Programmes
Why Concert Programmes Put Works in an Order
Why concert programmes put works in an order: hear contrasts, notice transitions and follow a concert’s changing focus…
The reading room
Article list
Browse pieces on programmes, listening, venues, customs and concert memories. Each one begins with a manageable question you can take into an evening of live music.
Venues
Balcony, Side Seat or Floor: Choose the View You Want
Choose a concert seat for the view you want: compare balcony, side and floor positions by sightline, distance and how…
Customs
Before the Printed Programme: How Concert Notes Took Shape
Learn how concert notes developed alongside printed programmes, and use a short note to find one listening clue…
Listening
The Familiar Composer Is Not a Listening Plan
A familiar composer is not a listening plan. Follow one recurring rhythm or texture change to give an unfamiliar…
Memories
Three Lines to Keep After a Concert
Three lines to keep after a concert preserve a vivid sound, a surprise and an open question, so you can revisit the…
Our point of view
A concert is worth meeting on your own terms.
Genuine Concert Guide offers ways to notice more, not rules for enjoying music. Start with one question, and let the rest of the evening unfold.