the program, the performances are grouped into three or four songs. Clap once a group is finished.
3) Instrumental music
If the performance is a piece or consisted of a single movement, you can clap once the song is finished.
4) Opera
Clap when an aria or a duet is finished, and shout “Bravo,” to cheer for the performers.
11. Final touches once the concert is done
It is extremely rude to leave your seat mid-performance. Stay in your seat until all of the performers are off-stage. A performance isn’t over even if the audience are clapping once the music stops.
