How to Prepare - Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra

Whether your first orchestral performance or your hundredth, here’s some helpful information to prepare you for concert evening!

Live Concert FAQs

When should I arrive?

If you’re picking up tickets, please arrive at least half an hour before the performance starts. Arriving at this time provides enough time to check your coat, find your seat and enjoy some of the program notes before the concert begins.If you want more detailed information on what you’ll be hearing that night, be sure to join us for Inside the Music: Pre-Concert Talk series which begins at 6:30pm for all Mainstage performances.

Can I take photos with my cellphone or camera?

Yes, but photography is only permitted in the lobby area and not inside the theatre. Video and audio recording are strictly prohibited during the performance. Please be sure to put your phone on silent before the concert begins!

May I bring my young children to a concert?

Sharing the joy of orchestral music at a young age is a great way to foster an appreciation and interest in the arts. Children age five and older are welcome at any Mainstage concert at FirstOntario Concert Hall with a youth ticket purchase. For children aged 5 and younger, we recommend our Family Concert Series or performances at local libraries.

When should I applaud?

At orchestral music concerts, there are two reasons to applaud: as a greeting and to show appreciation. We invite audience members to applaud to greet the Concertmaster when they come onstage (our Concertmaster Stephen Sitarski is the violinist who sits in the first chair of the first row of the Orchestra) and again when the Conductor comes onstage. Any soloists who will be performing will usually come onstage with the Conductor. You’re invited to applaud again at 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 the 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. If you’re not sure that it’s over just follow the rest of the audience or wait until the conductor turns around to bow.

Online Concert FAQs

I have difficulty receiving HPO emails, or I do not receive them at all. How can I be sure I receive access to my online concert purchases?

Email client security settings can sometimes prevent our emails from arriving in your inbox. Be sure to add communications@hpo.org and boxoffice@hpo.org to your email address book. You can also check to see if our emails are landing in your Junk Mail folder (or for Gmail users, the “Promotions” tab). Work or school emails often have very high-security settings that may be blocking our emails. We also strongly encourage our patrons to subscribe to our e-newsletter. Click Join Email List at the very top of this page to sign up. If you have not received an email providing access to a concert you purchased 24hrs in advance of the concert, please email communications@hpo.org.

Can I purchase online concerts for someone else?

To purchase digital concerts for friends or family living in another household, place an order including the name and email of the family member or friend you would like associated with this concert package at checkout. You might also consider purchasing a gift card for a friend or family so that they can select their own concerts!

Can I share my account password with people outside of my household?

We ask patrons to please not share their account password outside of their household. Broadcast links will not be made available publicly. We appreciate the cooperation of our community in understanding that all online concert broadcast tickets are not shareable between households.

Can I re-watch a broadcast?

Yes, you can view the concert on-demand as many times as you like within 30 days of the original premiere date.