Like stated above, I know a thing or two about being on the stage side of a performance and I can remember a few concerts that I have had the privilege of participating in that have been honored with a standing ovation. For example, this past January, I was playing with the district honor band under the direction of Allan McMurray, director of the Director of Bands in the College of Music at the University of Colorado in Boulder. We played "An American Elegy" by Frank Ticheli which is in memorial of the victims and the families and friends of those involved in the 1999 Columbine High School shooting. If you have never heard this piece before, it will change your life. Each note and tone is symbolic and meaningful (listen to this specific performance here). But anyways, that's a whole tangent for another time. My point is that that piece and the performance the band had was something we were proud of and did in fact receive its own individual standing-o. An it's a great feeling knowing that you did your best and and more importantly, that it spoke to and touched the audience.
However, it bothers me that nowadays, or at least at the high school level, that standing ovations are just something given out of courtesy. Don't get me wrong, I am all about giving props to anyone who has put in the time and effort and courage and practice to get up on stage and preform and I will always clap and acknowledge someone's great accomplishment, but I feel like now, a standing ovation follows every performance, even ones that it is clear are mediocre. In contrast to my other example above, I have also been a part of many disappointing performances but still people rise and cheer even though it is clear that it really wasn't anything special. I understand why people stand - to be nice - but when you stand for every thing, it diminishes the significance of the standing ovation when so actually witness something spectacular.
That's just me on my soap box, sorry for the rant.
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