How to Write a Concert Review

MUS 121 typically uses concert reviews as a primary medium of writing. Concert reviews are structured as follows.

Introduction

Introduce concert title

• Concert titles are put in quotation marks in MLA
• Chicago Style— long musical works are italicized (Opera) and shorter pieces are in quotation marks following poem capitalization rules. Concert Titles are in quotation marks.
  • Example: "Voi che sapete cosa è amor" from Le Nozzi di Figaro
    • Voi che is a work within an opera, and Le Nozzi is the opera

    Give your overall impression of the concert

    • Did you like the concert? Were there any aspects you did not like? Briefly mention this.

    Outline structure of concert

    • Talk about the songs played in the concert using their titles and composer names. Briefly describe how they sounded to you (i.e. jovial or somber).

    Mention important names

    • Mention any featured conductors or performers (especially with concertos).

    Concert hard facts

    Describe the ensemble’s instrumentation (and if it changes).

    Talk about the song tone.

    • Was the piece fast or slow? Did it emote a specific type of emotion? Were there many parts to the song?

    Mention any extra anomalies that occurred (i.e. special announcements, strings breaking, or lighting issues).

    Experience review

    This is where you elaborate on how the concert made you feel, what types of emotions you thought the concert or a piece conveyed, talk about any images that it may have reminded you of, and any other ideas or opinions you experience in this setting.

    Conclusion

    Tie up any final thoughts, your opinion on your overall experience, and future ideas you may want to address at another concert.

    Contributed by: Cameo Flores

    
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