Welcome to the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra's concert, and the world of classical music. If you are attending your first symphony performance, you may want answers to some of the following frequently asked questions:
- What is classical music?
- What is a symphony orchestra?
- Will I recognize the music?
- Do I need to know the music before I attend the performance?
- What should I wear?
- Can I bring my mobile phone or camera?
- Can you give me directions to the Kuopio Music Centre?
- How can I purchase tickets?
- Where will my seats be?
- When should I arrive?
- When do I applaud?
- How can I learn more about the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra and classical music?
- Where can I go before or after the concert?
What is classical music?
The term "classical music" generally refers to music written for a group of musicians who play orchestral instruments: strings (such as violins and cellos), woodwinds (such as flutes and clarinets), brass (such as trumpets and French horns), and percussion (such as the timpani, or kettledrums).
Most orchestral music is written in one of two forms: a symphony or a concerto. A symphony is a major work, played by the entire orchestra. Most symphonies have two or more parts, called "movements." Some of the best-known classical symphonies have four movements: the first is fast; the second is slow; the third is music for a dance, such as a minuet; and the last movement, or the finale, is fast.
A concerto is a musical composition performed by the orchestra and a soloist - who play in dialogue with one another. Most concertos have three movements.
During the performance, there is a short, silent pause between each movement of a piece. You can determine how many movements there are in a piece, and how many silent pauses there will be, by looking at your program - the movements in each piece will be listed there. Applause is usually reserved for the end of the final movement of the piece, after the conductor has signaled the end of the final note with his or her baton or hand.
What is a symphony orchestra?
An orchestra is made up for four sections: strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion. The instruments featured in each section include:
Strings:
Violin, viola, cello, bass
Woodwinds:
Flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, English horn
Brass:
Trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba
Percussion:
For example timpani, harp, xylophone
The 46 members of the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra all earn their living as full-time musicians. They rehearse and perform mainly at the Kuopio Music Centre Concert Hall during the regular concert season (September to May). The Orchestra also plays free summer concerts in Kuopio-area and tour / perform with other professional symphony orchestras and choirs around Finland. The orchestra is also heard on Kuopio Symphony Orchestra recordings.
Will I recognize the music?
It is very likely that you will recognize parts of many symphonies, concertos and choral works (classical music performed by an orchestra, vocal soloist, or choir). Music written by the great Finnish (and foreign as well) classical composers is often used in movie soundtracks, television shows, and even commercials.
Do I need to know the music before I attend the performance?
No. One of the great joys of going to a Kuopio Symphony Orchestra concert is being introduced to a great piece of music you've never heard before, or listening to a superb performance of a piece you haven't heard in years.
Some of the KSO regular concert-goers, for example the KSO Seaoson Ticket Customers, do find they appreciate the performance more if they listen to a recording of the piece before the concert, so they can better anticipate their favorite parts, or listen for virtuoso playing of the more difficult passages.
And many audience members find it enhances their enjoyment of the music if they take the time before the performance to read the notes in the program about the composer, the guest artists and the pieces that are to be played. All the KSO Symphony Series concerts (8 concerts per season) of the season can be found in the Symphony Series programme. The programmes are on sale at the Kuopio Music Centre Ticket Sales in the beginning of the Season Ticket sales but also every concert evening at the Concert Hall Foyer. Our customers may also read more about our guest conductors and soloists as well as the following season's programme on the KSO website.
What should I wear?
Most people consider a concert by the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra to be a special event, and tend to dress for the occasion - in suits and ties, or "nice" dresses or pantsuits. Many people come to the concerts from work, and are dressed in professional business attire. There is no official formal dress code for the KSO concerts.
Can I bring my mobile phone or a camera?
The Kuopio Symphony Orchestra's musicians and the guest artists performing at the Kuopio Music Centre stage are her to entertain you.
As the Concert Hall doors close we ask the audience to check that the mobile phones, pagers and other electrical devices are switched off.
We kindly ask our audience to grant the artists total silence without any distractions during the performance. Therefore photographing (especially with flash), recording using sound or video is not allowed during the performances (unless otherwise informed in the beginning of the performance or in the programme leaflet). Also talking, whispering, coughing etc. can be distracting to the performers and distract the other members of the audience from enjoying their concert evening.
Can you give me directions to Kuopio Music Centre?
How can I purchase tickets?
Where will my seats be?
The Kuopio Music Centre is the home of the Kuopio Symphony Orcehstra; it is an excellent setting for your introduction to classical music. The Concert Hall seats 1,064 customers; the Hall is comprised of the floor (750 seats), lower, middle and upper side balconies as well well the upper back balcony (all the balconies 313 seats) seating at a variety of prices.
In opera performances the front section of the floor (3 to 5 rows) is usually lowered for the orchestra pit.
See the seating chart for the Concert Hall to find the location of your seats.
When should I arrive?
We suggest you arrive 20 to 30 minutes before the concert is scheduled to begin. That will give you ample time to find your seat, relax, read the Programe Notes, and watch the musicians as they take the stage.
Kuopio Symphony Orchestra concerts begin promptly at the announced starting time. The Concert Hall doors are closed exactly at 7 pm. (when most concerts usually begin) or at the time noted in the programme. Ticketholders who come late will not be seated in the hall until after the conclusion of the first work on the program. Concertgoers who must leave the hall before the end of a piece or the concert are advised to purchase a ticket for a seat in the rear part of the floor or balcony in order to be able to leave his/her seat without distracting the artists or the other members of the audience.
In consideration of the performers and fellow concertgoers, we ask that you remain in your seat until the concert has ended.
When do I applaud?
There are two reasons to applaud at a Kuopio Symphony Orchestra concert: as a greeting, and to show appreciation. Just before the concert begins, the Orchestra members will all be seated on the stage, except for the Concertmaster - the violinist who sits in the first chair of the first row of the Orchestra. You applaud to greet the Concertmaster when he or she comes onstage. You applaud again a few moments later when the Conductor comes onstage. Any soloists who will be performing will usually come onstage with the Conductor; you applaud to greet the soloist or soloists as well.
You do not applaud again until the end of each piece of music, to show your appreciation to the performers. Some longer pieces may have several sections, or movements, separated by a brief, silent pause. The audience does not applaud between movements of a piece. The program will list the movements in each piece, so you will know how many there are; applause is usually reserved for the end of the last movement.
How can I learn more about the KSO and classical music?
The programmes for each concert are posted on the KSO website at the beginning of a new concert season. The information may be updated during the concert season. In addition there will be information on the guest artists and sometimes notes about the composer.
You can learn more about the pieces to be played during the concert season with the help of recordings at Music Libraries or Stores. In addition you can learn more about the KSO's past productions on the KSO CDs that are represented on this website and available for purchase at the Kuopio Music Centre Ticket Sales.
We can also add you to our Kuopio Symphony Orchestra mailing list to keep you up-to-date on all Orchestra events and activities. Simply sign up for this free benefit.
In case you join the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra Subscription roster by purchasing a Symphony Series' Season Ticket at the beginning of the concert season you will also receive mail by post or e-mail during the season as well as substantial benefits. Learn more about the Season Ticket benefits.
Where can I go before or after the concert?
Kuopio Symphony Orchestra concerts are usually held at the Kuopio Music Centre Concert Hall. The Music Centre is situated right in the center of the city of Kuopio, just three blocks from the Kuopio marketplace. This means that most of the restaurants, offering a wide range of cuisine, in every price range, as well as hotels are within walking distance. More information on the Kuopio restaurant services.