Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Appropriate to give flowers to a pianist after a concert?

A pianist is coming to town soon for a piano concert. She is currently my favorite pianist/performer. I would like to bring a bouquet of flowers to place on the stage after the performance to express my appreciation. Would that be inappropriate?

It's very common for some people in the audience to do this. Why do you think it would be inappropriate?

I don't think I have ever seen somebody who was just an audience member, not someone who works for the venue, do it at a concert.

BWV846 :

Traditionally at formal concerts it seems to be the agent or the house's management that sends someone from staff to present flowers to the performer.

That said, in less formal venues, I have seen audience members present flowers to the performer. In these cases it seems that one invariably chooses a child to do the presentation.

What you could do, after the performance, is go back stage and present your flowers personally and not in front of the audience.

Regards,

I think sometimes at the largest concert halls ushers may bring the flowers, but I've also seen regular audience members do it, and it's very common in smaller halls for audience members to do it in my experience.

It's a small hall in a large venue (Kennedy Center).

I think it's a lovely gesture. What's the harm? I think Bruce's idea is an even better one since you get to meet the artist and show your appreciation in person.

Call the hall and ask what the practice is there.

I know who you're going to hear and the answer is yes, she'd love to have flowers.

, I brought flowers some years ago to a concert in London. Thankfully the star did not cancel -and I was a tart sight in my Savile Row pinstripe suit offering them- but otherwise, I would have just passed them on to my mother.

So, who's the performer?

Just be sure the bouquet is nice enough to properly express your appreciation. I have seen gas-station flowers presented to performers by representatives of the house, and it was embarrassing. I would hate to see the performer accept your bouquet of roses, only to turn them around and whip you with the stems as he chased you from the hall.

Ok, I'm lying--- that would be quite a show. There would be ink for years.

Anyway, when you say it with flowers, be sure you say the right thing. The language is rather explicit.

I don't think I want to do this anymore.

I see nothing tacky about that gesture at all. Stern, with his international reputation is highly unlikely to do anything tacky or against custom; perhaps it was a question of "different country, different customs." Stern was obviously sharing his enjoyment of the event by sharing with the audience their delight in the performance. I've often seen that done, particularly after an operatic performance where the lead soprano or lead tenor (when the poor guy even gets some flowers) shares them with the audience.



Why was that tacky? Some friends obviously wanted to share their appreciation for the performance that had just taken place. Do you think only the winners should be presented with flowers? Did you think you were being up-staged, somehow? It was, after all, in the lobby, not on stage. It seems like a kindly, thoughtful gesture; nothing tacky about it in my mind.



... and how often have you seen that happen?

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I did give flowers to Angela Hewitt after the concert (yellow and white tulips). I'm glad I did.

By all means come forward to present the artist with a large bouquet of flowers! If they don't reach out their hand to accept, simply lay them down on the stage. Alternatively you could throw single stem roses from the stage-side balcony for an Olympic touch.

It's a regular event in Dorset.

Lucky you to hear her! I bet she was very pleased to receive them.

Angela Hewitt is an ex-ballerina, and ballerinas are always pleased to receive flowers .

In Russia and Eastern Europe, even male pianists are given bouquets by (female) members of the audience, as you can see here: http://youtu.be/weNs4NuhJ0g