Concert FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable. It is tradition for the musicians of an orchestra wear formal attire for concerts, and AZ Phil audiences dress from casual to elegant and all feel welcome.

Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before the concert start time. This will give you enough time to park, find your seat, look over the program, and relax before the music begins. You may want to arrive earlier – to get a drink or snack at the concession stand.

Patrons may enter the Ruth Street Theater from the upper or lower parking lots. Ushers are available at both entry points to assist patrons to their seats. 

We recommend that patrons seated in rows A – E or who have mobility considerations park in the lower lot and enter through the lower entrance. 

Some pieces aren’t written for the entire orchestra, so those musicians who aren’t needed leave to take a break and prepare for their next piece

The conductor is the visual focal point for the orchestra and must be intimately involved with the music and hear the whole sound. The conductor cues musicians and adjusts the tempo and dynamics to make the piece sound as brilliant as possible.

AZ Phil concerts vary in length depending on the music being performed, and most concerts last between 90 minutes and two hours, usually including one intermission.

As a courtesy to the orchestra and other audience members, come and go only in between pieces, not movements. Enter and exit as quietly as possible. Hint: Wait for the clapping.

AZ Phil intermissions generally run 15 minutes. This may vary for certain kinds of performances. The lights will flicker shortly before the end of intermission, so that you have enough time to return to your seat before the performance resumes.

You may bring your cell phone, but be sure to turn the ringer and all alarms off before the performance. This goes for any other noise making devices. Texting is also not allowed, as it could be distracting to those around you.

Our program notes are online (click here). They are designed in dark mode so that you can unobtrusively view the notes with your smart phone in the concert hall. If you choose to access the program notes during the concert, please view the online notes only when the musicians are not performing.

You are welcome to take photos in the lobby and inside the hall before and after your concert, and during intermission. During the concert, please refrain from taking photos using any flash photography.  

Audiences will applaud when an artist such as the concertmaster, the conductor, or a soloist walks on stage, and after each piece. Some pieces consist of three to four shorter sections, or movements. Modern concert etiquette encourages audience members to not clap between movements: between movements, there is silence as the orchestra prepares for the next movement. The number of movements in a piece varies and movements are listed in the program along with information about the composer and the soloists. However …

For most of Classical music’s history, clapping and other rowdy reactions were the norm between movements. Requesting silence between movements began in Germany early in the 20th century, and this soon became the norm in most concert halls. There is good reason for this: many individual movements from the Classical tradition are designed to leave the listener anticipating the next movement, and applause can break that connection. In addition, many Classical works end with an emotional depth that is best reflected upon in silence.

Yet, not all musicians and conductors discourage clapping between movements, and some even encourage it. Some artists appreciate the energy expressed by the audience, and some feel that applause allows the audience to participate more fully in the experience. Arizona Philharmonic respects each artist’s wishes on clapping practices. In some concerts, we will let audiences know specifically when to clap, and in others we will give space for the audience to express their enthusiasm when they wish.

It can be a wonderful discovery to sit down and listen to whatever the orchestra plays, however, some people like to know a bit about the music before they hear it. In the eblasts (sign up here) AZ Phil sends out leading up to each concert, Executive Director Henry Flurry and other musicians offer personal reflection upon and insight into the pieces, their history, and the musicians performing.

There are also Program Notes (click here) and videos (click here) online for background information about the works, composers, and guest artists on the program.

Children are welcome, we love having the opportunity to introduce children to classical music. Please be considerate of the orchestra and others around you and take children out of the auditorium if it becomes necessary. If the venue supports it, you will be able to continue listening or viewing the concert in the foyer.

Some children under 6 are perhaps not ready to attend concerts, but some are!