School Concerts and Open Rehearsal FAQs

School Concerts FAQs

Registrations and Making Changes

How Do I:

• Change the number of tickets?
• Change my order to a different date/time?
• Cancel my order?
• Add my school to a waiting list for a sold-out date/time?
• Make changes to my school's account (i.e. changing the group leader/primary contact, changing mailing address, etc.)?

Please contact The Philadelphia Orchestra's Education and Community department at [email protected].

What is the Refund Policy?

No refunds or adjustments for ticket cancellations will be made within seven (7) days of a performance. Any refunds on paid orders more than seven (7) days prior to your scheduled School Concert will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Teacher Resources for School Concerts

Where can I access the curriculum and other resources?

Upon registration, you will be given a link and a password to the Teachers’ Lounge with all the available resources. If you need the link and password again, please e-mail The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Education and Community department at [email protected].

Can I request a docent visit even if I did not do so on my registration form?

Yes! Please contact The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Education and Community Department at [email protected].

Seating Assignments

When will we find out where my group is sitting for the concert?

Seating will be on a first–come, first-served basis. Please check in with an usher or staff upon arrival and they will guide you to your seats in Verizon Hall.

What should I do if I need to update the accessibility needs of my chaperones or students?

Please contact The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Education and Community department at [email protected].

Busing

Where do I find busing information and instructions?

These materials will also be sent to you via e-mail a few weeks prior to your concert date.

What time should our bus(es) arrive at the Kimmel Center?

Please plan to arrive at the Kimmel Center 30–40 minutes prior to the start of the concert.

Where should our bus(es) drop us off?

Buses may pull up along the southbound side of S. Broad Street, anywhere between Walnut and Pine Streets.

When and where should the bus(es) return to pick us up?

Buses should return to the Kimmel Center 45 minutes after the concert start time, pulling up along Spruce Street between S. Broad and 15th Streets.

Check-In

What do I need to bring to check-in the day of the concert?

You must bring along bus signs and a roll of tape. Please put a bus sign on each bus. Please bring your bus driver instructions and map.
Once you arrive at the Kimmel Center, find an usher or an education staff member and tell them your attendance number. One of our ushers will then take your group to your seats.

What if my group arrives after the concert has already started?

Our ushers will do their best to find a suitable moment and discreet location to quietly seat your group between pieces. Please keep in mind that School Concerts are only 45¬ minutes long and there may be a point when it is no longer worthwhile to attend.

Inclement Weather/Refund Policy

What is the inclement weather policy for the Orchestra/Kimmel Center?

The Philadelphia Orchestra has a very strict policy regarding the cancellation of concerts due to inclement weather. To cancel a performance, the Orchestra requires that the city of Philadelphia declare a state of emergency, not just a snow emergency. The Orchestra also has a very strict no-refund policy. However, all available measures will be taken to reschedule any missed performances due to weather. To check the status of a Philadelphia Orchestra School Concert, please e-mail [email protected].

Concert Etiquette and Procedures

Are there any resources available about concert hall rules and etiquette?

Upon registration, you will receive access to the Teacher’s Lounge. This will include a Guide to Audience Behavior.

What is not permitted in the hall?

Food, candy, gum, or beverages are not allowed in the concert hall. Cameras, video recorders, mp3 players, or other electronic devices are not permitted in the concert hall.

What will happen when the concert is over?

When the concert and applause have ended, please stay seated. We will dismiss schools to the appropriate exit (either Spruce Street or Broad Street) as their buses arrive.

School Concert FAQs for SDP Schools—Billy Joel School Concert Program

Registrations and Making Changes

What can I do if I need more than 73 tickets for my school?

Please let us know if you need more tickets by e-mailing us at [email protected]. Depending on available seating for your chosen concert time, we may be able to offer you some options for increasing your order.

What should I do if another teacher has already registered a class from my school, but I would like to register a different group of students?

Please contact us at [email protected] if you think someone has already registered for your school. We recognize there may be multiple music teachers/classes at some schools and will do what we can to accommodate these circumstances on a case-by-case basis.

How do I ...

• Change the number of tickets I have reserved?
• Change my order to a different date/time?
• Cancel my order?

Please contact The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Education and Community department at: [email protected]

Do I need to pay for my school’s concert tickets and/or bus transportation?

