Go to the Symphony

Last night I attended a performance of the Utah Symphony. Going to shows at Abravanel Hall has grown on me since the first few times when I would earnestly fight to stay awake for the entire performance- usually not successfully. I think it was the performance of Stravinsky's Firebird I saw there when I was 14 which changed my whole outlook. Suddenly this music wasn't a staid, over-the-head, elitist type thing at all, but something vital, urgent, piercing. This single performance completely changed the musical outlook of a high school kid who, when asked about his favorite music, would invariably respond, "Anything but classical or country," as for the first time I was auditorily, visually, and emotionally transported to a different plane of perception and sensation during an orchestral rendition. This may seem like a rather pretentious way of describing what happened to me, but anyone who's experienced anything similar can vouch for its truth. And I know there are many purists out there who wouldn't describe Stravinsky as "classical" at all- the debut of his Rite of Spring provoked riots and outrage- but what do simple semantics matter when one is dealing with something that can be so beyond his ken, yet at the same time so personal and evocative?

The main event last night was a rendition of Dvorak's 7th Symphony (dark Czech music), which was wonderful, but prior to that there was a violin concerto by Aram Khachaturian with a soloist that gave me chills. The only downside to her performance was that some audience members began clapping in between movements (a huge no-no. Hint: if you are new to classical music, never clap until the rest of the audience is). Still, she recovered with grace, and the evening proceeded smoothly after that. What made it even better was the fact that I got the pair of $50 tickets for 8 bucks apiece. I'm not currently a student, but I still have my student ID, which makes going to the symphony cheaper than seeing a movie- at that price I figure I can't afford not to go. Whether a current or former student and a music lover of any stripe, you too can (should) take advantage of these ticket prices; we have a wonderful symphony, with an internationally acclaimed conductor, that routinely plays many of the greatest compositions in history. Next week is Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich- let's pack Abravanel to the rafters and give these guys their due. I promise, it'll be money well-spent.