How long is an orchestra concert, and when is the break?

A regular evening orchestra concert lasts about two hours, with one break of 15 to 20 minutes in the middle. A family concert is shorter, often 45 minutes to an hour with no break. The exact time depends on the pieces, so check the event page before you book.

The shape of a regular concert

Part	What is played	About how long
First half	A short opening piece, then a concerto with a soloist	40 to 50 minutes
Intermission	A break	15 to 20 minutes
Second half	One big piece, often a symphony	35 to 50 minutes

Not every concert follows this plan. A long symphony may fill the whole evening with no break at all.

How long each kind of piece lasts

Kind of piece	About how long
Overture	5 to 12 minutes
Concerto	20 to 40 minutes, in three parts
Symphony by Haydn or Mozart	20 to 30 minutes
Symphony by Beethoven or Brahms	30 to 45 minutes
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony	A little over an hour
A long symphony by Mahler	80 to 100 minutes

Read symphony, concerto, and sonata explained.

Other kinds of show

Show	About how long	Breaks
Concert for babies and toddlers	30 to 45 minutes	None
Family concert	45 to 60 minutes	None, as a rule
School day concert	45 to 50 minutes	None
Regular orchestra concert	2 hours	One
Pops concert	2 hours	One
Film with live orchestra	The length of the film plus a break	One
The Nutcracker	About 2 hours	One
A full-length ballet	2 to 3 hours	One or two
An opera	2 and a half to 4 hours	One or two
Handel’s Messiah	2 and a half hours	One

Read how long is The Nutcracker?

How to find the real time

• Look at the event page. Many orchestras print a “running time.”
• Add up the pieces. Search for each piece and its length, and add 20 minutes for the break and the gaps.
• Ask the box office. They can tell you when the intermission starts.

When to arrive, and what happens if you are late

Arrive 20 to 30 minutes before the start. That leaves time for the coat check, the washroom, and a look at the stage.

If you are late, an usher will ask you to wait. Latecomers are let in at a pause, most often between two pieces. Some halls show the stage on a screen in the lobby.

The intermission

• How you know it has started. The house lights come up, and the players leave the stage.
• What to do. Use the washroom first, since the lines grow fast. Then have a snack and move around.
• How you know it is over. Chimes or a voice in the lobby call people back. Lights may flash.

Is it fine to leave at the break?

Yes. It is fine to watch the first half and go home. Half a concert that goes well is better than a whole one that ends in tears.

To do this well, check which piece is in which half. If your child wants to hear the symphony, it will be after the break.

How long a child can last

Every child is different. These are rough guides.

Age	A good length
Under 4	30 to 45 minutes, at a concert made for small children
4 to 7	45 to 60 minutes, at a family concert
8 to 10	The first half of a regular concert, or a whole one with a piece they know
11 and up	A whole concert

Tips for sitting through a long piece

• Tell them the plan. “There are four parts. The break comes after the piano piece.”
• Count the movements. A symphony has four parts as a rule. A child can keep track on fingers.
• Give one thing to watch. The timpani player, the harp, or the conductor’s left hand.
• Sit on the aisle. You can slip out between pieces.
• Listen at home first. A piece a child knows feels shorter.

Print the concert scavenger hunt for quiet looking.

Extra minutes

A concert may run over. A soloist who gets loud applause may play one more short piece, called an encore. Speeches from the stage add time too.

For the full picture, read first orchestra concert with kids, when to clap at a classical concert, and best seats for kids. For shorter, gentler events, read sensory-friendly concerts for kids.