How to Experience Classical Music? Shh Re "A Loud Call for Cheering at Classical Concert Halls" (Arts pages, June 9): Classical music often does not have a regular beat that makes us want to tap our feet, or dance in the aisles. It speeds up and slows, builds to a thunderous roar and wanes to almost nothing; it begins quietly, humbly, and ends in joyful exuberance. Ecstasy may be expressed through the slightest sounds that dissolve into complete silence. Attending a concert can be the most intimate of experiences, in which the listeners merge with the music. As when we hear a story told, we receive music in rapt silence, so that we don't miss a sound. In stillness, we are open. As we listen to Debussy's "Des Pas Sur la Neige" ("Footsteps in the Snow"), we hold our breath to experience the sounding music that conveys the image of soundless footsteps. And how wonderful, at the end of this experience, when we rise to our feet, yell bravo. Thank you, thank you. We are beautifully worn out. The writer is dean of the Hoff-Barthelson Music School in Scarsdale, N.Y.