[john57]

I really enjoy Olga Kern when she played in Denver for two weeks and saw three of her concerts during that time. I usually go to concerts every weekend and even sometimes three times a week! Right now there is a Bach
festival with three concerts that I am going to. There is several universities around Denver and Boulder area with music students giving some free concerts as well and some are quite good. There is summer concerts in Boulder that I go to. Originally from Rochester NY

Quote:

Originally Posted by groovizintheheart /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've been lucky to see van Cliburn medalists live with great orchestras: Olga Kern and the National Philharmonic of Russia at the Phillips Center in Gainesville, FL Romeo and Juliet Overture — Tchaikovsky Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini — Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances — Rachmaninov Haochen Zhang and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at the Kodak Hall Auditorium in Rochester, NY Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 Great acoustics in both halls and both outstanding performances. While in college I got an amazing chance to discover new composers and performers, I highly encourage people to support their local universities and colleges and attend the students' recitals and guest performances.

 

[stokitw]

I was an constant concert goer back home. Even now, I still manage to attend at least concert during my home visit every summer. Although I cannot afford the best seats when the top orchestras in the world visit Taiwan, I can still get the best seats for less expensive local orchestras. I sometimes sit in the first row just to see the conductor's hands (So I know what Grado's house sound is trying to achieve). I use the experience for how I evaluate the headphone now.

In fact, it is very difficult for the headphone system to achieve both detail and liveness at the same time. Some phones may do the details too well, then you having trouble to imagine where you're sitting. Sometimes, better than the reality is just worng..

Also, no matter how good your headphones are, they cannot duplicate the hit on your body via the soundwave in some large scale works.

 

[evilking]

Living in London has its perks, a lot of my disposable income is spent on classical concerts. For me, it's the only way to experience classical music. I've never been satisfied with any amplified reproduction, I own just a handful of classical CDs. When I travel, I do try to see the local orchestras. I was in Prague just two weeks ago, and spent some time at the Rudolfinum auditorium:

EK

 

[centerfold]

Opera at the Aspendos international opera and ballet festival during my vacation in Turkey. Opera is not my favourite genre of choice, but to be able to see my first opera in an authentic Roman theatre was awesome.

 

[earerror]

Im not too much into classical music, but my friend took me to a juvenile opera concert...just natural sound, no amps just classical instruments sound.

 

[robm321]

I'm fortunate to live near San Francisco. I've been to the symphony there and some others in the bay area. Nothing compares to live performances.

 

[elliot42]

I play with the SBS Youth Orchestra here in Sydney and have performed in many different venues over the years including the Sydney Opera House (Concert Hall and Opera Theatre) and Sydney Town Hall. I've been playing classical music (I play percussion) for the past 8 years.

But I haven't actually been to many concerts as an audience member. I saw the Berlin Philharmonic when I was in Berlin in 2003, but I think that's about it

 

[Landis]

I've been to Roy Thompson Hall in downtown Toronto a few times.

Mostly the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and I believe once was a combination of two European orchestras... I think that one was when I was in eighth or ninth grade, so I can't remember.

I'm not huge on orchestral stuff, but I have a few collections that I give a listen to every now and then.

 

[Edoardo]

Yes, many... piano, string quartets, guitar, flute & guitar... But only a few orchestral experiences...

The biggest musical experience ever?

Thielemann leading the Muenchner Philarmoniker in Munich's Philarmonie im Gasteig... Van Beethoven's Fifth Symphony... Just a couple of weeks ago... Sublime...

It's not like the traditional european theatre/opera house.
That place does not sound at all... It's like being in the middle of some huge field...

 

[Mad Max]

Those pics look glorious.
Sure would like to pay those places a visit during a performance.

 

[catscratch]

I'm a regular visitor at Carnegie Hall (not so much in the last few years though), and at first I was training to become a professional concert pianist. My genetics had other ideas and I had to stop, but I do know how instruments sound, both from the stage and from the audience.

 

[Paganini Alfredo]

While I was in high school I played violin and since our school didn't have an orchestra my mom somehow got a local community symphony (the Scottsdale Symphony in AZ) to let me play with them in the second violin section. Granted it wasn't a professional orchestra, but that year and a half or so I played with them was just outstanding... I mean being in smack dab in the middle of a full fledged orchestra is just overwhelming and mind melting. Needless to say I was obsessed with classical music at the time, particularly the pieces we played. I would go buy the music we had on CD and compare it to what I was playing/hearing from where I was sitting, and sometimes I would go buy the orchestral score at the bookstore (they did have Beethoven scores at B&N surprisingly) and follow along. Haven't played since then though, and haven't been to a concert since except to see the Beethoven Violin Concerto some 5 years ago.

 

[cswann1]

Probably the best live concert I've ever been to was to see the Romero's (all 4) at a small auditorium at Tyler Junior College in Tyler TX. My classical guitar teacher was a student of Celedonio Romero and arranged to have them perform on campus.

 

[radiohlite]

What got me into Hi-Fi was a concert at the Walla Walla Symphony when I was 16. They played the Shostakovich 5 and blew my mind (the sound did...I already knew the piece and classical music in general, but they did play very well). Cordiner Hall in Walla Walla is one of the best acoustic auditoriums in the Pacific Northwest.

The next day I listened to a recording of the same piece on my trusty $20 walkman and cheap Koss phones and it was...sad. I just had to find out how to experience realistic sound at home. And here we are, so much money later...but it was worth it!

 

[webbie64]

Quote:

Originally Posted by elliot42 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I play with the SBS Youth Orchestra here in Sydney and have performed in many different venues over the years including the Sydney Opera House (Concert Hall and Opera Theatre) and Sydney Town Hall. I've been playing classical music (I play percussion) for the past 8 years. But I haven't actually been to many concerts as an audience member. I saw the Berlin Philharmonic when I was in Berlin in 2003, but I think that's about it

Don't worry, elliot42. I've been to many concerts as an audience member in many different venues over the years including the Sydney Opera House (Concert Hall and Opera Theatre) and Sydney Town Hall.

But I've never played percussion, much less with the SBS Youth Orchestra here in Sydney or anywhere else for that matter. So I think in some ways your experiences are well ahead of mine

(Although I do recommend taking the time should we have another run in Sydney of all 9 Beethoven Symphonies over a week - That's an experience worth it at both of those venues

)