First Time at the Orchestra?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
A typical performance is 90 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. Most of our concerts start at 8:00 p.m. and end at 10:00 p.m. Our Pops Series concerts begin at 7:00 p.m. and end around 9:00 p.m. Individual concerts can vary in start and end time so it is best to check our event listing online or the information on your ticket.
In addition, many of our concerts are preceded by fascinating pre-concert talks which set the stage for you to get the most out of your concert experience. Be sure to stay tuned to our web and social media updates to find out about these.
One exciting update that will impact the timeline of your evening is that drinks are now allowed in the hall for all concerts: you no longer must pan to finish your drink prior to the beginning of a concert. To that we say, “cheers!”
Many people have the false impression that they need to be dressed to ‘the nines’ in order to attend an orchestral performance. Fear not! We encourage you to wear whatever you feel most comfortable in. Some people enjoy dressing up for the occasion, while others prefer wearing jeans and a t-shirt. It’s really up to you. Whatever you choose to wear is fine by us!
We always appreciate hearing your applause and enthusiasm if you’ve enjoyed a specific work we have performed. Typically, concert goers wait until the final movement of a work before they applaud. If you are unsure of when a specific piece is finished, you can consult the program to see the title of the work and its movements. If you are still unsure whether the piece is finished, focus your attention on the conductor. Once the piece is finished they will lower their arms and turn to face the audience. Overall, the audience is quite in-tune with this clapping routine so you can always take your cue from your fellow patrons as well!
As a general guide we recommend that children should be 6 or older, but we leave it up to your discretion. In our experience, younger children often have a hard time remaining quiet and sitting still for the length of the performance, but we leave that up to you!
We do nevertheless ask that you be mindful of other patrons and accompany your child out of the hall for a rest should they be causing a disruption.
If you don’t feel comfortable bringing your child, we do however have incredible family programming that may be better suited to meet the needs of your child. The general atmosphere of these programs is much more open to and permissive of the energetic movement and murmurings that restless children tend to display in performance type settings. In fact, many of these programs encourage interactivity between the performers on stage and our young audience members.
Before many of our concerts we host free pre-concert chats called “Musically Speaking.” They usually start one hour before the concert and will give you a deeper understanding of the meaning behind the notes of the repertoire you will hear during the performance. These talks are given by classical music experts, guest conductors or our Musical Director Alexander Shelley. They also explore the fascinating details about the composers, musicians and genre of music you will hear.
Another great way to learn more is by listening to our NACO podcasts, or by reading the detailed descriptions in our house programs handed out before you take your seat. These program notes are also available online a week before each performance, giving you ample time to learn more about each specific work.
You may bring your drink into the concert hall. We made this change a few years ago in response to patron feedback. We hope this enhances your concert experience!
When you take photos or videos during the concert it is distracting for the musicians and the patrons who are around you. You can certainly take photos or video before the performance, at intermission or after the concert but we ask that you refrain from doing so while the concert is taking place.
Our orchestra is also very proud to be a top recording orchestra. That said, it is extremely important to them that recordings of their music be of the utmost quality, to truly reflect their sound. You can enjoy the sound of our orchestra at your leisure by streaming or purchasing professional recordings available though www.analekta.com; Spotify; Apple Music; iTunes Store; and Archambault.
We would love for you to share photos of your experience at a National Arts Centre Orchestra concert – or NACO for short! Make sure you tag us on our official Facebook page or follow us on Twitter. You can also find us on YouTube and learn more about our ongoing activities across Canada. And don’t forget to follow the NAC on Instagram!