Performance Rubrics for Concerts / Concert Seating Chart / Poster
Concert Etiquette Rubric
4 = Student consistently stood still on stage, participating, not talking to others, watching conductor. Student’s motions never disturbed other students.
3 = Student mostly stood still on stage, participating not talking to others, watching conductor. Students’ motions hardly ever disturbed other students.
2 = Student was somewhat wiggly and/or talkative and/or did not consistently watch conductor. Student’s motions slightly distracted others in the concert.
1 = Student was very wiggly and/or talkative and/or did not watch conductor. Student’s motions distracted others in the concert.
This is what I explain to the students:
Before the concert (during class), you will be graded on Effort.
During the concert you will be graded on:
- How well you know the words, motions & dance
- Expression
- Etiquette, which includes:
- Watching me
- Keeping your hands and feet to yourself
- Staying quiet between songs
- Standing still
- Participating
Audience Etiquette / Expectations
“A painter paints his pictures on canvas.
But musicians paint their pictures on silence.
We provide the music, and you provide the silence.”
– Leopold Stokowski, reprimanding a talkative audience
(printable poster here)
OK, let’s face it: people (both adults and children) don’t know how to behave at a concert. In one concert, a father in the front row threw a flip flop at the singers. Another time, a mother in the front row was talking on her cell phone during the whole concert. Once, a father was so busy filming that he let his 3-year-old boy come up front and join us on stage – twice. Babies crying and parents talking loudly to each other are just regular occurrences.
We have a choice. We can get angry and complain that people aren’t cultured. Been there, done that. But, if you think about it, most people (at least people in my area) don’t frequent “artistic performances” where audience participation is not part of the atmosphere. Also, it can’t be assumed that people from other countries know our expectations. So, we need to educate our parents and students.
Audience Etiquette Expectations (Suggestions for a Pleasant Evening)
Familiarize the students with the list of audience expectations before the concert and ask them to talk to their family and friends about it. Include this list on any correspondence and on the website.
- Do not talk during the performance.
- Silence cell phones.
- Limit movement in and out of your seat during the performance.
- Do not shout, whistle, or cheer while students are singing.
- Keep small children with you at all times.
You or an administrator could start the concert in the following way:
“OK, let’s have some photo ops. I’ll step out of the way so you can take some great photos of your kids. [Then, after a few minutes] I’ve told the students that they can smile and wave at you before and after the concert, but not during the concert. [Try to make it light and funny.] The kids have been working so hard at learning all of the lyrics and motions – and this will only last about 30 minutes. So we ask that for 30 minutes you turn your cell phones off – and if there’s an important call, you take it into the hallway. Please keep an eye on your toddlers – and keep the aisles clear. We want to make sure all of you can see and hear your children, so stay seated – and this will be a great 30 minutes!”
- Music Program Performance Rubric (PDF)
4 thoughts on “Concert Etiquette / Expectations”
how do you apply this rubric to a school-wide performance with over 400 students?
You could videotape the students’ performance. I have also had classroom teachers and/or assistants help to grade them during the dress rehearsal.
There is no practical way I can fairly / accurately judge all my students in this. I am going to have students self-evaluate. We’ll do this in class. I’ll guide them along. They will rate themselves. I think the self-evaluation process is worthwhile, even if it’s biased by them.
Sounds good! You have to do what works for you and your students!