A guide to attending SSO Babies’ Proms
Date: 5 & 6 Oct 2024 (Sat & Sun)
Time: 11am and 2pm
Venue: Victoria Concert Hall
Duration: 1 hour, without intermission
1. Notes on the concert
2. The concert experience
1. Before the concert
2. Going into the concert hall
3. During the concert
4. After the concert
This visual guide has been created to help prepare you and your family for this concert experience.
Section 1 provides information about the concert. Section 2 is intended for adults to read with the child(ren), or provides information that adults can use to prepare the child(ren) for the experience.
Information is correct as of 27 September 2024. Produced by the Singapore Symphony Group. No parts of this document can be reproduced without permission.
1. Notes on the concert
Sound Levels:
1. The music in the concert varies in mood (calm vs intense) and dynamics (loud vs soft).
2. Louder and more suspenseful works in the concert are:
o In the Hall of the Mountain King
o Theme from Jaws
o Imperial March from Star Wars
3. If the child is sensitive to loud sounds and/or your seats are at the front of the concert hall, we recommend you bring noise-reducing headphones for them.
Concert Etiquette:
1. If you leave the hall during the performance, you will be allowed to re-enter again.
2. Audience members may applaud after each piece.
3. Eating and drinking is not allowed in the concert hall, except for plain water in water bottles.
4. Non-flash photography and videography is allowed during the concert, but please be mindful not to disrupt the people around you.
5. Audience members are encouraged to remain in their seats, unless prompted by Uncle Bill.
Audience Interaction:
1. Audience members will be encouraged to follow the presenter’s actions, including during the following works:
a. Liberty Bell March:
Uncle Bill will come down from the stage and invite children to march behind him, around the hall
b. Can-Can:
A few young children in the audience will be selected to go up and conduct the orchestra. For safety of our audiences, we encourage all ticketholders to remain in their seats. The child will be selected during the concert.
c. Hungarian Dance No. 5:
A limited number of children will be allowed onstage. For safety reasons, we encourage audience members not to rush to the front of the hall, not carry your child onto the stage and have your child use the stairs.
If you have any questions or accessibility arrangements, please email ticketing@sso.org.sg.
2a. Before the concert
Today, we are going to the Victoria Concert Hall to watch a concert.
The concert we are going for is called ‘SSO Babies’ Proms’, a special concert for young children.
It will be performed by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
A symphony orchestra is a large group of musicians who play different instruments and are led by a conductor.
When we reach the Victoria Concert Hall, we’ll see the Instrument Petting Zoo at the atrium on Level 1 and at the foyer at Level 2.
Here, we can try to play musical instruments and learn more about them.
If we find it too loud, we can exit the building or go to a quieter area at Level 3.
2b. Going into the concert hall
The concert hall is open for admission half an hour before the concert starts, so we can settle down early and get ready to watch the concert.
(CONCERT TITLE)
(YOUR NAME)
(CONCERT DATE)
Sample seat number
We will have an electronic ticket that tells us what our seat number is, and which door to use.
The concert hall has two sections: the ‘Stalls’ at Level 2 and the ‘Circle’ at Level 3.
To get to the ‘Stalls’, we can use the staircase or take the lift to Level 2.
To get to the ‘Circle’, we can take the lift to Level 3.
Stroller parking is available at the atrium at Level 1, and near the lifts at Level 2.
The nearest toilets are on Levels 2 and 3.
We can use the toilet before entering the concert hall, or anytime during the concert.
The nearest nursing room is at Basement 1, accessible via stairs from the atrium at Level 1.
To get into the concert hall, we have to wait for the usher to scan our tickets.
We can learn more about the concert from the programme booklet, that you can get outside the concert hall.
This is what the inside of the concert hall looks like. Booster seats are available at the entrance. The ushers will be able to guide us to our seats.
There is a stage at the front of the concert hall. Some musicians may be onstage and they will be wearing shirts of different colours, depending on what instrument they play.
2c. During the concert
During the concert, the person dressed in a red blazer is the presenter, who will be leading us through the concert. His name is Uncle Bill.
The person standing in front of the orchestra is the conductor, Leonard Tan. His role is to tell the musicians how loud or soft and fast or slow to play, and how to express the music.
Sometimes, the music may get loud. If the music gets too loud, we can either put on headphones (if we have them) or exit the concert hall and go to the Calm Corner.
2d. After the concert
There will also be a post-concert meet-and-greet with Uncle Bill and Leonard Tan at the foyer outside the concert hall.
There, we can take pictures with them or ask them any questions.