Concert routine

Final rehearsal

• Make sure that you can see the conductor and the audience.
• You may be asked to move so that you or someone else can see/be seen better.
• Once the positions are settled, make a mental note of where you are and who you’re next to on either side.

Health and safety

• Please familiarise yourself with the guidelines on Fainting or Illness at a Performance (see menu on right hand side of this page)
• At the final rehearsal, there will be an announcement about Fire Exits and any trip hazards at the venue.

Before the concert

• Be in dressing room 30 mins before concert is due to start.
• Start lining up to go on stage 15 minutes before concert is due to start.
• If you’re not sure where your part is lining up, ask!
• We can be heard by the audience – so please don’t talk at all.

Going on to the stage

• This varies at different venues: At Price Hall we go on from both sides, starting with the person sitting in the middle at the back. We go off on both sides, starting with the person sitting at the end at the front.
• Walk on and off holding your folder under one arm, with the front facing the audience.
• If you would like to have water available during the performance, it should be carried on discreetly and kept under your seat.  Metal water bottles can be noisy if knocked over by accident, so please only use plastic bottles (re-usable recommended).

On stage

• The most important thing is to engage with the audience, smiling if this is appropriate for the music. Try to use your face like a soloist.  Good communication with the audience makes a huge difference!
• Sing out into the audience – this makes a big difference to the quality of the choir’s sound.
• Enjoy the soloists’ singing – you don’t need to follow every note in the score.
• Please do not talk on stage during the concert.

Standing and sitting

• The Musical Director will tell you where to mark stands and sits on your score
• Singers towards the centre of the front row lead the stands and sits.
• Take care to stand and sit silently – or as quietly as you possibly can.
• Usually, we stand immediately the Conductor enters at the start of the concert.
• At the end, we usually remain standing after the conductor and soloists leave for the first time, until they return for the encore and presentations.

Returning music

• Please rub out pencil marks before returning music – you may need to do this straight after the concert
• Put the music in the boxes provided, in or near the dressing rooms.