Styles of Presentation: Formal, Informal, and Beyond
Some people prefer “formal” concerts, where everybody dresses up, the musicians just
play the music, and the audience just listens. Fans of this kind of presentation find that it
helps them to focus on the music.
Others discover that another style of presentation suits them better. Nowadays concerts
present music in a variety of ways and offer a range of formality and informality.
I belong to a chamber music group
that for many years wore the most
formal kind of outfit—white tie and
tails—while informally bantering
onstage with each other and with
listeners. Our audience seemed
to like this play of formality and
informality. (Recently we jettisoned
the tails for a less stuffy look, but we
still combine intense musicmaking
with casual conversation.)
Every aspect of a concert can be varied: the kinds of music, the dressiness of clothing,
the interactions between musicians and audience, the appeal to other senses, the kinds of
settings, the technologies used, the kinds of social interaction.
A classical concert may include wildly different
kinds of music. Performers may talk about the music,
perhaps demonstrating certain features. Listeners
may have opportunities to ask questions or make
comments. The concert may be combined with
a meal or other social event. Audience members
may be invited to play an instrument, try a dance
movement, or sing the main melody. The concert
may take place in a relaxed environment like a
club or living room, or in a ballroom, a tent, or a
wilderness amphitheater.
Concerts for singles combine music and socializing.
Lecture-concerts and “informances” combine music
and learning. Theatricalized concerts combine music
with actors, lighting, costumes, and other effects.
Conversation-concerts combine music and discussion. Other concerts combine music with
wine, with snacks, with art, or with film or video.
New technologies may project words, amplify sounds, provide big-screen close-ups,
offer hand-held commentary, or facilitate audience participation. Old technologies may
contribute candlelight, incense, historical instruments, or period costumes.
The different ways of presenting music have no standardized names, but web sites,
brochures, and advertisements often describe concert formats, giving you choices about
how to experience live music.
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