This semester, I was fortunate enough to attend a Philharmonic Orchestra concert, thanks to a generous donor from my college. The donor donated tickets for my music class to enjoy a show, and I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to see the performance. I have been to many concerts before, but never an instrumental concert and certainly never a Philharmonic Orchestra concert. This was a new experience for me, and an exciting one at that! The entire experience was nothing short of amazing and I would encourage anyone interested in live music to try and attend a show.

The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a breathtaking venue, both inside and outside. The area around the arena displays a beautiful plaza complete with a relaxing water fountain. The plaza offers a calming center of serenity amongst the bustling streets of New York City.

The Philharmonic Orchestra performs in the David Geffen Hall, so my night was spent climbing the stairs inside the hall and observing the space around me. Just like the area outside, the interior is remarkably clean and tidy. There is a beautiful view from the higher floors where you can see the city buildings as well as parts of the plaza. The room that contains the stage is unlike any other concert venue I have ever seen. The layout of the room appeared to me like a work of art in itself as the design is very aesthetically pleasing.

When the lights dim and the music begins, audience members are swept away with every strum of the violin and beat of the drum. At my particular show, there were three pieces performed and each piece transported me to a unique place in time. The orchestra is extremely talented and the members perform so beautifully that even the older compositions vividly come to life there on the stage. The acoustics of the room are truly remarkable as there is never a time where the music is too soft to hear. The acoustics are so strong that when someone coughs, the entire venue can distinctly hear the noise. Similarly, it is very easy to hear someone’s conversation, even if they are a few seats or even rows away from you. The audience stays exceptionally quiet throughout the performance, but in between each piece when the orchestra members are shuffling around and preparing for the next piece, nearly every member of the audience lets out a cough or simply clears his or her throat. I was quite surprised when a chorus of human noises filled the air in between the sets at my performance, creating quite a contrast to the melodies of the music. While it startled me the first time I heard it, this unique chorus was a memorable moment of my Philharmonic night.

If you find yourself down by Lincoln Center or just feel like you are in the mood for a good show, I highly recommend The Philharmonic Orchestra. The venue will amaze you, but most importantly, the performance will blow you away.