Singers and musicians who belong to show groups spend many weeks and months bringing together their concert pieces. They take every care to give their best efforts both to highlight their talents and to make the concert as interesting and enjoyable for the public. It only takes one person in the audience to ruin the entire event for everyone. You can avoid being that person by knowing what it takes to be a mindful and respectful audience member at a California choral musical performance.

It seems like everyone has a cell phone with them today. Most people dare not venture into public without their cell phones in their purses or pockets. While you are welcome to bring yours to the event, you are reminded that it is rude to have it on during the actual concert. As you are taking your seat, you may turn it on vibrate and silence the ringer if you have to have it on at all.

When everyone is looking at you, you realize quickly your mistake and might even wish you could take it back. However, you may have already made the singers and fellow audience members annoyed with you. By turning off the ringer, keeping it on vibrate, or turning off the phone entirely, you help the show go off without a hitch better.

You also may want to remain in that seat while the show is ongoing. Even if you have to use the bathroom, it might be best to wait until a song is finished before you get up and walk out of the hall. As with phones, people walking out of the concert hall draw attention to them and away from the singers. This behavior annoys people in attendance and is construed as rude and not appropriate for this kind of setting.

Your children may be well-mannered at home. However, they may not do so well in a crowded concert hall. They might not enjoy the music and instead want to get up and run around rather than sit still. Your baby may cry or scream to be fed or changed. Concerts are not generally viewed as child appropriate venues. You could hire a babysitter and instead enjoy an adult's night out while listening to beautiful music.

While you may already know these basic etiquette rules, you could be unclear about applauding. Of course you know to wait until the piece has ended. However, you may not know when the end has arrived. Your foremost clue comes from watching what the conductor is doing with his or her arms.

When the conductor has his or her arms poised above his or head or extended in front of the chest, he or she is giving a sign the song is continuing and not ended yet. It is only when the conductor drops the arms to both sides that he or she demonstrates the finality of the piece. At this point, you may clap if you enjoyed what you heard.

These simple rules for enjoying musical performances in California and elsewhere can come in handy when you want to be a respectful audience member. You prefer not to draw the ire of those around you or the performers on stage. You will show the appropriate amount of attention and respect by keeping these manners and behaviors in mind while you are listening to the music.