No, your school’s tickets (up to 73 total) and optional busing are completely covered by the generous support of the Billy Joel School Concert Fund. You may receive an invoice at your school address, but this is primarily in case your administration requires documentation of the free tickets.

If our tickets are free, do I still need to notify the Orchestra if we are no longer able to attend?

Yes, it is crucial that you notify us if you need to cancel your trip. This will open up seats for students from other schools to attend and will also ensure we do not mistakenly hire buses on your behalf.

Transportation

How do I know if the Orchestra has reserved the bus(es) for my school?

A few weeks prior to your concert date, we will forward you a copy of your school’s trip confirmation.

Does our bus reservation cover additional stops or alternative routes?

No, our bus funding only covers one direct round trip between your school and the Kimmel Center.

What should I do if I receive an invoice for busing?

Please do not pay the invoice. Depending on the bus company, the trip confirmation we forward to you may be the same as an invoice. If you receive any invoices directly from a bus company, please forward them to us at [email protected].

Cancellations

How do I cancel the bus reservation for my school?

For cancellations several days or weeks before the concert date, you may cancel your bus by e-mailing us at [email protected]. For last-minute cancellations, please ALSO contact the bus company directly by telephone.

Will I be charged a fee if I cancel at the last minute and forget to notify the bus company?

Most bus companies have a grace period for cancellations that are made at least 24 hours before the scheduled pickup time. Even if you must cancel a bus within that 24-hour period, call the bus company directly so they do not send a bus.

If I must cancel my school’s visit unexpectedly, will it be possible for us to attend a later concert?

Depending on ticket sales, we may be able to offer the option of an alternate concert time/date.

Open Rehearsal FAQs

About the Event

What grade levels are Open Rehearsals available to?

Since our Open Rehearsals for Students serve as working dress rehearsals for the Orchestra and students are required to sit quietly for long periods of time, this program is only made available to middle school and high school students.

Can my middle school or high school child attend an Open Rehearsal if they are homeschooled?

Yes, homeschooled students may register for Open Rehearsals, provided they are accompanied by a parent or adult chaperone. Please indicate on your registration form that you are registering as a homeschool group.

Registrations and Making Changes

Can I register for my students to attend more than one Open Rehearsal this season?

In order to provide access to as many students and schools as possible, schools are limited to attending/registering for only one Open Rehearsal per season.
If your school attempts to register for multiple dates, you will be contacted to select one preferred date to attend, and all other reservations will be cancelled.

How do I ...

• Change the number of seats I have reserved?
• Change my reservation to a different date?
• Cancel my order?
• Add my school to a waiting list for a sold-out date/time?
• Make changes to my school’s account (i.e. changing the group leader/primary contact, etc.)?
• Acquire any additional forms/information in order to get field trip approval?

Please contact The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Education and Community department at: [email protected].

Seating at Open Rehearsals

When will we find out where my group is sitting for the Open Rehearsal?

Open Rehearsals are general admission and groups will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis upon arrival at the Kimmel Center.

What should I do if I need to update the accessibility needs of my chaperones or students?

Please contact The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Education and Community Initiatives Department at [email protected].

Food and Lunches

Can we pack lunches to eat in the Kimmel Center before, after, or during the concert?

Due to a lack of space and necessary clean-up staff, the Kimmel Center does not permit school groups to bring food or beverages into the Kimmel Center, including Commonwealth Plaza (the lobby). Additionally, Verizon Hall has a strict no food and drink policy, which will be enforced for School Concerts. We advise students to eat on the bus before or after the concert.

Is there someplace nearby where we can purchase lunches or have a picnic?

There are nearby restaurants and quick serve places within walking distance at which schools could potentially sit down to purchase and/or eat packed lunches before or after the event.

Parking and Directions

How can I reserve a parking spot?

Parking may be pre-purchased online for either the Kimmel Center Garage or the Avenue of the Arts Garage by going to the Kimmel Cultural Campus Parking page. Pre-paid parking is available most weekends and weekday evenings. Pre-paid parking is not available on all performance dates. You can also call Patron Services at 215.893.1999.

What if I can’t reserve a spot at either the Kimmel Center Garage or the Avenue of the Arts Garage?

You can reserve a parking spot in advance using SpotHero. Reserve your parking in advance and get there on time, stress-free! SpotHero is the nation’s leading parking reservation app to book convenient and affordable parking, whether it’s for an event, commute to work or even airport parking.