I’m a good little symphony-goer

Jacket. Check. Button-up shirt. Check. Axe bodyspray. Nope.

Thanks for your tips, Edmonton.

You totally Eliza Doolittled me. I’m sure that sounded better (and less dirty) in my mind.

Anyway, I attended the symphony Saturday and had a great time. It helped that I had a few pointers from you, including attire, and I was much more at ease.

It also helped that the show was “Broadway Rocks,” and it’s the PERFECT show for someone just getting into the symphony. It’s also good if you like Broadway and all those songs they do. I won’t go into a review (I’m sure my request from the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra is on the way) so check out what my ticket-holding friend had to say about the show at her blog.

I also have to give shout-outs to Kerri (and the future help I’m sure to glean from her blog) and Sarah. Sarah is a ringer, with inside experience at the Winspear Centre.

I’m also glad I had suggestions about tuxedo shirts and leather chaps. You have to have a sense of humour about things you don’t know about.

Oh, and Philip Paschke, the ESO’s New Media Specialist (Yes, they have one.), had great tips all around, which I’ll share with you. It will be helpful in case you are like me, and don’t really know which side of people to walk on, what an oboe is and other life/orchestra items.

“For dress, you’re not going to see tuxes and gowns or anything, but the majority of people will probably be in the business casual to semi formal range of dress. There’s no dress code though, and I’ve seen pretty much everything at concerts, starting at beach wear and up.”

I actually did see a tux. That guy looked good. I also saw casual people. It will be interesting to see if that had anything to do with the more relaxed Broadway atmosphere. I also think I’ll go a little more business-formal, myself.

“The biggest thing to keep in mind for many concerts is the acoustics of the hall,” Paschke writes.

“Because the Winspear is designed so we can perform some concerts unamplified, it means that audience noises are much more noticeable than in other venues. So, shuffling of feet, dropping a program, coughing, whispering to your neighbour, even a vibrating phone can all be noticed by the people surrounding you, or even the entire audience. That being said, this concert is amplified, so most of those things won’t really bother anyone. It’s only in the unamplified classical concerts in which people get annoyed at these kinds of intrusions.”

I noticed some of that noise in between songs. I will have a mouthful of Fisherman’s Friend to avoid coughing at future concerts.

“People will applaud at the beginning when the conductor walks out, and they’ll applaud after each song. Edmonton audiences seem to like to give standing ovations at the end, but don’t feel like you have to. They’ll probably do the encore anyways.”

Knowing to clap for the conductor is a great piece of advice. You want to at least appear like a cultured gentleman.

Nothing I like better with my orchestra than a hot cup of cocoa. That purse? Not mine. That second hot cocoa is mine though.

Remember that the ESO is in the Winspear Centre and that downtown parking can be a hassle. Arrive early and have cash for parkades.

Don’t forget that the lobby is open early so you can check your coats, grab a drink or a coffee and enjoy some people watching.

The best piece of advice also came from Philip.

“…oh, and we often get complaints from people with scent allergies, about their seat neighbours’ perfume. So don’t cover yourself in Axe body spray before coming…”

He just about ruined my night with that. Lucky for him, I can go 2 hours without a fresh application of those heavenly scents.

Actually, scent allergies will save us all from having to sit next to jerks bathed in perfumes, cologne, and the aforementioned Axe. (Axe: It’s what your Ed Hardy shirt should smell like.)

Thanks for your help. It was a great night and I’ll be going back to the ESO.