Blogger's Night!

Blogger's Night is coming up this week! I had so much fun meeting everyone at the reception last year, I look forward to seeing some of you again and hopefully meeting some new people this year.

I'm hoping that we'll have some new faces in the audience this week, so I'm re-running part of a blog I wrote last year in preparation for Blogger's Night.

Do I have to wear a tie / ball gown / tux?
Only if you want. Wear what you are comfortable wearing. You will see people in all kinds of attire at the concert from very formal to jeans and a teeshirt. Most people fall somewhere in the middle.

When do I clap?
This is a sticky question, and one that has been discussed and debated here. Tradition says to wait until the entire piece is over before clapping. To clap in the “right” place you can either count movements or do what I do and wait for someone else to start clapping before joining in. Another way to tell it it's time to clap is to watch the orchestra and conductor. If we still have our instruments up and the conductor hasn't turned around, it usually means we're only pausing between movements and the piece isn't finished. Don't stress too much about this. Even if you accidentally clap in the “wrong” place, applause is a show of appreciation and we like to hear it.

Can I take pictures of the orchestra / theater?
Yes, you can take still pictures of the orchestra and theater before the concert starts, at intermission, and at the end of the concert. When the lights go down and the concertmaster walks on stage to start the performance, we request that you stop taking any flash pictures. Video and audio recording are not permitted.

Where can I learn more about the pieces that I will hear?
The KSO posts program notes online. You can read about the pieces you will hear on Blogger's Night here. There is also a pre-concert chat that is free to anyone who is attending the concert. These start at 7:00. I highly recommend attending. They are led by the conductor and really give you a better idea of what to listen to during the performance. When I can sneak out of the house early enough, I like to listen to the pre-concert chat. Even though I've spent the week rehearsing the music, I almost always learn something interesting.

If you have any other questions, please post them in the comments section. I will do my best to answer them for you. I am looking forward to meeting my fellow bloggers at the reception after the concert!